What LOVE Does Not Do...

What LOVE does not do...

Love...keeps no record of being wronged (NLT)
thinks no evil (NKJV)
[is not] resentful (ESV)
keeps no record of wrongs (NIV)

I know the feelings that are swirling around in our minds after reading the above...guilt followed by but, but...

I can hear comedians in my mind (I love standup :) ) going on and on about wives or girlfriends who forget to do something they said they’d do, but never ever forget any little thing the other person has done wrong, no matter how big or how small.  

I can remember the accusations of I’ve uttered that begin with “you always...”

I can recall the defensive phrase of “yeah, but you...”

So many times we say “I can’t trust you because...” yet, the truth of the matter is it should be restated, “I won’t trust you because...”  And yet, because of what we read in this section of the Bible, we find we are not even supposed to “go there.”  Once we have said to our child, spouse, coworker, friend, etc., “you are forgiven,” that is it.  We are not to bring up every time they left their socks on the floor, left their bed unmade, or showed up late to a meeting.  Not that we should not say something about this incident, but we should not bring up past incidents time and time again.  

Love thinks no evil.  We should not automatically go to the past when someone is late getting home or coming to a dinner or social engagement.  Anger should not be rising up as we wait.  When they get there, we will find out what happened.  We will not go down that neuropathway that is ready to accuse.  We will not think ill of the other person.  

Love is not resentful.  There are times when we are guilty of thinking about a coworker, “they get here late and do little work and then get the accolades.”  We are not to be resentful.  

When someone is rude behind the back of a supervisor, but always polite in front of them, we are not to be feed into resentment.  

When someone gets a good grade for little effort, we should not resent them.

When we allow resentment to grow in our minds, it influences our thoughts and decision-making.  There is no room for resentment in Love.  

As we go through the week, meditate on these verses of love.      

Ever dependent upon grace,
Cindy 

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New Living Translation (NLT)

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New King James Version (NKJV)

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:4-6English Standard Version (ESV)

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New International Version (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

What Love Is Not (Part 4 of Love, what is it?)

What Love Is Not...

Love is not...irritable
                   ...provoked
                   ...easily angered

Irritable: Easily irritated or annoyed; readily excited to impatience or anger

Provoked: Angered, enraged, exasperated, or vexed.

Anger: Strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong; wrath; ire.

When I get the feeling of being “offended” it turns out I’m not living out love.

When I’m easily irritated, I’m not living out love.

When I’m impatient, I’m not living out love.

When I’m acting out on feelings of displeasure, I’m not living out love.

If I’ve been wronged, reacting belligerently is not love.

This is something I need to actively meditate on.  When reading social media and seeing how easily “offended” others are, I get so “irritated” by their silly offenses that I’m not living out love on my part because of my own irritability!

For years when reading these verses from First Corinthians, I read them and held up these standards for other people.  Beginning with my parents.  My parents are not living up to these standards, they must not love me.  Later, I would hold my friends up to these standards and, in my mind, I would tell myself they did not love me because they did not measure up to these standards.  Then, when I got married my husband too fell short of meeting these qualities of love.

One day, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart that I needed to stop holding other people up to these standards.  I needed to look at myself as I read these Scriptures.  Wow!  I suddenly found the ability to extend grace to all of these other people.  Guess what!  I was not loving others either.  That was humiliating.  Even though I had not discussed any of these things with others, I sat humiliated before God because He knew my heart.  He knew I had held these standards to others even if they never knew.

Below you will find the verses once again.  Thank you for your patience in waiting for this blog entry as it has been two weeks since the last one.

Living grace-dependent,
Cindy

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New Living Translation (NLT)

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New King James Version (NKJV)

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:4-6English Standard Version (ESV)

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6New International Version (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Love, What Is It? Part 3

New International Version
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

New Living Translation
or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

English Standard Version
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

Berean Study Bible
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.

Berean Literal Bible
It does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek the things of its own, it is not easily provoked, it keeps no account of wrongs.

New American Standard Bible
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs.

This week we are looking at the second part of verse 5.

Love is not self-seeking.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love does not insist on its own way.
Love does not seek the things of its own.
Love is not selfish.

