The Spiritual Discipline of Loving Others

I was thinking about my relationships at home, work and church and wondered if my attitude and approach has been hurting more than helping.  When you get unsatisfied with where you are in life that’s when you decide to make a change.  Since I’m the only one that I can change, I prayed for direction on where to start.  In my heart God affirmed my daily devotional time of reading a chapter a day through the Bible but also nudged me back to studying and meditating on scripture.  Tonight was 1 Cor. 13.  I came to verse 4 and thought, “When have I not been patient?” That hit me how I’d snapped at my son for playing when I wanted him to finish his shower.  So I went through each description and asked myself, “How have I not been loving toward others?”  Here are the next questions I asked myself:

• When was I not kind?  What can I do differently in that situation next time?  Is there a way I can make the wrong I committed right?
• When was I envious?  Who am I jealous of?  Can I let it go?
• When did I boast?  What did I brag about?  Why was that so important for me to say?
• When did I feel proud or act proud? What am I proud about?  How did that get in the way of a genuine friendship?
• When was I rude?  When was I selfish to the point of being inconsiderate?  What can I do differently next time?
• When was I self-seeking?  When did I talk too much about myself instead of asking about others and listening?
• When did I get angry easily?  How did my “snapping” at others affect our relationship?  What’s so important to me that I get upset about it if it doesn’t happen?  How can I slow down and show grace?
• When did I keep a record of wrongs?  When did I respond out of bitterness and cynicism?  Who do I hold a grudge against?  How can I forgive them and treat them with respect and consideration?
• When did I delight in evil?  When did I smile or smirk when someone “got what he/she deserved” according to my view of justice and punishment?
• When have I rejoiced with the truth?  What do I have joy about?  How can my thought be in line with Phil. 4:8 (Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.)
• When did I not protect?  How do I discipline my son to keep him safe?  How do I guard my heart and thoughts to keep my “marriage bed” pure?  Do I have my “home security system” on to protect my wife from being attacked emotionally by the messages and images of today’s measuring stick for what is beautiful? How often do I tell her she’s beautiful?  Do I have my internet filter on to protect my family’s heart, mind and soul?
• When did I show trust?  When did I question my wife’s statements by asking, “Are you sure?” or even debate my point of view with her instead of listening to her account of the struggles of her day? When did I correct my son too quickly as he was trying something new?  Am I going to let him learn to problem-solve by trial-and-error?  When will my lectures turn on a deaf ear?  How will this help my teaching to trust students to learn from their mistakes rather than stepping in too soon to tell them what to do?
• When have I shown hope?  Is my “helping” really hurting? Can I believe that others can change?  Do I give up on others too easily by taking control of what they are doing?  What do I hope will happen in my life?
• How have I persevered?  How has that affected my relationships?
• When have I failed someone?  When did I not do what I said I’d do?  When have I broken a promise?  Can my words be trusted?

This purging was worth staying up for. (originally written Sat. 12 a.m. 7/16/11)

Guidelines for Worship

I read some good guidelines for worship:

• Don’t do it if doesn’t help believers and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at.
• Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.
• When we worship the right way, God brings us into harmony not confusion.
• When you speak God’s truth, speak your heart out.
• Don’t tell people how they should or shouldn’t pray privately.
• Be courteous and considerate in everything.

1 Cor. 14, The Message (originally written on 7/10/11)

Another Day in Time Out

My son, who's four, said something worthy of Readers Digest: When he asked me if he could have his toy which I'd put in time out for another day, he didn't like my answer. So he cried to Mommy, "Daddy said a 'bad' word." "What did Daddy say?" "He said with a whimper, 'Tomorrow.'"

Charlie Bit Me Again!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM
Why is this the most popular video on YouTube? Funny. Yes.  But it's just like us when we get bit...how Harry stuck his finger back in Charlie's mouth to see if he'd get bit again. We'd do it again, too.