Sticks and Stones

Sticks and Stones may break our bones but words will never hurt me...is a saying I never could understand where it came from....our bruises and cuts on our outside eventually heal, but the condemning, ugly, hurtful, words aimed toward us whether we have them coming or not hurt. They can be replayed and replayed in our heads and sometimes they can scar us for life.

I remember in High School I had a friend that was not very pretty. Her Mother had told her over and over how ugly she was. I couldn't imagine that, especially that a Mother would tell her that.

I am guilty words can fly out of my mouth when I get angry or someone says something accusing to me faster then the speed of light and the minute they come out I wish I could take them back but we can't. Most of the time we aim them at the ones we love the most. So many times my children and my husband would be at that end. And I am so sorry...so very sorry...so very sorry....

Since I have surrendered my life to Christ this has been a terrific struggle for me. I had a friend tell my a number of years ago that I had an anger problem and I did. I wanted to blame it on feelings of guilt that I carried...of the bad choices I had made it life..of low self esteem...maybe envy of others around me...jealously but I had no one to blame but self...my ugly self, my sinful nature, my flesh..Then one day a light came on and I realized that Jesus died on that cross for my sins...He took all my GUILT..my sick sinful deeds, all my sinful thoughts, my rotten attitude, my ungrateful heart, on and on, to the CROSS..he took it all and died for me..and it is when we die to self...that is when we put others first...their feelings...their needs and not ours...am I there yet totally NO way...but I am on the right path now, knowing that it is only through HIM that I can be anything..and not of myself...to live is to die..daily...this I know..but it can be so hard and I fail so many times...but my hearts desire is to live in His strength not my own because He promises NEVER to leave us or forsake us...and no one is who there are by accident but we all are a part of His great plan. It is a life long battle our weakness, our imperfection..and we won't arrive until that day...but each day should bring us closer as we grow in the Lord.

No one will love me more then Jesus did when He died on that cross....

Everett leaves me a note everyday on the blackboard in the kitchen and today's note is what inspired this blog this morning it read

Have you ever looked for yourself and if you did what did you find?

What we think.. what we believe is right.....

We decorate...in my case Annie decorated for me and did a terrific job...we stress, we go to dinners,
we go to church programs, we go to school programs, and we stress...we cook and some bake tons of goodies....that are really not that good for us and every year we say we are go to cut something out and make it simpler, calmer, not spend so much money...but oh if we don't will they love us..will they think we are cheap...don't we want to give as Christ gave....

I read a book Advent Conspiracy...my granddaughter Abby just blogged about it...

Do we need one more sweater, one more tie, one more candle....on and on...that in a week from Christmas we won't even remember...the gifts are for the moment...the wonder of what is in that package under the tree...is it really about the gift so much as the anticipation??? The excitement.. the sleepiness on Christmas eve...the beauty of the lights...all the decorations....what about time...memories...families are going by the wayside...so sad....I think of different ones this year that were married for a long time...divorced...children will not wake up this Christmas with mom and dad both there..one will be here and one will be there...how sad....

For years I have thought why and yet I get caught up in it just like the next one....we all have everything we need...we live in a world of storage sheds....thrift stores...people store and gather up more stuff then my grandparents ever thought of having to give away...( which is good)  but just saying we all have so much.

There are so many in the world without...somehow we can push that out of our minds and go on...I am guilty....I want to live the next four weeks like Abby said...Advent...preparing...we need to prepare every day...our hearts, our lives...for Christ's return...I ask myself what have I done today to prepare for that day....my house is ready for Christmas now I must asked myself is my heart??

For unto us this day in the City of David a Savior is born...and the Word tells us He will return again..