Love is Patient

1 Corinthians 13:4a
Love is patient, love is kind.

Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

Proverbs 19:11
A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Patience is required for many life moments. I know my patience has stretched like Silly Putty until a hole poked through the center. As I've prayed on and thought about patience in the context of love this week, the example that keeps popping into my head involves a baby. Not a particular one, could be any little one who can't feed themselves, yet. To set the scene—I've buckled the child in the highchair, and I'm preparing a yummy jar of smooshed up green beans. (You know, the ones with no flavor that are a putrid green.) I've warmed them in a pan of hot water, because I don't want to overheat them. I stir and check the temp, several times. The whole time I'm stirring, I'm also entertaining my little one, so she doesn't cry. Finally, the temperature meets my expectations. I sit down in front of my sweet, little dear and spoon up the first bite. She opens her mouth like a baby bird and takes the spoonful.  When I aim the second bite at her mouth, she closes her lips tight and refuses to eat. So we play the airplane game. "Here comes the plane. Vroom." And it sails by those pursed lips. Until finally she open her mouth again, takes a bite, remembers how bad it tastes, and without warning, spits it all over my face. Do I give up? No, I clean myself up and try again. That, my friends, is patience. I want the baby to eat a healthy meal, so I keep trying.

God wants me to nurture the kind of love that requires patience.

According to Proverbs, someone who is patient is understanding and has wisdom. In the thesaurus, another term listed for patience is "lack of complaint." When Jesus chose the twelve disciples to leave their livelihoods and follow him, I'm certain he understood how much patience he would need. He knew Peter would deny him, Thomas would doubt him, and Judas would betray him. Yet, he still loved them with patience and kindness. I wonder if Paul, the author of Corinthians, listed patience first in the traits of love, because it is one of the most difficult to develop. In our society, patience is not a virtue, but it needs to be. As believers in Jesus, we need to cultivate the courage to love with a patient heart, the way Jesus did.

When has your patience been tested? 

Kindness in the New Year

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

It's that time of year when the excitement of Christmas is rolled up and put away. I have mixed feeling about the week after Christmas. Being off work with a few days to do whatever I want makes me happy. But my heart breaks a little that Christmas is over. Although it took months to prepare for, I love this time of year. In the next week or so, I'll pack away the Christmas tree and decorations. The stores will pull out their Valentine items and maybe even Easter. I'll go back to work and life will be "normal" again.

Even though much of the holidays will be tucked away. I hope a few things continue. Christmas time brings out the kindness and thoughtfulness in people. Dare I say the magic of Christmas sprinkles over people and makes them more aware of helping others, perhaps. But I truly believe people recognize the reason for the season. No one on this earth showed kindness the way Jesus did. He healed the hurting, gave to the needy, and shared with his friends and family. Jesus showed more compassion than anyone. So much so, he gave his life for sinners like me. Whether we want to believe this or not, Christmas draws attention to the kind of man Jesus lived as. He gave kindness and compassion, forgiveness, and hope. So no, kindness and compassion don't grow from magic. Instead they spread because of Jesus. So while we put away Christmas, let's keep the spirit of kindness out and pour it over the people around us. In 2018, share kindness and compassion as part of the everyday. Love God, love people.

Celebrate World Kindness Day!

Kindness: In Uniform

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Because I love snow and Christmas, Tim surprised me with a day-trip to Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. After four+ hours on the road and a quick stop in Gibsonburg to pick up my favorite doughnuts, we pulled into the almost empty parking lot. Snow covered the ground and before us stood Marblehead lighthouse decked out in garland and greenery. The moment I stepped out of the car a sense of peace washed over me. Calm swept across my being. I don't find many places on this earth where I fall into a totally relaxed state. But on that small peninsula surrounded by rocks, water, and this time of year—snow, my soul felt a sense of awe and wonder. We wandered around donned in Santa hats for an hour or so. What a wonderful gift for the season.

But that's not the whole story. As we explored on the rocks and snapped photos of the beauty that surrounded us, another car pulled in. Two young police officers climbed out and wandered toward us. They appeared to be checking on the park as they walked out to the rock we stood on. At first they chatted, asked us where we were from and what we we're doing. I'll admit, I got a little nervous. I thought maybe we shouldn't be in the park. As the conversation continued, they complimented us on our holiday hats. Then they did something so sweet. One officer reached in his pocket and pulled out a gift card. "We're doing 'Gifts from Cops'," he said. He handed me a Target gift card. Kindness in uniform. Not only had the trip made my day. Their kind gesture pushed the joy meter to the top. Policemen work on the holidays, they protect us, and watch out for us. And they take the time to be kind. I gave the young man a hug and snapped a photo of them with Tim. I pray those two young men have a blessed holiday.

