My military flesh much preferred the practical ideas of consistency in following a morning routine and setting a bedtime in stone, thank you very much, but my spirit really needed this challenge and now!
The morning routine is pretty much routine around here: Not a prob.
The bedtime stone carving thingy is a bigger albeit not formidable prob: Although I'm not making that ten o'clock "curfew," I'm oft in bed before midnight, which may not be exactly to the letter of my self-imposed law, but it def works for me. But, that's a whole 'nother meme, right?
This week, Tammy asks us to consider the value of choosing love even when we don't feel loving, like when we miss that bedtime or churn with unrest when we hit the snooze button once too much, tossing out the baby of what we should or could have accomplished with the bath water of our now long-gone morning routine.
Now, that's a toughie indeed.
How hard it is when we are quick to anger or swift to unkind speech, before knowing the facts or even searching our hearts as to why we are so short of temper.
Why am I saying "we?" Is there a mouse in my pocket?! If so, imagine a silent scream before fleeing. Anyway...
It is I. Yes, I am often swift to speak before really investigating what is happening in my home and among my four or within my own heart. I am not blessed to have very much immediate spiritual or internal insight. No, it takes me hours or days of belly-button gazing and prostrate praying before I even begin to understand my very own heart and its gob of strange and very female emotions.
As illustrated in the above pic of my Sassafras taking the wheel from my babe, how oft I am quick to "fix" one of my kid's issues without knowing the deets because I feel hurt over the slight of a friend; how hasty I am in barking out drill sergeant orders before even assessing the battlefield, when I'm reminded time and time again that I'm not the most awesome chick I know. I am human, after all; or should I say, after all that sinful denying and striving, I am still human.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you (John 15:12).
H u m i l i t y.
I need a hefty and faithful dose of it every second of every minute of every hour of each and every new day.
Being a list-maker and master planner, I'm gonna make things more tangible here:
My dearest Laura Lou,1. Listen without interrupting, even if you think you know where it's going and just wanna cut to the chase and fix it.2. Take a second or few to pray before answering and ask the Lord to load and lead your words--it will take less time and cause less pain to you and others.3. Speak those words in love while pulling them in close to you.4. Finally, thank God for these many opportunities to grow you up in His love, as you share Christ with your beautiful, lovely, brilliant, loveable kids.Yours truly.
How 'bout you? How often must you choose to love? Or, does it come unnaturally and inhumanly easy for you? If so, please exit stage left.
This is a very timely post for me in so many ways :) Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI must choose love because I often want to move on to the next thing already. And I am sometimes a slave to my dadblasted schedule, though I am quickly beginning to realize that it's as much a recipe for misery to me as it is to those I impose it upon.
ReplyDeleteI definitely needed this post today. Thanks, Laura Lou.
Great post! :)
ReplyDeleteLearning like you, Laura, that love is a choice not an emotion. In our family time of "Morning Revival" we read that forgiveness is as well.
ReplyDeleteIndeed I hinder love because I'm selfish and then God brings me to my knees and that too I want to deny, but he loves me and I want to love him and so like an unwilling child I give in. I pray for forgiveness and I ask my kids to forgive me and try again.
ReplyDeleteI need this on my wall to be reminded to choose love.
Oh, my goodness, can I relate to this one. Yes, I need reminding each and every second of the day, it seems.
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog and am loving it. :)