Uh-oh...I am in trouble...and I know I’m not alone...Self-seeking...ugh.  I need to “find” myself.  I need to do what makes “me” happy.  Esteem, we are always seeking to bolster our own esteem, aren’t we?

Demanding and insisting on our own way is not love.  Ugh!  I have fallen short on this in towel situation.  A family member thinks they’ve done well for folding the towels.  But guess what!  They aren’t folded in a way that I want them folded so they will fit the way I want them to fit on the shelves.  My insistence in this matter is not loving, is it?

Posts on Facebook where we “brag” on a family member but the words “me,” “my,” “I,” and “mine” outnumber the mentions of whatever it is we are bragging about in the post.  Pretty selfish, huh?

Selfish:
• devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.
• characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself

I cannot even count the selfish thoughts I’ve had today.  I don’t even recall how many of thoughts I acted upon!  So selfish am I that I cannot begin to guess how deeply selfish I am.

Just today:
• I was late on a commitment–selfish.
• I didn’t put away my mat and weights until several hours following my workout–selfish.
• I spent time on Facebook instead of getting started on this blog entry–selfish.
• I got myself something to drink without asking anyone else in the house if they would like a drink–selfish.
• I got myself some grapes without asking if anyone else would like to eat some grapes–selfish.
• Pulling out all of my shirts from the closet I only put four in the give-away bag–selfish.  (Selfish in not donating more and selfish in not freeing up more closet space.)

How many more acts did I perform today that I did not even notice?  Hundreds, I’m sure.  Does that sound like an exaggeration?   Think of how many minutes are in the day...how many of those minutes were spent thinking about self, not too much of an exaggeration was it?

Love is not selfish.
Love does not seek its own wants and desires.
Love is not demanding or insistent on getting its own way.

I have a lot of work to do.  Thank God He is patient :)    

Love - What Is It? (part 2)

Love - What is it, exactly?

I am not going to try to do the whole of verse 5.  I think I tried to cover too much when I shared verse 4.  I will probably go back to that at a later date and break it down even more.

Again, I’m sharing multiple versions of one verse (which I got from BibleHub.com) and sharing definitions of the words used each of the versions (which I got from Dictionary.com)

New International Version
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

New Living Translation
or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

English Standard Version
or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

Berean Study Bible
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.

Berean Literal Bible
It does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek the things of its own, it is not easily provoked, it keeps no account of wrongs.

New American Standard Bible
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

King James Bible
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Love does not commit what is shameful, neither does it seek its own; it is not provoked, neither does it entertain evil thoughts,

Rude, dishonor, improper, unseemly, unbecomingly, and shameful are examples of what love is not.  What do these words mean?

Rude
-discourteous or impolite - especially in a deliberate way
-rough in manners or behaviors, unmannerly, uncouth
-rough, harsh, or ungentle
-harsh to the ear

So we could say love is
-courteous or polite especially in a deliberate way
-mannerly
-cheerful, pleasant, gentle
-pleasing, calm, or kind to the ear

Dishonor
-lack or loss of honor; disgraceful or dishonest character or conduct
-disgrace; shame
-an indignity; insult
-cause shame or disgrace

So we could say love is
-honoring; graceful and honest in character and conduct
-graceful; without shame
-dignity; approving, kind, respectful
-causes no shame or disgrace
Improper
-not proper; not strictly belonging, applicable, correct, etc.; erroneous
-not in accordance with propriety of behavior, manners, etc.
-unsuitable or inappropriate, as for the purpose or occasion
-abnormal or irregular

So we could say love is
-proper; belonging; without error
-agreeable or correct of behavior, manners, etc.

unseemly
-not seemly; not in keeping with established standards of taste or proper form; unbecoming in appearance, speech, conduct, etc.
-inappropriate for time or place
-detracting from one’s appearance, character, or reputation; unattractive or unseemly

So we could say love is
-decent, fitting, of good taste; becoming in appearance, speech, conduct, etc.
-appropriate for time or place
unbecomingly
-adding to one’s appearance, character, or reputation; attractive or seemly

shameful
-causing shame
-disgraceful or scandalous

So we could say love is
-not causing shame
-graceful and not scandalous

This is huge!  There is no “except” in this verse!  Can you believe it?

