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Love. The Apostle Paul already wrote on Love in the Bible better than I possibly ever could. It sums up the entire concept. In his words, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Love is patient with my children when they aren’t responding fast enough.

Love is kind even when I’m in a bad mood.

Love does not envy. Envy is a destroyer of friendship. I have seen it happen. I commit to not envying my friends but rather be happy for their good things.

Love does not boast. Applying this is a little more tricky for me. I suppose it means I view accomplishments humbly and do not boast about them.

Love is not proud. Pride is all about oneself. Pride is selfish. Pride is the root of all sin because it says, “I can be like God.” Pride definitely destroys relationships. Not being proud means saying I’m sorry when I wrong my husband or kids.

Love does not dishonor others. That means love honors others. Not repeating things people are ashamed of. (Especially your husband!) Sometimes honoring someone and possibly their wishes means doing something you don’t want to do. There are so many ways to honor others.

Love is not self-seeking. The flip-side on this one is it is other-seeking. Not thinking what I can do for myself in a relationship but what I can do for others. This means when I’m with a group of girlfriends and can’t get a word in, that I love that I can sit there and listen to them. I don’t have to butt in the conversation.

Love is not easily angered. For me, this really comes back to my children and husband and being patient. Giving the benefit of the doubt to those I love most. The people you know most seem to be the easiest to not give slack to for some reason.

Love keeps no record of wrongs. This means not bringing up something my husband may have done years ago. Letting it go, forgiving.

Love does not delight in evil. For me this would be gossip. Not being anxious to talk about someone. In a sermon my brother once preached he called gossip the “devil’s intimacy”. If I find I have a relationship that seems based on talking about someone else I realize that we don’t have a true bond. It is interesting to see what happens to those relationships when you determine not to do that anymore. Is anything left?

Love rejoices with the truth. This is speaking truth at all times to those I love. When they are hurt or depressed speaking truth into their life can be a fresh breath. Obviously this applies at home too!

Love always protects. This means when I love someone, even when they are doing something wrong, protecting them by not telling others about it. I know that this will come in handy with my children when they are teenagers. Not that there isn’t a time to share with someone close and prayer, but not to just air it out in your general atmosphere. I have been unprotective before and it is a bad feeling left in your mouth when you realize what you have done has hurt someone.

Love always trusts. This can be a hard one. Especially when we know their are legitimate reasons not to. I feel blessed to have a husband who I am not suspicious of, but the fact is not everyone is in that positions… so I’m not sure how to apply this one.

Love always hopes. Hope sees the bright side and believes it can be. Having hope in love doesn’t say… “things will always be like this, I can’t take it!” but hoping and praying always for more.

Love always perseveres. This means also that we don’t give up. Even when things are so tough. It’s that “sickness and in health, richer or poorer” part of the marriage vows. Persevere through good and bad.

And lastly, LOVE NEVER FAILS.

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Written for Skribbit’s February Write Away Contest.

These are some thoughts I jotted in my journal some time ago. I haven’t taken the time to fully complete them but thought I would share anyway.

Socialism is man’s attempt to take the place of God. Government was not intended to take the place of God, but rather meant to aid in the establishment of order according to the example of God.

In effect, Socialism is the modern tower of Bable. The modern forbidden fruit. The error lies in the fact that Man is no God and therefore can not deal with his power with out it resulting in destruction and chaos. The more power given to men results only in more ultimate destruction.

I remembered I wrote those paragraphs after reading this post on why socialism will never work.

Death by Suburb by Dave L. Goetz has been a buzz book in Christian circles for awhile now. It has long been sitting on my stack waiting to be read. Often, I feel let down by the “buzz book” in Christian circles so I suppose I was 1/2 curious and 1/2 jaded toward reading it.

What a pleasant surprise. I found it hard to put down! I absolutely love that Dave has spent much time reading some of the older Christian classic texts… the ones that most suburbanites (or anyone) will go near. He took those books that are full or rich morsels of wisdom and translated them into modern day speak in a way many could relate too.

The readability of Death by Suburb in no way waters it down or shallows it out. It maintains depth while still holding it’s relevance. It could be considered the entertaining version of cliff notes for the classics of the Christian faith.

What I thought would be a major Christian guilt trip on living amongst suburbia was nothing of the sort. Instead Dave comes against the idea that you can not live a deeply spiritual life in the midst of the suburbs, but rather that the “thicker” life needs to be pursued in spite of that. It can be found in the suburbs! What an encouragement!

If you, like me, are a Christian, drive a minivan, know what it means to be off sides in soccer, have fretted over your child’s costume for an activity…. If your life whatsoever resembles suburbia… read this book.

