Shopping with Baybug

Went shopping today for B's easter dress. First experience where what I like is NOT what she likes. Her taste is somewhat opposite of mine: flashy and princess-like. A pink fru-fru frock covered in iridescent sequins caught her eye and looked perfect while she twirled in the dressing room mirror. Yes, we had to twirl in each dress. I, of course, had selected a linen dress in pink and green that was very tailored and sweet. While standing in the dressing room, donning my choice of dress, she looks up and says "I like this one too, but I the pink one is the BEST!" In that moment, I was fully aware of her need to protect my feelings but still get the dress she wanted.

We left Macy's in search of other options. Why I trotted her to at least 4 more stores to find other options I'll never know. She's a girl and when you find what you want, you've found what you want and nothing else will do. (I can hear you all agreeing with me.) Needless to say, we wend back to Macy's and left with a very cute, pink-sequined, fluffy dress. I can only hope that we'll agree on the shoes ;)

Looking Through the Lens of Love

Last night's youth staff meeting we discussed our individual lenses. In other words, what lens do we view ourselves in as well as what lens do we use to view others? Tonight during my devotional I read about God's command to love one another and realized that both lessons were connected. Allow me to give you the long and short of it:

Showing love must start with a change in my perception: I don't deem someone as worthy of MY love but as worthy of Christ's love through me. Note to self--that applies to EVERYONE.

Therefore,
if someone's behavior makes me view them as unlovable -- WRONG.
if someone's personality causes me to view them as unlovable -- INCORRECT.
if another's personal betrayal demands my view change to unlovable --ERRONEOUS
if another's unkind words incite a heart to punish by not loving -- FALLICIOUS AGAIN!!

I'm sure you get the picture. All I have to do is re-read 1 Corinthians 13 to realize I've got a long way to go. However, even today a small victory was won, when I chose to return some angry words with a kind calm one. Like the old song says, "He's still working on me...."

Have a great week and polish up that lens of love.

I wanted too...but

I really wanted to blog, but I couldn't think of anything happy or edifying to say, so I decided to heed the Bible and my mother: "If you don't have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut." That's the Alicia Translation of Eph 4:29. Hope you all had a better Monday than I did.