We are not to be rude even if we are experiencing PMS or hot-flashes.  We are not to dishonor or be disrespectful even when we are irritable.  If someone is acting in a way that is unbecoming, we are suppose to answer in a way that is becoming.  When someone tries to shame us we are to answer with grace.

Wow.

When we fail and the Holy Spirit brings our response to our attention, what do we do?  Continue because it’s too late?  No.  We stop in our tracks.  We turn from that path and turn toward Jesus, to grace.  We extend grace.

Respect those with whom you disagree.
Speak honorably to those who are standing in line with you.
Speak kindly with those in the “other” political party.
Be polite to those of different religions.

This is love...

Love - What Is It?

Rather than wallow in the discouragement I’ve been feeling from the posts I’ve been reading on social media, I have decided to go back to the missing ingredient of the posts:  Love.  

I’ve decided to read through the definition of Love.  This definition is found in 1 Corinthians in the 13th chapter.  I went to the Bible Hub website and looked at several English versions to help me to get a richer understanding of what Love is.  

–Just a note, I talked to one of my sons a few minutes ago to ask him what he thinks love is.  He said that “love is and love isn’t.”  When I asked him to explain that to me, he mentioned that people are “looking for love...”  Without him realizing it, he stated the biggest problem that we are dealing with in the world today.  We are “looking” for love when we need to “be” love.– 

How is that possible to “be” love?  Let’s take a look at definition together and see what it says.  Maybe we can commit to an aspect of the definition and determine to “be” that.  

Here we go...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Aramaic Bible in Plain English

4Love is patient and sweet; love does not envy; love is not upset neither puffed up. 

5Love does not commit what is shameful, neither does it seek its own; it is not provoked, neither does it entertain evil thoughts, 

6Rejoices not in evil, but rejoices in the truth, 

7Endures all things, believes all things, hopes all, bears all.

King James 2000

The Qualities of Love

4Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

5Does not behave itself rudely, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, keeps no record of evil;

6Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Love: The Superior Way

4Love is patient, love is kind.  Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,

5does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs.

6Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.

7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

New Living Translation

Love Is the Greatest

4Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 

5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 

6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 

7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English

Love is patient and sweet; love does not envy; love is not upset neither puffed up.

King James 2000 Bible

Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,

New Living Translation

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud

Verse 4 begins by telling us that love is patient, which another one explains as suffers long.  A couple of these have the word “and” before it says sweet or kind.  (A side note, this is the first time I have read it with the word “sweet” rather than kind.)  To me, as I read this word “and” I take that to mean that while I am patient or suffering long I am also to be kind at the same time.  What?  Be kind and suffer long at the same time?  What does that mean exactly?  How about some examples?

• When I’m in line at the DMV I am to smile at others and be encouraging, not join in on the complaining.

• When waiting for someone to go somewhere, I am not to tap my foot or drum my fingers on the table.  

• When someone is not getting the concept of something and continue to make the same mistake I am to encourage them and not belittle them.

• When someone is making an excuse I think is silly, I am not to roll my eyes.

Next in this definition, we see love does not envy or is not jealous.  What does that mean?  An online dictionary defines envy as “a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success, possessions, etc.”  Okay, that makes me want to see what “covetousness” means...covetousness, according to the dictionary, means inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions; greedy.  The second definition states the meaning as “eagerly desirous.”  

Wow.  This one speaks greatly to some of the social media posts I’ve read lately.  

The first part of the definition is a feeling of discontent.  That would mean it is a problem with self even before anyone else is involved.  Without seeing what other people have, we start with our own discontent.  Wow.  I had never realized that.  

The second part of the definition is we are looking at someone else’s advantages and want them for ourselves; looking at someone else’s success and wanting it for ourselves; or looking at someone else’s possessions and wanting them for ourselves.  

When a friend, coworker, neighbor, spouse, sister, brother, son, daughter, or anyone else has an opportunity that we do not have, instead of thinking how unfair it is that they are offered this and we are not, lets love them by being happy for them.  Say it out loud, “I’m so happy for you.”  Write it down in a note, “I am so happy for you.”  If envy or jealousy begin to rise up, repeat it to yourself that you are happy they were given this opportunity.  Let love overcome.  

Okay, we just discussed that love is not jealous or envious of others’ opportunities, advantages, or wealth.  Now we read that love does not boast, is not proud or puffed up.  What does that mean?