For an interesting post check out Sunflower Desert. I know this will be controversial considering some of my dear friends heart Obama. I just think this is an interesting- yet shallow- justification for killing an infant shortly before they are born. Interesting because he is even making an attempt I suppose. The fact is most democrats that are pro-choice don’t even support this “procedure” (there I go using a politically correct term… you can tell what generation I’m a part of)… In lieu of procedure insert murder.

Look in many ways I like Obama. I love the “I have a dream” inspring hope orator part of him. But when one breaks down many of his actual beliefs I absolutely can not support him.

Someone recently said (wish I remember WHO) that you can judge a nation (or a church etc.) by the way the least among them are treated. I can not think of anyone more vulnerable than the baby that is viable in the womb practically moments from being born. Even those that hate to make a big deal out of abortion in picking a candidate should see this as a reflection of his character.

I just finished re-reading one of my favorite books, Hinds Feet on High Places. In this allegory, Hannah Hunard’s character “much afraid”, experiences many of the hurdles we go through on our own journey as Christians. Her unique gift to tell a fictional story that is entertaining and hard to put down, while still maintaining deep parallels has made this book timeless. I would say this would rank among my “must reads” for Christians.

I headed over to my daily reading of My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers and found this delicious yet challanging meditation:

If God so clothes the grass of the field . . . , will He not much more clothe you . . . ? —Matthew 6:30

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because we will not be simple. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truth of His Word, life will become amazingly simple. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field . . .” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him? Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air . . .” (Matthew 6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God will care for your “feathers” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field . . .” (Matthew 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere.

(read entire meditation here)

This passage in the bible ranks among my favorites. It never ceases to challenge some area of my life. Yesterday I did an awful lot of fretting. I also fought bitterness at a certain circumstance in life. I prayed a lot asking God to mold my attitude. Yet, some of it is a choice. God has got us. He will provide, has has provided, and he is providing right now.

The part about growing where you are planted… So important. So often, (as I described in my last post), I’m thinking about the next steps in life’s process. To just be content and grow where I’m at giving little thought to what is next… This is a lofty goal for this year. I will learn this! Patience is not a virtue I possesses quantities of, yet I know that it can be etched into me. I really do believe this will be a theme of my 2008. We’ll see.

Why is it that when I’m reading a book I’m always concerned about how much progress I have made to the end?

Why am I always wanting the “next” thing to happen?

Why do I have a hard time sitting and resting during vacation.  Don’t get me wrong, sleeping is a cinch for me, but resting?  Relaxing?  Wide awake?  So hard.

Why do I wonder things like “where will I live next”?

Why do I find it so difficult to just enjoy a drama free season in life?

Questions.

I’m going to find the answers.  I truly believe this is an immature spot in my life.  An area where my character is lacking.

“Be still and Know that I am God”. 

This is a command I struggle with, unless there is drama.  I hate the moments my life is constantly swirling… but sometimes I seem to dislike more the moments where it is calm.  I just don’t know what to do with them.

I’m on vacation and I’m pressing in.  I’m trying to force relaxation with out sleeping.  I’m trying to not be bored with that concept.  I’m trying to use my time to just reflect on God and enjoy the drama-free season.

Anyone understand what I am talking about?  Anyone conquered this? 

If you haven’t noticed, since November I have had a charity button up featuring a family that is in process of adoption.  I would like to continue featuring opportunities to give but need to know of more!  For now, I will be changing the spot to links to charities that are my favorites.  If you know of or are involved in a charity that you would like to feature here and even have a support button on my page please let me know.  I will prayerfully decide what I should and shouldn’t feature.  And of course I will have to make sure it is a legitimate charity.  Please use my Contact page to contact me.

On way back from hilton head vacation this week.

Me: Wow look at this fog. this bridge looks like it’s going up into heaven. Look Owen we are driving to heaven!

Owen: I don’t want to go to heaven.

Me: (gasp) What? Why not?

Owen: I want to go to the Hotelllllllllllll! (trailing whine)

Me: Oh honey, heaven is much nicer than the hotel.

Funny, a 3-year-olds perspective. Maybe it is light-shedding. Remember being younger, (some of you,) and thinking, “I don’t want to go to heaven until after I get married and have kids…” Or “I want to be a (fill in the blank) before I go to heaven.”

God has to be up in heaven hearing that and giggling at what we think would be a “must reach destination” before heaven.

I was just tagged by Stacey for this MEME and because it is Christmas related and I have little content to give you I thought I’d do it!

These are the rules (some of which I will just barely squeak around).

1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a ‘hoopla’ and not the dreaded ‘m’-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you’re done. None of this “if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged” stuff is allowed…then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you — but the more, the merrier to get this ‘hoopla’ circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I’d like to get as many people involved as possible.
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