Making life worth living well
Day#34-Inventive. Do you recognize original thoughts or new designs or new creations? Do you have them yourself or see them in others? Do you encourage yourself and others to explore new things? Do be inventive? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#33-Joyful. Is you heart glad or delighted? Do you radiate that joy to others? Why or why not? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#32-Loving. Where have you witnessed great care of someone? A person who is affectionate, tender, warm? How can you show care to others today? How can you be more loving? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#31-Genuine. What around you is bona fide? Exactly what it claims to be? Or do you know a person with such qualities? Authentic. #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #30- Peaceful. Have you ever experienced a time free from disturbance? Felt tranquil? What was the setting? Have you ever witnessed someone who was calm in a storm? How did they handle that? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#29-Brave. Who around you is brave? Have you ever had a situation when you needed mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty? What did you do? Do you know of others who need mental or moral strength today? What can you do to encourage them? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#28-Loveliness. Who around you demonstrates kindness, a pleasant or an enjoyable quality? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#27-Curiosity. Do have a strong desire to know or learn something? What is it? What do you need to gain more knowledge? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#26-Approachable. Are you friendly and easy to talk to? Are you accessible to others? Do you know people who are approachable? What is their appeal? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#25-Blissful. When have you been extremely happy or full of joy? What were the circumstances? Can you cultivate a day or season full of bliss? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Reminded me of the line drawn down the middle of a shared bedroom between siblings.
Walking our dog in the neighborhood in the aftermath of our blizzard, I came across the above situation: two neighbors with a shared driveway. Neither shoveled the “no man’s” land between them and so it became a snow barrier extending all the way into the street. Consequently, it made walking along the sidewalk quite difficult- When one came across the driveway, one had to traverse in the street around the snow wall. I thought, “Now really. Couldn’t they have cleared the way, at the very least, the portion that intersected the sidewalk so walkers don’t have to go into the street?”
Not getting along or agreeing to something. Isn’t that the beginning of feuds- family, neighbors, even countries.
It made me think of the quintessential American family feud- the Hatfields and McCoys. Or those fictional familial arguments: Montagues and Capulets or the Sharks vs the Jets. Arguments, that in retrospect caused much pain and even death. All totally unnecessary.
The thrust of the arguments for the Hatfields and McCoys has been lost to history. Some websites say that the impetus for the feud was over a stolen hog. Another claims it was due to “stolen” property and yet another to star-crossed lovers- one from each side of the family. It does appear that the earliest disagreement might have been due to the Civil War: the leader of the Hatfield clan, “Devil Anse” was a Confederate while the leader of the McCoy clan, Randle, had a Union soldier brother, named Asa. Asa came home to recuperate from being wounded in the war and during his recuperation, he was murdered. There was never any proof that the Hatfields were involved but it was rumored that they were. The bad blood continued for over twenty years. All about retribution- “eye for an eye”. When it finally “ended”, property was destroyed, Randle McCoy lost five children to death, his wife was seriously injured, many Hatfield supporters were dead and both sides of the families had individuals who were incarcerated. Much pain and death. Totally unnecessary.
There are times when I wonder about the current social climate. The polarization of people (and not just in our country) that seems to be getting worse. Those commentary pundit-type people whom I admire, who are in the thick of the current climate, and who have always seemed middle road and somewhat optimistic are voicing more discouragement about our future.
What to do?
It made me think of the arguments that we have with our family, friends, or neighbors. Some are petty. Some serious. All have consequences, and not just for the arguers. Just like the driveway snow wall, the disagreement of not shoveling caused those of us who were innocently walking our dogs to be put in harm’s way by having to walk in the street.
I have been more and more convinced and convicted that I need to pray for those with whom I disagree. For those who are my “enemy” and even for those whom I find completely repulsive. I need to remember that all people are created in the image of God. I also need to remember that I may be wrong about my understanding of a situation or of a person’s behavior.
In our Sunday Lenten series we are looking at the videos that coordinate with the book, Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren. The book’s premise is that our entire life- all the mundane, ordinary stuff of life is what defines our lives for Christ. As such, the practices and habits that we do each day, shape our thoughts and minds. In the section she calls, “brushing one’s teeth”, she discusses how our bodies were made to worship God and that care for our bodies is important. She also discusses how, if our bodies are made in God’s image and we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, then human beings are the most sacred vessels on earth.
I must confess, there are some people that definitely are not sacred.
What about you? Do you know of any family feuds? Are they in your family? What started it? Does anyone remember? What would end it? How do you respond to people with whom you do not agree?
Jesus calls us to pray for our enemies. Pray for those who hurt you, who persecute you. The prayer is not so much to change the enemy, but to change our hearts and our outlook of that person and situation. Miracles do happen. Prayer changes things.
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5: 44 (NKJV).
Day#24-Goodness. Where have you seen goodness displayed- the quality of being morally good or virtuous? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#23- Appealing. What have you seen that evokes or attracts interest, desire, curiosity, or sympathy? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #22- Flourishing. Where have you seen vigorous and healthy growth? In your physical world? In your relationships? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #21- Determination. Have you come to a decision or fixed or settled on a purpose? What was it? Have you ever demonstrated a mental attitude with a strong commitment to achieve a particular goal? Witnessed it in someone else? What was the commitment? The goal? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #20- Liberating. Do you know anyone who has been liberated from an enemy occupied place? Have you ever been released from a situation? Or released from a confining thought or behavior? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #19- Delicious. What have you experienced that is highly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell? Anything highly enjoyable? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#18- Exceptional. What have you witnessed that has been unusually good or outstanding? Something, someone did? Said? Achieved? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day #17- Godly. What have you seen that is Godly? Reflecting the manner and character of God? A situation? Experience? A person and their manner of living? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com
Day#16-Charming. Have you noticed anything pleasing or delightful today? Something that is attractive to you? #40DaysLentenEncouragement #40DaysofEncouragement #40DaysofGoodShit @virginiaruth010 wellofencouragement.com