When we love, we do not brag.  We are not self-important, arrogant, or pompous.  This does not necessarily mean that if we have money and nice things that we “rub in the face” of others.  In truth, sometimes when we don’t have what someone else does, we can brag and boast that we don’t have certain advantages in order to make others feel bad for having what they have!  I think a lot of us are arrogant, self-important, and pompous without realizing it.  

Money and possessions do not make us unloving.  In the same way, the lack of money and possessions do not make us loving.  

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 

 

Thanks for reading and learning with me.

Cindy

The Bible verses came from www.BibleHub.com and the definitions came from www.dictionary.com 

  

A Change In Thoughts, A New Idea

I've been reading posts in Facebook.  I used to enjoy reading posts.  Funny jokes, seeing what my friends and family are up to, positive or life-affirming quotes, and, of course, Bible verses.  Now, it is different.  I have read posts that cause my heart to break.  Not because of illness or weather-related tragedies, but because of language that is revealing of the hearts of people I know (or are known by friends of mine, it is Facebook!).  Does that mean my heart is perfect?  Absolutely not!  My heart is bent toward pride and selfishness and more sins than I care to admit.

We have a new president of the United States.  We will have new people placed in governmental positions.  One thing each of them will need is our prayers.

I am placing an alarm on my phone to remind to pray for the governing leaders of our country.  If you would like to commit to pray with me for our country's leadership, comment and let me know.  However, if you would like to complain or discuss melanin or gossip about people in leadership, this is not the blog for you.

Still living a grace-dependent life,
Cindy  

This is my first badge for meeting a writing goal.  This was for November 2016.  I'm just getting around to posting it :) 

I've started a new novel and still need to finish the one I was working on during November.  Prayers appreciated.

Also, our GMG (Good Morning Girls) group begins tomorrow, January 9, 2017.  We will be reading 1 Samuel this session.  We read one chapter a day, Monday through Friday.  If you are a Facebook friend and would like to join in on reading, message me and I will be happy to add you to the group.

Still dreaming of going to the ACFW conference...

Peace to you, my dear readers.

Ever grace-dependent,
Cindy

Chasing vs. Leading

Hmm, I've been chasing my thoughts.  I wonder what would happen if I started leading my thoughts?

What if, when I had a thought about a story, I wrote it down?  When I have a thought to call someone, I write it down?  When a thought of an aunt comes to mind, I write it down.  Later in the day, when I make time, I can look at the thoughts that came to my mind earlier in the day.  I let those earlier thoughts be led to action of making the call or writing the letter.  Or I could toss the idea out and discard it.

Hmm, this is something for me to consider.

By the way, in about forty minutes it will be Christmas 2016.  Thanks for chasing after thoughts and ideas with me!

Merry Christmas, my friends!  May God bless you in so many unexpected ways!

Cindy

It’s almost that time...to set goals and make plans or plan to just wing it again, ever chasing those wandering thoughts and hope-filled ideas.

It seems at the beginning of a new year, some of us, instead of setting goals, we make of list of things to quit...cigarettes, overeating, procrastination...

For me, year after year, it has been giving up procrastination, yet, guess what...I’ve procrastinated giving up procrastination.  But, that’s part of the sin, isn’t it?

I ordered a planner.  A nice planner.  One that, for me, was quite an investment.

I’m printing off my 2016 NaNoWriMo project.  The rough draft is not yet finished.  In fact, there is no clear ending yet.  But, I’m thinking my planner will aid in helping me to put a dent in that procrastination resolution and get my manuscript done by a certain date, which I have not yet set.
So, my friends, are you planning any big changes for 2017?

I’ve got to go chase after those meandering thoughts,
Cindy

Trust in the Lord with all Your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Words - Thoughts - Ideas ... Allowing Them to Wander, for the Time Being

Thankful.  

Grace-dependent.  

Trust.

Faith.

Grace extending.

Writing.

Reading.

Praying.

Grateful.

Prayerful.

Forgetful.

Forgiving.

Family.

Bible.

Christmas.

New Year.

Hope.

Goals. 

Friendship.

Coffee.  

Ideas. 

Sewing machine.

T-shirts.

These words are floating around in my thoughts.  

What’s on your mind?

