The Luve Project: Patience

I was one of the weirdos in school who loved literature.  I loved to read.  Anything.  So, all the short-stories, poems, and haiku's assigned to us in class were a treat. It also helped that we had a fantastic teacher (who by the way, would come into our classroom every Christmas wearing a sombrero and singing, "The Hat I Got for Christmas Was Too Big").   I remember him showing us Robert Burns' famous poem, Red, Red Rose.  The first line in this piece was "O my luve's like a red, red rose."  I just couldn't get past ye olde english "luve".  I think I may be an editor at heart and I couldn't fully enjoy the poem for the spelling of 'love' (told you...weirdo...). 
I was thinking about that poem today when I read 1 Corinthians 13. 
"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
I was thinking that if my boys could be loved and love like this...they would be pretty set for life.  Love doesn't hit their brother.  Love trusts that when Mama says wear your life-jacket...it's a good thing. Love does not cheat on a math test.  Love is not proud when big brother gets in trouble.  Love doesn't erupt in anger when something doesn't go his way.  If we can teach them how  to love, God's greatest commandment, then I think we will be successful parents. 
So, I've decided to try a little project.  I'm going to break up the "luve chapter" into the different traits of love and focus on one a week with our boys.  We'll write out the verse and memorize that little part.  Then, my husband and I have a frame of reference when our little guys provide an "opportunity" for teaching about love. 
Our first trait is patience.  Samuel helped me 'decorate' the little love poster this morning.  We'll stick that on the fridge and see how it goes. 

I'm hoping to be able to update you each Friday about how our week went.  Maybe you would like to try too...you don't need kids either...try it yourself!  Let me know how it turns out. :)

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[e] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[f] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[g] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Peace Anyone?

You may have the best husband ever (I do),
You may have a chubby cheeked baby and fun little boys (I do),
You may have sweet, wise, godly friends (I do),
You may have parents that love you (I do),
You may have in-laws that love you (I hope I do ;),
You may have enough food (I'm making a pot roast today...),
You may have clean water (I do),
You may have new shoes (that would be nice),

But...you still may not have peace.  

Psalm 62 says,
"Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
² He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved."
.....
"My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved."

Sometimes, when we sorely need peace and rest, we grasp frantically for something to help ease the struggle. 
The right man, the right vacation, the right kids, the right new outfit, the right friend.
These things are most assuredly blessings, but they cannot bring us true peace.  
Only God could see the things that would disrupt our peace and put them on Jesus' shoulders.
Only Jesus could take them from us and put them on Himself. 
True peace will come when we can finally hand over our burdens to Jesus, who longs to take them from us.

I pray you find peace today friends.