Have you seen the Cheetos commercial where the one mom (in the white coat – at a soccer practice, no less) is bragging to the other mom eating the Cheetos? If not, here it is:
This is what we normally think of when we think of bragging; someone who is just obtuse and in our face about themselves or their children. However, boasting can come in much softer forms like name dropping or casually saying something in order to have others think of us better than they do, or we think they do.
When we feel the need to brag in order to get others to like us better, that is our ego. We don’t need their approval or love. We already HAVE God’s love and that’s all we need!
That’s all I have to say on the subject of bragging!
Till Tomorrow,
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
I’m beginning to understand this passage. It’s so beautiful to know I don’t have to do everything at once!
Today I am resting from blogging – it’s been pretty crazy here and I am allowing myself some time to get thru a stressful weekend.
Till next time,
Remember, God loves you as you are!
I didn’t get to write my blog today because there was a family emergency. Everything is OK but I can’t say too much right now. Suffice it to say that the Lord has taken me on quite the journey in this exploration of Godly love!
Because I am still committed to blog each day this year, I’m making sure to write this blog out as soon as I got home from our rescue mission in order to count as an entry.
Till next time,
Cee
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “… love doesn’t envy (is not jealous of what others have). …”
Here is what Adam Clarke’s Commentary has to say about this verse:
“… (Love) is not grieved because another possesses a greater portion of earthly, intellectual, or spiritual blessings. Those who have this pure love rejoice as much at the happiness, the honor, and comfort of others, … They are ever willing that others should be preferred before them.”
I’m not jealous of what others have. Don’t get me wrong, I do have thoughts of “Wouldn’t it be nice to have that?”, or “I want one, too!” but I am not grieved or angered if someone else has something I want or have strived to achieve. Don’t think I could have taken three days in a row of learning how much love I do not have, so it’s a relief to know I’m off the hot seat today.
I have been the recipient of envy, though. It is like being slugged emotionally when someone else is angry that you have something they want, or that they want something you have. Either way it is a heavy burden for both parties.
When others are jealous of us, guilt at being blessed follows. It stops short the joy of embracing a blessing. Not only is the recipient now burdened that the other person is upset at their having, but the envious one is laden down with emotional baggage at not having the blessing. I can see how envy is indeed a double edged sword, affecting all parties involved. This is why, in my opinion, the devil uses this single emotion to do as much damage as possible.
I think Cain was jealous of Abel and that’s why Cain killed his brother after God accepted Abel’s gift of offering to Him. (See Genesis chapter 4 for more details) It is a clear example of how jealousy hurts all involved.
I have to say, I never thought loving someone would be not being jealous of what they have. And now that I’m aware of it, I will also keep my thoughts in check to be sure to share in the joy of other’s blessings so that their hearts are not burdened for being blessed.
Heavenly Father,
please help me share in another’s joy
when You choose to bestow gifts upon them,
no matter what my circumstances are.
Hi! I’m using “Artisteer” on trial to create my own blog template.
What do you think? All feedback is appreciated! 
1Corinthians 13:4-8 “…. and is kind (caring, gentle and thoughtful)….
Adam Clarke’s Commentary defines the kindness described in this verse as: “kind and obliging to others; it is mild, gentle, and benign; and, if called to suffer, inspires the sufferer with the most amiable sweetness, and the most tender affection.”
“You owe me big time, we are here.” I texted to my daughter when we were in front of the building she was in. I wanted her to realize the inconvenience this placed on me… and her dad.
My husband and I were in our truck… in the pouring rain… at night… and it was cold.
It had been raining all week – in the desert that is severe weather. We have flash floods and the roads are slick as ice when it rains. The streets were not built to withstand precipitation so it is treacherous to go anywhere when we have wet weather. I usually stay home during these times due to the hazards of traveling in such conditions. Needless to say, I was in a grumpy mood.
Our daughter had wanted to go to her teen small group meeting with church that night. I didn’t want to take her. I complained a lot about having to take her. I let her know this was a serious annoyance to me when I drove her there two hours earlier. Yet I took her anyway because I know that being home schooled, her church activities and dance classes are very important to her.
The apartment complex where the small group meets has a security gate that closes at night and there were several cars waiting to get in…. Did I mention it was dark… and cold…And it was raining…? Finally the gates opened and we all funneled in as fast as we could before the gate closed again.
When Mikki jumped into the truck, she tried to tell us about the spiritual truths she had just picked up.
But did I listen? No.
Was I kind? Um…No.
Thoughtful? Oh, no way.
Was I loving? …. I must admit, shamefully, that I did not show Godly love to my sweet daughter. I was not considerate, not agreeable and certainly not accommodating to my little girl because I was ‘put out’ by having to deal with the rain. HOW SAD IS THAT?
Heavenly Father,
please forgive my unkind attitudes
toward my daughter.
You never treat me this way
as you deal with me.