NaNoWriMo

November.  Can't help but translate November into NaNoWriMo month when I hear it.  What?  What is NaNoWriMo you ask?  National Novel Writing Month.  Every November thousands of people all over the world determine to write a novel of 50,000 words.  Does that sound easy?  Crazy?  Stupid?  Exciting?  Ridiculous? Yeah, it's probably all of those things.  Well, maybe not stupid.  😃

I have had many distractions since my last birthday, the big 5-0.  I've had a big loss and big life changes.  My GMG (Good Morning Girls) leadership has been just about anything but leadership.

I started an 8-week fitness program through www.FitnessBlender.com that should have been done last week, but I lost a week during a family member's hospitalization.  And I'm still two days behind due to an illness at the very end of the program.

And I decided to dive into NaNo.  I'm writing a story that I hold dear to my heart and it scares me to write it.  It also scares me that it will be all for naught.  Yet, honing our writing skills by practice is still a good thing, is it not?  :) The fears of "what if someone reads it?" and "what if no one reads it?" hound at me.

Yet, here I am...writing.  Attempting NaNoWriMo 2016.

Here's a "widget" so I can hold myself accountable.  Eek!  Scary! 😟

http://nanowrimo.org/widget/LiveSupporter/cindy-q.png

Prayers appreciated for this grace-dependent girl!

Cyndie (my niece's spelling :) )


Happy NaNo


Oh!  p.s.  I have been wanting to join American Christian Fiction Writers for several years and guess what!  I joined in September.  Eek!  That too scared me.

NaNo November

November 2016 I have been typing away to hit the mark of 50,000 words in 30 days.  Today we watched as the election results came in.  I didn't get any words written for my novel.  But I did get to spend time with my husband and relax.  

Tomorrow...well, later today, after I go to bed, get up and go to work, then come home, then go to my son's football practice, then I will write :)  Oh!  dinner will have to fit in the schedule at some point too.  :)  

Tonight I pray for all of those participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and for all of their family and friends who put up with the craziness that is NaNo :) 

Thank you for reading and participating in the chase of my wandering thoughts and ideas.

Ever dependent on His grace,

Cindy

Thoughts on Dismissive Attitudes

Hello Sisters! It's been awhile, I know.

I've been distracted with family health problems.  Glad to be back :)

Just wanted to share some of my wandering thoughts and ideas regarding dismissive attitudes.  Being dismissed can hurt.  Yes, sometimes it is just our pride that is hurt, but sometimes it can be our spirits that get hurt.

How many times have we said to someone or been told by someone that God wouldn't ... ?

• God wouldn't use fiction books to teach truth...
• God wouldn't use exercise to minister to you...
• God wouldn't use a fool to effect change...
• God wouldn't __________ (fill in the blank with another dismissive phrase)

I have been blessed and learned many truths through reading fiction.  I've learned a lot about grace through reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.  I've learned compassion and forgiveness from reading Color the Sidewalk For Me by Brandilyn Collins.  I have learned a great many wonderful things from reading fiction. 

In exercise, I've had some wonderful prayer time and realized truths about myself about giving up or believing that I can do this side-raise through Christ who gives me strength.  I've also had to exercise self-discipline through physical exercise.  

I have even been the fool who God has used in small circumstances and seen Him use others I thought were fools yet they led me to a truth.

I hope I remember this the next time I'm tempted to be dismissive of someone's shared ideas or thoughts.  

Living grace-dependent,

Cyndie (spelling courtesy of my niece :) )

Presence

Exhausted I fell into bed.  A nap.  A glorious nap.  It had been a long, tiring day.  My body was tired.  My energy spent after another day of attempting to hold myself together after a summer of major life events.  It was taking its toll.  

An interruption.  Someone wanted me to take them somewhere.  No greeting.  No concern for me.  Just that someone needed to go somewhere.  

I was irritated and offended.  Before any words escaped my mouth, a single thought penetrated all the swirling self-centered thoughts.  The way I perceived I was being treated was not any different than the way I treat God.  Except, you know, I treat Him even worse.  

It just struck me, I don't greet Him and welcome Him and sit with Him just enjoying the quiet.  Enjoying His presence.  

No, I tell Him what is going on with my friends and family, peppering needs and problems and desires.  

