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{apples to apples}
kate came to me recently and asked what you should do with someone that you're having a hard time getting along with,
"how should I treat them?"
"well... I think you should always be kind no matter what."
kate nodded her head silently and chewed on her bottom lip, like she does when she's thinking. then said,
"how kind?"
a little quote I'd read once flashed through my mind and I answered,
"kinder than necessary."
she smiled wide. shrugged her shoulders, and said in her girlish, carefree way,
"okay."
then skipped off~ as if that was all there was to it. problem solved. burden lifted. relationship fixed.
I watched her go and thought,
"man! if only it were that easy!!"
but goodness. relationships are hard.
and broken ones even more so~
and they're not always fixable with a little bit of kindness~
still.
my girls response stayed with me that day...
I wished I could roll off a few relationships I was struggling in with a shrug and skip like she appeared to do~ that my response could match hers in it's matter of fact, "okay.. if that's what I need to do then I'll do it" kind of attitude.
later while she was running past me in the yard I called her over...
"I was just thinking kate~ what are you going to do if you're kind to this girl and she's not kind back?"
without hesitating she said,
"I guess I'll keep being kind anyway...."
... then it struck me.
that was it.
kate wasn't focused on what the other person was going to do.
whether their response would be right. or what she wanted or expected...
she was focused on her own.
THAT is where genuine freedom in relationships come in~ when we zero in on our own heart response, instead of constantly worrying and evaluating and analyzing and judging the other persons.
Christ calls us to love~
not those who love us back.
not those easy to love.
not those we like loving.
but those who don't. those who aren't. and even those who won't.
it is our actions (our love) that yell to the world we are HIS.
("love your enemies. those who curse you, hate you, use you...bless. do good in return. pray for them" Matt.5.44)
even more... it our RESPONSE when those actions aren't reciprocated as we thought or have the result we had hoped that tell the world louder still~ we are HIS.
("if you only love those who love you what reward have you? even those who are lost do the same thing." Matt.5.46)
I love my girl for so many reasons~ but her beautiful heart to do what's right despite being hurt spoke volumes to me that day.... by comparison, my response in some relationships lately falls so short to hers. suddenly, I am the student and she the teacher. but that's okay~ I feel I have much to learn from her young life.
"Oh, to have faith like a child!"
pure. simple. believing. face value faith!!
(thanks kate.)
== ~ == ~ ==
been loving this song lately~
"I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"
Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on
'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb!"
== ~ == ~ ==
the kids and I are headed up to the lake for the afternoon~
they have some new sand toys they want to try out (Target dollar bins!)
and I have some very white legs I want to try to get out.... and in the SUN! :)
Have a happy Monday~
Amber.
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| | Posted 6/15/2009 12:17 PM - 292 Views - 54 eProps - 31 comments
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