Help me to love her
and others around me
with the type of kindness
You show me every single day
– in rainy weather or not.
1Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient (never tired of waiting) ….
Tap, tap, tap… “This thing is so slow!” I complain as I repeatedly tap the touch pad of my lap top, trying to get it to close a program. “Mom, it’s not going to go any faster if you keep clicking the red X. Relax and let it to it’s thing” my teen daughter tells me…
“I’m not putting up with this!” I exclaim as I click the phone off. (What ever happened to good old fashioned desk phones that would withstand a slamming hang up for good measure?) “Waiting on hold for that long is insane. Do they think I have all the time in the world?” I complain out loud…
“Are you ready now?” I bellow in an irritated tone to my teen daughter, from the open front door. “I want to leave TODAY, while it’s still light out! …How about NOW??? Are you ready?” I add – as if that will be the motivation she needs to hurry her along. The only thing on the agenda for the day’s errands is grocery shopping and I’m pushing my daughter out the door because I’m tired of waiting…
Yes, these are actual clips of my daily life within the last month or less… I’m ashamed to admit how impatient I can be.
I did a thesaurus check on “patient” and found these words: enduring, tolerant, unwearied, uncomplaining, long-suffering, and serene. Serene? You mean I’m supposed to put up with the irritants in my life unflustered to boot?
Well, in the words of my daughter, “FAIL!”
I fail when it comes to loving others by applying patience to situations, especially the peaceful long-suffering type of patience.
How did I get so impatient? Is it because I’ve lived in the world of instant so long that I want everything NOW? Am I becoming one of those (elderly) people who are cranky because things don’t happen quickly enough for them? Possibly …
Though as I type, I feel the Holy Spirit telling me, in that still small voice, that it’s more likely because I am not putting my relationship with God first and foremost in my life. How can I have patience in life if I’m not ‘filling up’ with it by spending my first few moments of the day with The Master of Patience? I can only pour out of my bucket what it’s filled with… If it’s filled with patience and serenity I will be able to pour those qualities out. If it isn’t, then only impatience and irritation will sprinkle on everyone.
My day starts with me waking up to a head full of crazy thoughts dashing everywhere at once. “What do I have to do today?”, “What day is it anyway?”, “Are there any appointments we need to get to?”, “Who’s supposed to come over?”, “What bills are due?”, “Will this pain ever go away?”
If I am not proactive and take every first thought captive bringing it to the Lord, my mood is impatient, irritated and not very pleasant to be around, for the entire day. However, if I disengage from these little frantic first thoughts of the day and simply thank God for today, thank Him for living in the greatest country on earth (still), thank Him for a wonderful husband and life that He has given us, thank Him for my awesome children and grand daughters, getting my priorities in line with His, my mood is tranquil. Then waiting for life to unfold isn’t a bother for me.
It doesn’t mean my poor aging laptop will get any faster. It doesn’t mean I will never have long waits on hold, whether on the phone or in person some place. It doesn’t mean my daughter will miraculously be ready as soon as I want to leave the house. But what it does mean is that I can pause during those times of delay and breathe a prayer of thanks to God for the understanding that in restraining my impulse to show frustration I’m actually applying love, Godly love, to the situation thereby glorifying Him, and shining my light for Him.
Dear Lord, help me learn to
think of delays as
Holy Pauses in my day and
apply Godly love to them,
in the form of patience.
Today is February first. Since ‘love’ is the theme of this month, I have done an annual check up of my ‘love meter’. I read First Corinthians 13, verses 4 through 8 for a reminder of what the Apostle Paul described as love (I have added in parenthesis a little clarification of the elements Paul talks about):
1Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient (never tired of waiting) and is kind (caring, gentle and thoughtful); love doesn’t envy (is not jealous of what others have). Love doesn’t brag (doesn’t show off), is not proud (is not self important), 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately (it’s ways are ever fair), doesn’t seek its own way (takes no thought for itself), is not provoked (not quickly made angry), takes no account of evil (Love makes allowances for the falls of others,); 6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness (takes no pleasure in wrongdoing), but rejoices with the truth (has joy in what is true); 7 bears all things (the charitable person contains themselves in silence from giving vent to what selfishness would prompt), believes all things (all that it can believe to the credit of another), hopes all things (what is good of another, even when others have ceased to hope), endures all things (enduring persecutions in a patient and loving spirit). 8 Love never fails (love has no end).”
I have become aware that I personally have a deficiency of Godly love. I talk about loving this and that, or tell select others I love them before saying good-bye to them, but I see a great lack of the qualities listed above in my own actions and reactions in daily life.
In order to challenge myself to become a better person and blogger, I’m going to take one of the elements of love (in red above) and dig a bit deeper into how I can apply that element of love in my daily life, each week day this month (except for Thankful Thursdays).
Come join me as I learn to love like God loves. Tomorrow I will begin by exploring patience.
Philippians 4:13 “I am able to do all things through him who gives me strength.”
