Are you ever floating through life, going through the motions, wishing your days away..."I can't wait until the weekend. I can't wait until October is over. I can't wait until I go on vacation. I can't wait until my kids can take care of themselves. I can't wait until...(fill in the blank)?"
Do you wonder why we do this as humans? Why do we wish our time away? We all have a finite amount of time in this world...shouldn't we be just holding on to every minute? Cherishing it...getting the most out of every single second we have, instead of wishing it away????
I am guilty of this, just like the next person. I look forward to my days off with my kids, but then I end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I try to do a million things, and only accomplish a few. I know there are things we have to do. There will ALWAYS be things we HAVE to do. We have to get groceries. We have to do laundry. We have to go to work. We have to cook supper. We have to do the dishes....the list goes on and on...but meanwhile, in the background...we have to live...we have to love...
A very common verse - everyone knows at least a part of it. It was read at our wedding.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (NIV)
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
So, let's dissect this.... "Love is patient..." Can I count the number of times in a day that I lose my patience?? Probably not. Some days are better than others, but I have to admit, this is definately my sin....I am NOT a patient person. There, I said it. I don't like waiting in line, I don't like crowds (because they slow me down), I don't like waiting on the phone, I don't like slow internet, I don't like slow drivers....it goes on and on. So would it come as a surprise that I have LOTS of work to do in this area (God isn't finished with me yet :) I vow to work on this area, at least when it comes to my kids. God help me be patient while my child takes FOREVER to pick out his clothes, FOREVER to tie his shoes. God help me patient while I read the same book, over and over every night to my child. God help me be patient when my littlest cries out for me in the middle of the night for the 5th time. God help me be patient because someday my kids will grow up and move away, and I will have to be patient while I wait for them to come and see me or call me...
"Love is kind..." I was recently reminded of this. We had been having a good day at the park. I warned Nick it was a couple minutes before it was time to go. However, when it WAS time to go, a meltdown ensued, which frustrated me. Why didn't this work? Why didn't my parenting skill come through? As we drove across town, I listened to him carrying on, and throwing a fit in the back seat. I tried the silent treatment. I answered occasionally when I felt necessary. I commented a few times. Then, my hubby called and I talked to him. After I hung up, Nick says to me (in a few dramatic voice), " Mommy, how can you talk so nice to Daddy and be mean to me?" Wow....huh??? Ouch....I know we all get caught up in the moment, but sometimes to stop and realize the things that come out of our mouths....ugh....God help me to be kind, even when I am frustrated, when I am tired, when I am sick, when I am mad....because all my kids want from me is unconditional love...
"It does not envy..." I haven't had a lot of years with my kiddos yet. But even as our kids are young, we all do it. We all compare. When did your kid starting walking, start talking, start riding a bike, blah blah blah....God help me to be joyful in MY kids own accomplishments, when THEY do them, and not compare them to others all the time. Help me to teach them to be happy with themselves, in the unique way that you made them, so THEY don't grow up comparing themselves to others all the time.
"it does not boast, it is not proud." As really only one of my kids is talking much, not a lot of experience in this area. I think you can be proud of what you do, as long as you realize that God has given you all the talents and ability to do what you do. God help me to grow and learn so that I may teach my kids to be confident without being boastful or proud.
"It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered..." Ever get mad when you are in public, when someone is rude to you? How do you respond? Do you respond with love? I can think of very few times in my life, when presented with this situation, where I didn't respond with equal rudeness or anger...God help me to teach my children to hold their tongue, to see the good in people, to not respond to rudeness with equal rudeness, but dissect it, and respond with love.
"it keeps no record of wrongs..." When you get hurt, do you forgive and forget? Do you keep it in the back of your mind? It's okay to learn from being hurt, but to continue to count these things, and continue to hold them against each other does us no good. God help me to keep my tongue quiet, so that my children will learn through example that you can forgive and forget and not keep score.
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." The truth being said...we all fall short of the glory of God....but thank you Jesus for your grace. For loving us every day, for giving another chance, for giving us another 24 hrs to get it right. God help me teach my boys that the only truth comes through you.
"It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." So in all the chaos of today, the bottom line is this...love never fails. Don't fail your spouses; love them every day, even when they make you mad, even when you feel like it's the last straw, even when you feel like there is no hope... Don't fail your children; love them every day, even when they are slow, even when they don't do things you want them to do, even when they are different from other kids. And most of all, love yourself. This means taking care of yourself too. Do things that fill up your cup. Because if you are too worn out, you can't love anyone - not God, your spouse, or your children....You can't enjoy the little things. You will spend your time wishing it away, until there is no time left to wish...
