Slacker...

I have been a bit of a slacker with the verse and the blog. I think we all have (based only on the posts or lack thereof haha). But, I have been noticing that I have been internalizing this verse in my life. I have found myself asking if my actions show love. When I am inpatient with a coworker, is that showing God's love? When I say complain, is that showing God's grace? When I speak, is it encouraging to the other person (and sometimes even to me)? Are the things I do done out of love because that should be my complete motivation? I wish I had been more disciplined with reading the verse and writing on the blog, but I think the little bit I have done has shown me how meditating on the same verse(s) can positively impact you long after you stop.

Think before you speak

O.K. so I have been slacking a little on my posting and even on reading the verse everyday, but I will share what God has been showing me this week. Not sure if anybody is reading the blog or not but maybe it will be therapeutic to just write it out.

All last week I have heard from different places (books, people,) the phrase "Think before you speak" and usually when I hear a phrase or a verse several times I pay extra close attention and pray about whether God is trying to say this to ME. I can't even begin to tell you how many times my mouth has gotten me in trouble this week. From just speaking too much to being critical (still trying to work on this) and hurting others feelings. It sometimes is so ridiculous that I can't even seem to help myself. Sometimes I am mid-sentence and I know that I should not be saying anything and I do it anyway. UGH!! My husband calls this diarrhea of the mouth (sorry to be so graphic) But it truly does feel Awful!

So here is my connection to the verses in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. I have been trying to memorize this section of the verse for almost two weeks now and for some reason it's like I have had a mental block and could not get it. My girls test me on it and try to encourage me but for some reason it's been very difficult.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.

I believe that it God has wanted me to sit on this section of the verse for as long as I have and not move on until I get it. For me to be able to speak words of love and encouragement and get past my stronghold of criticism this verse has to move from my head into my heart. I cannot just memorize this but truly know and understand it with my heart.

I believe that not only does God want me to think before I speak about what I am going to say but to actually think about this part of the verse before I speak. If I could really understand that Love is patient, and kind that it does not envy or boast and is not proud, that it is not rude or self-seeking and keeps no record of wrongs then how different would my words actually be each time I opened my mouth. I would speak a lot less that's for sure;-)

I am so far from getting it but I do believe that God is opening my eyes to see His truth. I am so thankful that He is patient with me and never gives up. Thank you Father for your everlasting Love.

-Karen

A Tall Order

So I don't know about anybody else but some mornings reading this passage I feel a little overwhelmed. Does God really expect for me to be able to act this way? It's a tall order and thinking about this passage I have a hard time thinking that I could do some of these let alone all of it.
If I am to act in love with those people in my life that God has put there than I should not be rude,and patient, always protecting etc,..and it seems impossible sometimes. Actually it is, there is no way that I could do this, NOT ON MY OWN. So much more do I have to rely on God to help me to walk in love. My mind goes back to the verse in John 5 that says "abide in me and I will abide in you, without me you can do NOTHING".

So instead of feeling overwhelmed at the list of things that I have to work at, I have to remind myself that the only thing that I have to do is remain in him and when I do this God will take care of the rest. If I focus all my attention on God and allow for him to take control of my life and the situations that I face instead of me trying to do it all than it's easy for me to love this way because it's really God doing it through me. So I will try to remember as a good friend that always tells me, "God knows your heart." I love this, it gives me peace and allows me to rest in him. Thank you Lord for knowing my heart.

Karen

But have not love

This week I have been thinking about how Paul keeps reminding us that none of our gifts matter if we "have not love." To me, this means that we can be totally gifted or intelligent (fathom all mysteries and knowledge), have incredible faith, or even give everything we own generously but without love as our motivation it means nothing. I have been thinking about it in terms of "it's not what you say, but how you say it." My mom always used to drill into my sister and I that the words that we said were not nearly as powerful as the motivation behind them and the resulting tone. So, as a practical application of this verse, I thought about serving. Some people serve because it is the "right" thing to do, but when they are doing the work, they have a bad attitude. With this bad attitude, the people on the receiving end may feel like they are a charity case rather than the benefitting from the love of Christ shown through the person serving. To go a bit farther, I almost feel like Paul is saying "it doesn't matter how much you do, nothing but love is what matters to Christ." That is, works without love are worthless.

I was reminded this week that I am a child of Christ and am loved by Him. He loves me just as I am--in my eyes broken, but in His eyes a masterpiece. Because I have HIS love, the most perfect unconditional love, how on earth can I keep from sharing it? I think Paul calls us to share Christ's love with those around us through using our gifts but always keeping love as the motivation.

On a somewhat related note, I found out this week that my sister is going to Haiti. Each year her discipleship program does a mission trip and this year they all assumed it would be Brazil (that's where it was last time and the home church is building a satellite church there). They had the students all go on a "technology fast" so they wouldn't find out the real location when they announced it to their families and the church. This year, they are going to Haiti for a week to serve as missionaries and to do work rebuilding. I am so proud because my sister gets to share her passionate love of Christ with the people of Haiti. I am proud because she gets to use her spiritual gifts in practical application, all with the motivation of LOVE.