I hope you have the opportunity to share Jesus' love and kindness with everyone you meet. Merry Christmas!

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

'Tis the Season to be Kind

I love Christmas. The lights, decorations, music, and movies bring a sense of magic and fun. Thinking about the baby the season surrounds brings me joy, but also sears my heart with pain. That baby, Jesus, grew to be a man who would be tortured, mocked, and eventually killed. And he did it all for me and for you. When I think about what Jesus went through it hurts my heart. But then I ponder on why he chose to come to earth and go through humanity and pain. Because he loves us.

Christmas is a time of joy, but may also be a time of sorrow, heartbreak, stress and sadness for many people. Even as I enjoy the glitz of the holiday, I want to pay attention and reach out to the downhearted. Pray for the folks who are going through stressful times. Hug the hurting. As you go about the hustle and bustle of the season, give the gift of kindness to everyone. Jesus gives eternal hope, the least I can do is give a smile and a helping hand.

Let There Be Peace

Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

This week I don't have any fun stories or beautiful descriptions of nature. Instead God has set on my heart the desire to write about what it means to have a change of heart. Much of what I see on television, read in newspapers, and click through on social media tell stories of sadness, violence, negativity, name-calling, and frustration. People ask when will this stop? What can be done to change the darkness that surrounds society?

The Bible tells me that the world will have unrest. We'll deal with sorrow and violence. But the words of Paul show me change can be made. Not by a bunch of people who sit around and discuss their differences, but by people who have a change of heart. When Christ rules the heart—truly takes over and moves in—the heart is filled with peace. Kindness abounds, love rules, and people care. Until we hit our knees, ask God for forgiveness, then turn our lives over to Jesus the darkness of the world will win. The only answer is Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. And he promises eternal life.

As for me, I gave my life to Jesus many years ago. Because he fills me with his Spirit, I aspire to show kindness and be a positive influence. I love the Lord and I ask him to work through me to make a difference. Who's with me?

Praise you Lord for your Son and the believers who are the church!

What Am I Wearing Today?

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Working at a public college, I see all kinds of people. Every day I cross paths with folks I don't know; young people just starting their adult lives, weary parents taking classes and working, veterans of the military and veterans of life. I receive many smiles, but I also see sadness and a lot of stress. As I walk my path I'm reminded that everyone of these people has a story.

I read a quote recently that went something like this, If we could look into everyone's eyes, we'd see that each person is wrestling with a challenge. Everyone has their own experience with life and may be facing a battle this very day. I love Paul's reminder to the Colossians and to me. As I get dressed every morning I want to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Sometimes I'm the one in the battle, but even so, I still need to gather these weapons of beauty and make the day better for those I meet. It's a challenge, but with the Holy Spirit's help, it can be done. Will you help me spread kindness? Praise God for the  loving and caring spirits who've ministered to me.

Patient and Kind

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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.

February, the month of love. I’ll admit I enjoy a good Hallmark movie that spirals around romance. I like contemporary romance books and am trying my hand at writing them. One of my favorite genres is a good cozy mystery with, yes—a dash of romance. Hmmm…love and mystery. Love is a mystery or is love a mystery? God paints a pretty clear picture in 1 Corinthians that covers not only romance, but all types of love. And that’s where I’m going to dwell for the month of February.

Love is patient, love is kind.

Today, I had the opportunity to take care of my seven-month old granddaughter all day. What a joy! She’s a sweet little one who’s easy to love. But I was reminded of the amount of patience a baby requires. She’s learning to eat baby food and as one spoon full goes in, half of it comes back out because she’s still developing her skills. So I’d feed her some pears then scoop them off her little chin and try again. Eventually we finished the task, and she laid her head on my shoulder and napped. That’s love.

While I took care of Ella Cate, my husband went to watch two grandsons play basketball. While five year old Max had his first game, his big brother, Aiden, stood in the end zone cheering him on. Aiden could have been playing with his friend, instead he encouraged his brother. That’s kindness.

Days are filled with opportunities to show patience and kindness. Waiting in traffic, a turn in the bathroom (once upon a time we shared one bathroom with three daughters), a spouse to get ready, a child to put on their shoes, a coworker to complete a project and on and on. Paul, the author of Corinthians, reminds us to pour out patience and kindness because they reflect love. Not just good advice, but an excellent way to live life. 

Worth Remembering

I spotted this at the doctor's office the other day. A saying worth remembering.

Kindness