Oh sure, I read Scripture, His written Word.  But not so I can just hang out with Him.  No, I read it so I can grow and learn and find answers and encouragement for myself and others.  Now, I don't think those are bad habits.  But, I do think that I need just some quiet time, some time of being still in His presence.  

Thanks for chasing my wandering thoughts with me.

Cindy

Thoughts, Procrastination, and Life

I had an idea for a blog post the other day.  I was in the shower.  That’s where I do some of my best thinking.  At least it seems that way.  Ha.  

But, as you can see from there not being any posts for the past several days that, well, I didn’t write it.  I thought it was really good and there’s no way I could forget it.  It was so clear.  Well, I procrastinated.  Guess what that means.  It means I didn’t remember it.  I remember some components, but not how I had planned to link all of it together.  

Somehow, thoughts of the effects of a hurting foot and how it affected the rest of one’s body and how a severe case of dermatitis on the thumb at the same time could adversely affect the activities of daily living in ways we don’t often think about.  My brain linked these thoughts to the Scripture that describes how the church is not made up just an eye or just a foot, but of many parts and how we need all of those parts.  If a part of the church is not healthy, it impacts the rest of the church.  

I really wish I could remember how I was going to write it.  Alas, I am writing this post instead.  

Praying that I will work on this “sin” of procrastination.  

That’s a hard one.  

Thanks for being part of my journey of chasing my wandering thoughts.  

-Cindy-

1 Corinthians 12

Proverbs 24:30-34

Defensive.  

I've done something wrong.  When confronted I can hang my head for a moment, then nod in agreement and--then what?  Make a false promise to never do that again, make an earnest promise to never do that again and hope for the best, or make the earnest promise that I won't do it again and put plans in to place to help keep that promise.  

I've done something wrong.  When confronted, I can squeeze my watering eyes, give my head a shake and dig in my heels before speaking.  I can be defensive.  I can explain and excuse what I've done because of this circumstance or that one.  However, one problem with being defensive in this scenario is, if it's wrong, should it be defended?  If I defend wrong or sinful choices is that to my benefit?  Will it make me better?  Will it make the situation better? 

Ugh!  Defensive.  It seems like a good idea.  But--sometimes it's harmful.  Actually, a lot of times it's harmful.  It seems good for the moment, but in the long run, it just reinforces the poor choices and makes it harder the next time I'm faced with this same choice.  

I'm looking forward to reading James next week :) 

--Prayer--
Father God, I need to make changes in my life.  I need be quiet and listen for Your call in the little things.  Jesus, I am dependent on Your grace, I can't make it through one hour without having a selfish thought, feeling defensive for things I've done or left undone, said or left unsaid.  I am reminded through Your Word that I can do all things through You who gives me strength.  Your Word doesn't say I can do all things easily or I can do all things without a hitch.  It does say I can do all things through You who gives me strength.  It doesn't say I can do all things without problems.  It does say I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Holy Spirit, lead me where I need to be today to do what I need to do and say what I need to say, keep me from going where I shouldn't, doing what I shouldn't, or saying what I shouldn't.  As I look forward to beginning James next week, please prepare my heart and mind for what You will teach me.  Jesus, I pray in Your name.  Amen.

Thanks for chasing my wandering thoughts with me.  

Shackles of Shame Dissolve by Grace

"You are tripping me out, woman," he said.

I glanced at his reflection in the rear-view mirror.  I was quiet, then turned to face him.  "What do you mean?" I asked. 

"I thought you'd be cussing me out."

I was confused.  "Why?" I asked. 

"Because of what I did to you 30-something years ago."

My heart lurched in my chest, he needed the truth.  

"If I had to stand under the weight of all the sins I had ever committed, of every bad thought I ever had or every bad word I had ever said about anyone, I couldn't stand.  I couldn't possibly stand under the weight of it all."  These words tumbled out.  "Only by grace can I stand.  Only by the grace of forgiveness, the grace of Jesus can I stand."

I am not a good person, I know that.  I am a forgiven person though.  It is only by the grace that I have received that I am able to extend grace to others.  Grace is not mine to keep, but to live in and to extend.  

It is my prayer that he will be set free from the shame that has kept him shackled for the last 30-something years.  

Know that you can be free from these shackles too.