Relationships

Relationships take work.  That's not new news, right?! 

I thought in honor of Valentine's Day this week, and a few things that have been on my heart, I would post about relationships.

We were blessed to be able to enjoy dinner out on Sunday without sweet Kayla (thanks Mom!), and we began mattress shopping.  I think I have decided I would rather shop for carpet.  :)

So, on Valentine's Day, we headed back to Spokane to try and finish the mattress shopping.  Sucess (or so we think, until we actually get the new bed!  We will keep our fingers crossed!)  We ended our day at The Old Spaghetti Factory (one of my favorites!), and Kayla was a champ all afternoon.

Anyway, on the way home, I was listening to a radio broadcast on Positive Life Radio, and they were talking about relationships. 

I am so blessed to have wonderful friends, family, and an incredible husband.  When things are good in those relationships, it doesn't seem to take a lot of work, right?  But when we start hitting some rough patches, or things don't quite go as we expect, all the sudden drama enters the picture, right?  Or am I the only one that this happens to?

All the sudden, we see the blaring faults and wonder how we got here AGAIN.  How did we get hurt by this same thing again?  How did we make the same mistake again?

Well, it should be pretty simple if we really think about it. 

We are two imperfect people trying to have a "perfect" relationship.  (This relationship can be with our spouse, friend, or family member)

Does our relationship with the Lord come easy?  I don't know about you, but mine doesn't.  It takes work, right?  Work to carve out that time to spend with Him.  Work to know what He is saying.  Work to know what He wants us to do.  It doesn't come easy. 

And that relationship has one perfect person in the equation.

So why should we expect our earthly relationships to come easy?  These relationships have TWO imperfect, sinful people in the equation.  Ever stop to think about that?

Interesting thought.  Thank the good Lord for grace, so that we can start each day with a fresh perspective, looking at these relationships with that in mind.  Of course it takes work. 

Work on myself.  Instead of expecting that person to be what I think I need in the relationship, am I BECOMING the kind of person they want to be around?

How do I do this? 

Colossions gives us a pretty good idea about what this should look like:

1.  Be compassionate
2.  Be kind (giving people what they need, not what they deserve),
3.  Be humble
4.  Be gentle
5.  Be patient (put up with those you would rather put down)
6.  Over everything else-clothe yourself with LOVE

How do we do this?

How do these become attributes we "put on" daily? 

The end of that passage sums it up-"let the word of Christ dwell in you richly"

I must spend time in the Word, with Him, for these to be characteristics of my daily life.

What a challenge!