What can a kid do to make God smile? “Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’…a lot.” C.J. 7 year old
It never ceases to amaze me how a genuine apology can neutralize my frustration. In just minutes my face was cool again, my shoulders had lowered a full inch, and my ears weren’t pulsing. I was now able to hear his assurances that my problem was not beyond hope. Has your frustration recently gone from 0 to 100 in less than 60 seconds? Is there a person who was the brunt of your venting that is now due an apology? What can you do today to relieve your heart, and theirs?
Note: C.J. is one of many anonymous children quoted in the book Soul Food: Wisdom and Inspiration to Feed Your Spirit, compiled by Hallmark, 2007.
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“How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” Shakespeare
Patience isn’t my strong suit. But, when I considered how long it took to go from young and healthy to older and out of shape, I decided to give the reverse process some time to make a difference. When I finally had my tests, my doctor was pleased that I lowered my levels. And I was pleased that my changes worked. Are you facing a change that you’d like to get over with? Would you prefer the ‘Just Do It’ mode, rather than wait for results? What will you do differently today to improve your patience-quota? Lord, thank You for this miracle of a body than can heal with maintenance, unlike my house and car that sometimes need replacement parts. Amen “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." Sigmund Freud“It’s all Libby’s fault.” “No, she hit me first!” Sibling rivalry. It might be true that she hit me first, but she was also correct that I started it by teasing my younger sister. When we both got the same punishment, these experiences were imprinted in my memory as unjust treatment. And, I’m sure I spent good money on counseling to recover from the resentment I felt, still unable to admit that I might have had something to do with it.
When doing an inventory of the angst in my life, I was forced to consider my role in each of these scenarios. And then, to be honest with myself and identify just exactly what my actions were that promoted the thinking ‘I was the victim.’ Entitlement? Yes. Self-pity? Certainly. Honesty? Absolutely not. The good news is, when I looked back at these scenarios with honesty and open-mindedness, replacing resentments with forgiveness (for others and also for me), I felt better. My resentments and hurts evaporated. My mind was free of anger, revenge, and self-pity.
Lord, thank You for helping me learn to take responsibility for my actions, and then to forgive those I’ve been mistakenly blaming for my misfortune. Amen
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:8-9 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), an Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst…the forerunner of what we know today as psychotherapy. "We lop away that bearing boughs may live.” Shakespeare When I was a child I thought dogs were daddies and cats were mommies. Then a dog on our street had puppies. When I was 15 I thought my friends were enlightened and my parents knew nothing. Then I grew up. In my 20’s I criticized management, “They make their decisions from some conference room, but they know nothing about the real work we do.” Then I was promoted to supervisor. Before I knew God I called religion “a crutch” for those who couldn’t handle life on their own. Then I met Jesus. William Blake once said, “The man who never changes his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.”
How many of my old ideas are in need of pruning? (“I can’t…,” “I’m not good enough…”) Which of my former opinions have grown stagnant? (“I had a difficult childhood…,” “I’m too old to change now…”) Do you have old ideas that have outlived their usefulness? Are you ready to ‘lop off’ the dead wood and replace your opinions with ones that bring about new growth? What will you do to formulate new ideas and opinions? Lord, thank You for challenging my stale ideas and misplaced opinions; help me replace them with the fresh truth from Your word that inspires growth. Amen Note: Shakespeare (1564-1616), an English playwright, poet and actor; widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist…often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon.” His works include 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems.
Note: William Blake (1757-1827), an English poet, painter and printmaker largely unrecognized during his life, yet now is considered a seminal figure in the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. His prophetic works were said to form “what is in proportion to its merits, the least read body of poetry in the English language.” Some of his best known works are Milton, Jerusalem and Songs of Innocence and of Experience. "The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief." William Shakespeare, OthelloWhen I was in grammar school a girl challenged me to a fight after school. I don't remember why we were enemies, or even that we were enemies. I just know that she was popular among her friends and I was new to this school. Of course, she beat me up and I went home feeling defeated and in tears. She succeed in dominating me. I was only ten years old, but I still remember her name and how I felt.
The bully loves to tease those who appear to be weaker, more vulnerable, and the least likely to fight back. The bully is really the coward; otherwise they would go after someone more their equal, whether that be size, strength, or assertiveness. When I was young there wasn't the zero tolerance of bullying that there is in schools today. My parents tried to comfort me by saying, "She's just jealous of you." They suggested I ignore her, that she is only trying to get me to react with fear to make herself feel more important, more powerful. I believe the part about her trying to look bigger, more powerful at my expense...that's exactly what happened. I got the reputation of wimp and she retained her dominance. But there are still bullies in my life today. They may mask their overt bullying by hiding it in sarcasm or by intentionally rejoicing about their good fortune just when I have failed to achieve my goal. But today I have learned how to respond and that my identity is not based on their opinion of me. So if I let their comments (whether sarcasm or boasting) fall on deaf ears and don't give them the satisfaction they're after, they will eventually lose interest in me. But I find it's important to be clear about the difference between deflecting the bully away from me, and forgiving. Ignoring someone's comments so they cannot hurt me, is very different from forgiving someone who has hurt me. There is always a time to forgive. The purpose of my strategy is to free me from being under the bully's influence. Is there someone in your life that has adopted one of these socially acceptable (sarcasm or boasting) ways of bullying you? How will you handle it differently next time? Lord, remind me again how my identity rests in who You say I am and not in someone who - for whatever reason - wants to make me think I'm a loser. Thank you Jesus that you love me, just as I am. Amen "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:27-28, 31 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and world's pre-eminent dramatist; often called the "Bard of Avon." PS Happy Birthday Shakespeare. |
WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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