Spirit Sunday

At HOPE, Pastor Jeff is in the middle of a series on evangelizing.  I love series!! Anyway, he referenced James 1:19 during his message -


"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."


Um....I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry.  Especially with my family.  This is to think about another time, but why are we sometimes much nicer to strangers than our own loved ones?!


So I keep thinking about this verse.  When I think of the people I am attracted to, they embody this verse.  Calm, patient, friendly, good-listening kind of people.  I tend to be loud, talkative, and I can get pissed off rather easily.  I don't want to be like that.  When someone speaks to me, I don't want to interrupt and start chatting away...I want to listen completely, and say little especially if the person is sharing something stressful or hurtful.  With my children - or Kevin - I don't want to fly off the handle when they do things like ignore my requests for them to clean up.  I want to speak calmly, and enforce a discipline if necessary - not with Kevin :) - but not raise my voice.  Oh if I could go one day without raising my voice!!


Anyway, I am going to be more mindful of my tongue. Yes, I know how to listen and sometimes I can be a "good listener."  But not nearly enough.  Especially if I am close to the person.  And I want to really bite my tongue when it comes to yelling at my girls.  I don't want them to grow up to be yellers, and I don't want them to have memories of Mommy screaming like a lunatic because they are fighting over who gets to be Cinderella.  Again.  


So far today so good -- but then again, Kevin has been out of the house since 6:30am, the girls and I slept in a bit bc of the time change and then Bailey left for school at 8:45.  Tatie and I got along wonderfully and I have been around no one else.  But still...I've been very pleasant. :)


I have about 9 hours left to my day...hoping I can keep it together and treat my family - and any friends I may talk to - like the lovies they are.   And if they piss me off - which they very well might - I think I'll lock myself in the bathroom, turn on the fan to drown them out, and try to reflect on that verse.  Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.