Faithful Friday: Anger - a Silent Villain

When Noah was little, he was obsessed with super heroes.  But he didn't just want to watch or read about them, he wanted to BE them.

His imagination would run wild, along with his chubby strong legs, as he'd throw a blanket on his back and turn into a caped crusader.  Our bar stools became skyscrapers, couches turned mountains, and his furry friends were victims needing rescue from evil villains.

Oh, how I miss those fun days of jumping into his adventures and escaping reality.  In Noah's land, there was always a happy ending!

Of course, there was a super hero he liked to become on not-so-good days too.

The Hulk became very popular when he was about three years old. Noah's favorite line of the big green guy was, "You're making me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."


Only he changed it to, "My getting mad!  You not gonna like this!"

With a scrunched up face, he'd clinch his tiny fists, saying the line in kind of growl.  One couldn't help but laugh, which of course, would only make him madder.

Last night, Noah climbed in bed with me, since Tim was working late.  He'd been holding in some anger, more hurt really, from something said to him as a joke.  But because he didn't deal with it, the hurt festered and grew until he found himself angry about a silly situation.

Though I'd had plans of getting to sleep early, we ended up chatting for nearly two hours.  Granted there was much more conversation on my side, but God did open up an opportunity for me to share with him about the grumpy times in life.

In fact, as He often does, God brought to light a similar situation I'd had myself last week.

As I was "preaching" to my son about being quick to forgive, God showed me an area where I'd let the same thing happen and began to work on my heart to make it right.

As I shared with Noah last night, it is so easy for us to respond in anger.  It's our human nature to get mad, hold grudges, and fail to see the good in people.  The more we sit and stew on it, the worse it becomes.  And Evil is ready to pounce on those moments to fan the flames of anger and make them stronger.  Anger can often be a silent villain, lurking and growing, spreading and attacking an otherwise gentle heart until POW! you explode.

Years and years ago, I waited on a cute little couple in a small cafe, who were celebrating 60 years together.  Myself newly engaged, I asked them how they lasted so long.  Their words of wisdom are something I try to carry with me even today.

"Don't go to bed angry.  Tell each other 'I love you' every day."

But that nugget doesn't have to only be used for your spouse.  God reminds us to love everybody. Yep, even those sneaky, pesky villains.

If someone has come to mind in the course of reading this little post, it probably isn't coincindence.  Use the opportunity of today to set things right, after you're prayed-up of course.

Cuz, as this momma often says, sweeping anger and troubles under a rug eventually leads to making one trip and fall!

Be slow to anger, quick to forgive, and eager to love, friends.  

Sending you much JOY this Friday.

Faithful Friday: Love One Another

When the boys were little we counted down the days to Christmas by building Santa's beard.  Each day their chubby fingers would grab a cotton ball, ask for a dot of glue, and stick it to the construction paper face of St. Nick.

Now we have a Hallmark ornament that is flipped with the passing of each day. 
"5 days until" dangles from our tree. 

The next several days will be filled with busy.  Good busy.  Fun busy.  Holiday busy.

Shopping for goodies to make cookies, candy and stocking stuffers.  Date night with hubby, which I've been looking forward to all month.  Christmas Eve candle-lighting service at church.  Forming all those goodies into seasonal delights.  Driving around to view the lights, hot cocoa in hand.  PJs, appetizers and movie-fest.  And of course, the big day, celebrating the birth of our Savior!

But the celebratory countdown has been tainted whenever I peruse the social media news feed.  A recent story and comments by Duck Dynasty star, Phil Robertson, has created a slurry of mixed emotions.  No matter what side you stand on, there's no excuse for the hatred and anger that is being doled out. 

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, whether you agree with them or not.

Being that this blog is all about joy, I'm not about to jump on the mud-slinging bandwagon.  I'll just add that I don't believe Phil said what he did out of hate.  Some of his comments were harsh; but as a writer, I also know how things can be paraphrased and taken out of context.  Some of his comments though were from scripture, which is Truth, no matter how hard or politically incorrect it is to hear. 

What I'm against is that because his comments involved his faith/beliefs, and offended some, he's under attack.  Yet people like Kanye West can compare what he does as an entertainer to that of a soldier and nobody cares.  And the world doesn't seem to blink when Miley Cyrus dances in her underwear on tv; instead she trends on Twitter and her record sales increase. 

Again, I'm not judging.  It isn't my place to.  We're all sinners.  Those of us who accept and believe in Jesus Christ are just saved by his grace.  Doesn't make us any better than anyone else.  Doesn't excuse the sins we've done.  It just gives us assurance for our future.

What stood out most to me in Robertson's interview was a line that has been lost in this media firestorm and it's maybe the most important sentence from the story. 

“You put in your article that the Robertson family really believes strongly that if the human race loved each other and they loved God, we would just be better off. We ought to just be repentant, turn to God, and let’s get on with it, and everything will turn around.”

That, and the fact that the interviewer openly admits to being godless. 
His comment is perhaps the saddest of all.

As we draw nearer to this Christmas, let us pause and remember why we celebrate the season.  And realize, wherever you stand, stereo-typing someone's beliefs is wrong.  Christmas is the most beautiful example of love and hope and should be what we are all sharing, not just the next five days, but every day of the year.

“I give you a new command: Love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 

By this all people will know that you are My disciples,

if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35