Day 53: A Topic I Don't like to Talk About Much...

1 John 4:17

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  So we will not be afraid on the day of Judgement, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

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I'm going to write something pretty open here.  I don't talk about it much, but here lately my daughter  has been asking a lot of questions about it, so I've had to think about it because I want to be truthful with her.

I'll admit it here though in case you all think that I am the 'perfect' Christian (because you all thought that, right?! ;) )

I don't like talking about dying... and I don't like talking about Judgement day.  Revelations is my least favorite book in the Bible and when the preacher says he's going to preach on it, I cringe.

The thought of no longer being 'here' makes my chest hurt.  I get a bit claustrophobic when I think about it long.

It's not that I don't think I'll go to Heaven.  I know I will.  I'm not worried about that.  I'm happy about that.  But I'm not 'excited' about going, kwim?  It's not like I look forward to it or Judgement day. I'm not one of the Christians who pray for Jesus to come back soon. 

This is hard to write....

I'm not afraid of Judgement day... I'm afraid of not being... 'here'. 

I'm working on it.

I want to live on Earth and enjoy it.  I want to spread God's word.  I want as many people as I can to come to Heaven with me when the time comes.  But I don't want to rush it.

Am I making sense?

I know there are lots of people like me.  I don't think it's wrong to not like to talk about dying.  However, it is wrong to not make plans for where to spend our afterlife. 

When the time comes, I want to face God and have him be proud of me.  I want him to smile when He sees me and say that I did good. 

We need to live in God on earth because that's how our love grows.   I can tell when I kinda put God on the backburner how differently I feel. I don't feel as loving.  Things get to me more.  The more I am with God... the more I feel love toward others.  We need that so that we can stand in front of him on Judgement day and not be afraid. 

I'm sure this post is a ramble... but I hope the point gets across.  Lets live in God... feel his love and his joy so we can spread it to others... so on the day of Judgement we are able to not be afraid... to know we did what we were supposed to do while on Earth.

God Bless You!

Kelly

(linked with Women Living Well )

Day 37: You are Loved!

Psalms 117: 1-2-- Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of earth.  For he loves us with unfailing love; the Lord's faithfullness endures forever. Praise the Lord!

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How's that for encouragement!!!!

Wow!

God is always with us!

God is always faithful to us!

God always loves us!

No matter when we don't think we deserve it..... He still loves us.

Even when we backslide and feel like we have gone back 10 paces in our journeys.... He still loves us.

Even when we have a horrible day and we feel so low... He still loves us.

Even when we feel like we are all alone.. He still loves us!  And He is always with us.

Even if He gave us nothing else in this life but that (which He is gracious enough to give us more), it would be enough because it means everything.

We are loved.... no matter how unworthy we feel at times.

Sometimes... we need to remember that.

Praise the Lord!

God Bless You!

Kelly

Day 9: "A Gentle Answer..."

Proverbs 15:1-- A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

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Yesterday, we talked about anger.  Today, we will talk about ways to deflect anger.

Have you ever tried to fight with a person who would NOT yell back?

In a word, it's annoying!

If you are in an argument with someone who won't raise their temper back, it's not only frustrating, but it makes you more likely to STOP fighting.

I speak from experience *whistles not so innocently*

When my husband and I first got married, we did what any newly married couple did... we had arguments.  And like lots of married couples, we didn't know 'how' to fight besides yelling.  Well..... ok, that's a lie.  *I* yelled.  He would walk off and 'cool down' (which drove me nuts because *I* wanted to confrontation... *I* wanted to get my anger out.)  HE was actually doing the right thing (not that I saw it at the time) by not raising his voice (which I'm sure he'd LOVE to at times... and did some).  But the times he DIDN'T raise his voice, the argument didn't last as long.

I've learned over the years that if I want to 'win' a fight, I have to control my desire to yell.  I have to be rational and I have to listen/get my point across calmly...

DO you know how hard that is?  Of course you do!  That's why we need to pray for a gentle spirit... for soft words in a fight... and that does NOT mean to let someone run all over you.  Far from it.  When you talk gently, you get everything out in a calm way.  You remember more of what you WANT to say and can have a clear argument.

Now, anger is natural.  We all get angry. It's not healthy to hold it in.  Some ways to do that are:
*exercise
*write in a journal
*use a stressball
*meditate
*light a soothing candle
*go for a walk
*count backwards
*take a few deep breaths

Those are just a few.  You have to get anger out before it turns to hate (which we talked about yesterday), but you need to get it out in the right way (yeap, I'm still working on this one....)

In summary, when we disagree with someone be it our spouse, co-worker, neighbor, etc., try to use gentle words.  Harsh words will just make it worse-- and if you are like me you will just feel bad about it later.

God Bless You!!!

Kelly

Day 8: Anger Leads to Hate....

Ephesians 4:26-- And "don't sin by letting anger control you".  Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

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Ah--- anger.

That most disliked and possibly most used emotion.

No one likes it when someone is angry at them, but it is so easy to become angry and stay angry with someone----- Even yourself.

There are a million ways to be angry with yourself.
*You think you say the wrong things.
*You aren't a size 2.
*You say something you regret.
*You aren't "perfect"
*You broke someones heart.
*You think you let God down.

And the hard part is that its actually easier to forgive someone else than ourselves.

Anger--in any form-- is dangerous.  Yoda was right when he said, "Fear is the path to the Dark Side.  Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to Hate.  Hate leads to suffering"  And it's not always you who does the suffering for your fear... and for your anger.... and for your hate.

I know this isn't really uplifting and encouraging today... but it's something I think we all need to think about.  Our actions have a direct relationship with everyone around us.  Our hate... our love.  Our anger... our graciousness.  Our fear... our giving.

Hate and anger fester like some sort of weird little bump on our skin (um.. ewww).  Take a splinter than has wedged itself under our skin (just like a little annoyance we might have).
Maybe a:
*Gossipy friend.
*An unattractive habit of our spouse
*Scoffing at ourselves in the mirror

Then, after a while if we don't deal with the splinter, it grows... gets infected.  The anger rises...
*Will my friend just stop talking!
*I can't STAND being around my spouse!
*Ug!  I detest my body!!

By that time, if not dealt with, the splinter has gotten so infected, so nasty that it's big.. and green... and ugly (as hate often is.  There is nothing pretty about hate.)
*A Friendship ended by harsh words
*A marriage ended
*Non-existant self-esteem

The Fear, Anger, and Hate are usually followed by another emotion... another dirty one.  Suffering.
*We suffer because we lose a close friend and now have no one to talk to
*The kids suffer because our marriage ended
*Our self-worth suffers because we think more about some photoshopped celebrity than ourselves

Anger is a normal emotion. It is!  We all have it.  But we have got to be watchful to forgive whatever it is that has caused our anger (be it another person, ourselves, circumstances, etc) and not let it control us.  We can't dwell on it.  If we do, it will start eating at us.

Don't let anger control you.  I know its hard... I KNOW it's hard.  Believe me.  But it will make us happier in the end.

God Bless you!!!!!

Kelly