Monday, December 22, 2014

I love you even though

My last post was about forgiveness and poorly written.  I had a severe cold and I don't feel like fixing what I wrote.  But I believe it to be true, even though my writing was not up to par.

"I love you, even though."  This is something my mother said to me a lot growing up.  I have taken it as both a compliment and an insult.

Before I go on, I would like to say something about my mother.  First, she taught me about love and therefore about who Christ is.  Secondly, she grew up in a broken home filled with fighting and alcoholism.  She has known true poverty and hardship.  This has played a major role in her development, and knowing what I know, I am able to continually forgive any parenting mistakes I feel she has made with me.

Even though she experienced things that could have made her filled with hate and dissatisfaction, she has chosen to be a caring and loving individual.  She always met her children's frustration and anger with love.  That example has led me to try to do the same.  Love, even though.

Through that love, she has forgiven us continually in our selfishness and shallowness.  She has always said it's so important to say you love family even though you may be hurt, angry or proud.  You never know if you won't see them again, so tell them you love them.

I am not a very good writer, but maybe this post will touch a heart to love, even though there are hurts and tough times. Merry Christmas.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Climbing Mt. Everest

Climbing a straight path to the top of Mt. Everest seems like the quickest way to success, until you start to tumble.  As in life, there is no straight path to the top, the end or the finish. The necessity of bearing each step with new equipment becomes more important as the road becomes rough.
Recently someone asked for advice about dealing with a difficult person. My journey with that person has been hard too, because there are other things I would like to be dealing with. I told my friend immediately that I pray for that person A LOT.  I did leave out the hard part of the journey in the conversation, which is that I am still learning to forgive A Lot. Or as much as I can.
It often feels like a journey with a person can start and end so quickly.But there is so much to learn along the way. Many times there is light or darkness around the corner we cannot see. Our preparation of striving to love and forgive is going to be the seemingly hardest way, but the best preparation.
For me, conquering doubt, sorrow, adversity and anger with love is the success, the top and the finish. It is definitely a climb of Mt. Everest proportions.  My motto the last two years has been 'hard work and preparation'.  I still have a ways to go. The journey makes me happy and challenged these days because it's not so hard once you have been challenged at the beginning of the path.
Right now, I have a long way to go. I would like to assume there's an elevator later on, but what strength would I gain from that? So a path of least resistence is purposeless. My equipment is what I have gained by choosing to love and forgive. That is the easy road. That is the straight way. That is the finish.