http://bethwoolsey.com/2013/10/3-reasons-i-quit-loving-the-sinner-and-hating-the-sin/
Good advice!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
The Secret to Contentment
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment,
written by Jeremiah Burroughs in the early 1600’s. In it, Burroughs
presses us to consider the root of our discontentment as well as the
source of true contentment. He makes an interesting assertion that we
“come to contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction.” He says that there is no end to what the world can offer us by way of things to buy or possess; so we’ll never be satisfied by adding possessions, because there will always be so much we don’t have. Instead, we subtract - we subtract our desires back into line with our reality, or as Burroughs puts it, “[the content man subtracts] from his desires, so as to make his desires and his circumstances even and equal.”
From Live It: Wes Shelnutt is the product manager of Money4Life Coaching
“come to contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction.” He says that there is no end to what the world can offer us by way of things to buy or possess; so we’ll never be satisfied by adding possessions, because there will always be so much we don’t have. Instead, we subtract - we subtract our desires back into line with our reality, or as Burroughs puts it, “[the content man subtracts] from his desires, so as to make his desires and his circumstances even and equal.”
Besides subtraction, he goes on to describe the other side of
contentment, the addition part, which C.S. Lewis later delved into
head-first in The Weight of Glory, where he wrote:
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
From Live It: Wes Shelnutt is the product manager of Money4Life Coaching
Monday, December 23, 2013
Boundries
As a people pleaser, I struggle to make things right for everyone else. When am I ever going to learn that I am not responsible for another person's happiness? This might help:
A script to help me self-talk my way through my own feelings as I respond to the feelings of others about our holiday plans:
I am not responsible for (fill-in-the-blank family member/friend’s) happiness.
If ? is mad, that is his/her feeling, and it doesn’t have to affect me.
I cannot make ? happy.
It’s okay that I am happy.
Good boundaries mean that I don’t let his/her attitude ruin my holiday.
Good boundaries also mean that my feelings matter just as much as his/hers, and I might need to call him/her on it.
A script to help me self-talk my way through my own feelings as I respond to the feelings of others about our holiday plans:
I am not responsible for (fill-in-the-blank family member/friend’s) happiness.
If ? is mad, that is his/her feeling, and it doesn’t have to affect me.
I cannot make ? happy.
It’s okay that I am happy.
Good boundaries mean that I don’t let his/her attitude ruin my holiday.
Good boundaries also mean that my feelings matter just as much as his/hers, and I might need to call him/her on it.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Life is full of challenges
"It is imperative to rise to the
level of adult and be the expert on your own life...We each have to face
struggles, figure out the answers, apply them and learn from mistakes
and successes. It slows us down to spend energy looking for experts or
paths or easy solutions--instead, we must face the reality that it is supposed to be hard, and go to work doing what needs to be done."
~ Oliver & Rachel DeMille, Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning
~ Oliver & Rachel DeMille, Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning
Just because life is hard at times doesn't necessarily mean we are doing something wrong. Things aren't going to be perfect this side of heaven. Life can be incredible and imperfect at the same time. Just keep at it...put one foot in front of the other and rely on God...that's the nature of life...it is hard!
"Problems are like washing machines. They twist us, spin us and
knock us around but in the end we come out cleaner, brighter and better
than before."
~ Source Unknown
~ Source Unknown
Monday, December 2, 2013
Post Thanksgiving
Thomas Merton
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.
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