"Bless a thing and it will bless you. Curse it and it will curse you...If you bless a situation, it has no power to hurt you..."
Sarah took accepting our reality to the next step.
"After accepting our present circumstances, no matter what they are, we must learn to bless them.
Right. Bless misery?
Through gritted teeth if necessary. Usually we don't know why something has occurred and we won't until there's enough distance to take a backward glance."
That sounds like it came right out of a lesson manual from church.
I think this is one of the reasons I like Sarah so much. She sounds like me! A girl after my own heart...I couldn't have said it better myself.
Jesus said it too.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
I remember the first time I tried to do this. There was a bully in middle school, and I didn't like her and she didn't like me. I didn't like her because she was mean, but I don't know why she didn't like me. I don't know if we had a lesson at church or if my parents talked about it or if I just read this, but I had the impression to give her a valentines day card. It didn't change her, but it changed me. I suddenly wasn't afraid of her or didn't like her, I just accepted she was probably going to say hurtful things to and about me, and that was okay. I knew the truth about me, my friends knew the truth...I was suddenly sorry for her.
Funny how a memory from middle school sticks with you.
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Gratitude Journal
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1) Sunshine. It's like God knows that we need the rain, but since we are Californians we need the sunshine too. Last Tuesday we had sun, and again this Tuesday! It was a wonderful sunny day.
2) Good music. Over the weekend I borrowed some tuneage from my mom and Grandma. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, the Remember the Titans soundtrack...good jams. My kids are so cute dancing.
3) Good friends, and play dates. And rock walls and parks. Did I mention the sunshine?
He and Jacob were totally climbing that all by themselves. When did they get so big?
Mr cool man with the sunglasses and no shoes.
4) Piano lessons. I love teaching. And my students are awesome. I love having them in my home every week, and seeing them progress? Holy crap. It's super cool.
5) 7:00pm. Bed time. Thank goodness.
6) Phone calls. Texting. That I can talk to my best friends, no matter how long its been or how far away we are...love knows no bounds.
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