"And now I will show you the most excellent way"

So I've been reading the chapter for a week now and not until today did I actually read this verse ... the VERY first sentence! So many places we read in God's word how important love is and without it things will just not be right. So it's not like I don't know that I should be loving, first and foremost but when the chapter starts out this way, it makes me think a bit more. I am a perfectionist (this can be a great asset or a very bad asset) so therefore I want to do things BEST always! "Hearing" Paul say "the most excellent way" gets me thinking, "Why, if I am so much of a perfectionist and have such high expectations of my loved ones and how things should go in my home, at my job, my week, my life, etc., then why do I not have these same expectations and standards of myself?" I too, nag and judge and pick apart my husband AND my children and I have no idea why I do it and why I can't control it. I want them to control their emotions and words but I am not the role model that I should be. I know in my mind what I should expect of myself but my actions do not confirm those thoughts. I know I cannot be perfect but Paul's words remind me that I can do A LOT better!

The slightest of noises sometimes bug me when I am trying to read or sleep or just sit quietly so the thought of a "resounding gong" or "clanging cymbal" is unbearable to me. Sometimes my house is like that (okay with 4 boys it's like that a lot but not always in a bad way!) But in thinking of the chaotic times (not happy chaos), it is always because we are in a state of unlovingness. The characteristics that pop out are "patient," "rude," "easily angered," "protects." Initially I am thinking of how the boys treat one another and then I realize that they had to learn that somewhere ... Jimmy can be very sarcastic and funny but in the heat of the moment, it often comes out rude. The boys hear that and then they hear me become "easily angered." Unfortunately, the apologies between Jimmy and I, that they hear are few and thinking about this made me very sad. But it has made me think not that I want them to hear more apologies but I want them to hear less rudeness and anger. I am not a patient person with my family and it stinks because I can be SOOO patient with friends and co-workers and strangers. Again my "perfectionist" person comes out and I want it all to go as planned and you know with kids it can NEVER go as planned. Immediately I am back to the easily angered person and this time my kids are the brunt of it! At this point I am reminded of the verse I came across a few weeks ago - "do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up..." Eph. 4:29 and then I read "Love never fails." LOVE NEVER FAILS ... how can you go wrong, if you have love?!?! How can things get messed up, how can there be arguments, tears, broken toys, hurt feelings, etc., if we just remember to act in love? So this week, everytime something isn't going as planned, I'm late to get out the door, clothes are in the middle of the floor, I don't feel like I'm getting any help, the boys are fighting over a toy, someone isn't listening, or homework isn't done yet, I am going to recall "this is the most excellent way" and "love never fails" and I will TRY (high, but not unreachable, expectations) to respond in calm, patient LOVE and see "how that works out for me!"

Memorizing Scripture

O.K. So nothing incredibly insightful today just wanted to share how I am memorizing the second verse of our challenge. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge and have faith that can move mountains but have not love I have nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

I think of visuals that help me with each phrase.
Gift of prophecy I open my hands as if I was presenting a gift and picture a gift in my hands.

Fathom all mysteries I make glasses with my fingers and look around as If my fingers were glasses for me to look through.

and knowledge the sign language sign for knowledge or learning is to take one hand and pick up from other open palm and bring it to your forehead as if taking information from the book and putting it in your mind.

faith that can move mountains I picture mountains and use my hands to sweep them away.

Most of the time when the girls are memorizing a verse I will ask them to use movement or signs to help them remember the words. It really helps and they are so creative. I hope you girls are working on your challenge as well. Can't wait to hear what God is teaching you!
Karen

Resounding Gong (Karen's Post)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

So, I was thinking about this first verse and what got my attention are the two sounds that Paul describes here. A resounding gong and a clanging cymbal are two really irritating and unpleasing sounds. How often do my words sound like nagging, irritating and unpleasing when they are not motivated by love??

Pastor Jimmy this weekend spoke about Barnabus (his name means brother of encouragement) and it made me wonder, if I am a Barnabus to the people that I love. Surely I can be encouraging to my friends and even my children by telling them how special they are but when it comes to my husband (the most important human relationship I have on this planet) I think my initial response is to try to correct or criticize him. The funny thing is that I think I am being helpful. but does this really motivate him or could I get the same point across by saying an encouraging word of better yet by not saying anything at all?

Paul could not have done the amazing work of spreading the Gospel "the good news" if it not for the help and encouragement of his friend Barnabus. There is enough opposition and discouragement in this world with out our help. How can I be a Barnabus to my husband and not a clanging cymbal or resounding gong. I pray that the Lord will remind me of this the next time I feel inclined to "help" my husband and I ask myself if my comment is motivated by love??

Karen