Godly Character Quality #38: Dependability!

Godly Character Quality #38: Dependability vs. Inconsistency: Fulfilling what I consented to do even if it means unexpected sacrifice. - Psalms 15:4


Wow.

I'd like to think I'm a pretty dependable person. I always do what I say I'll do. Really! It's time limits that get me.

Somehow, I am always extremely busy. I always have a ton of stuff to do! Even though usually it's all enjoyable stuff, I still struggle with time.

So, I guess I'm dependable to a certain extent.

I'm choosy. for example if someone asked me to do something a few days ago and I'm just about to do it when something else that I'd much rather do comes up? Well, you guessed it, that person from a few days ago ends up waiting a few more days. Endless cycle.

I really feel awful when it takes me 2 weeks to get back to someone with something really simple. Something I offered to do for them! I don't like to make excuses, and I end up in that position a lot.

Here's to a change: I'm going to become a dependable person!

In all senses of the word.

Who knows what this may entail... scheduling, cutting out distractions, maybe some kind of personal reward... I'm not sure!

I want my friends to think of me as a reliable person. "Oh, that's Sydney, Miss Dependable!" not, "Oh, Sydney, that girl who is all over the place and doesn't understand the meaning of time limits?"

It's a work in progress, let's just say that. :)

Blessings!

What about you? Do you consider yourself a dependable person- in all senses of the word? What does dependability mean to you?

Godly character Quality #32: Reverence!

Goldy Character Quality #32...Reverence vs. Disrespect:  Awareness of how God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me.  -Proverbs 23: 17-18


Before today, I didn't even know what reverence meant. I was totally oblivious.

However, when I tool a look at my list of character qualities today and my eye caught the definition of this one, I knew I had to do it today.

My friend, Breanna, moved into my neighborhood when I was in eighth grade I had no idea, and it was a great surprise!

I'd always liked Breanna. I had no reason not to like her! She was fun to be around, talk to and hang out with. Case closed.

Except... not exactly. See, most people did not like Breanna. They thought she was a weirdo, and they made fun of her. Everyone would antagonize her and call her names behind her back.

I used to sit with my friend Lindsay on the bus. She was funny, kind, sweet, just a great person overall. And no one would have ever said Lindsay was a weirdo. They wouldn't have said that about me either.

Well, when Breanna started riding our bus, it got me thinking. I bet Lindsay won't like her. I could just imagine how it would go: Breanna would be sitting by me, Lindsay would get on the bus, I'd shoot her a pleading "HELP ME!" look, and sh'd have to sit in front of us while I "suffered." Or: I'd be sitting by Lindsay and she would say, "That girl is sooooo weird!" and I would wholeheartedly agree.

Does anyone else see a major problem with this?


I was not suffering when I sat with Breanna. I liked Breanna. I didn't think she was weird, either. I was willing to go behind my friends back to "look good".

Lemme Tell Ya. Boy, was I wrong.

First of all, Lindsay isn't like that. She doesn't just shun people because of their hair color or attitude.

But I was willing to do it.


The thing is,, we all wear many different hats in life. Mother, Daughter, Sister Friend, Aunt, Cousin, Co-Worker, Wife, Etc. But that's just the hat.

I had to learn to be myself, 100% of the time. Not Lindsay's friend sometimes, and Breanna's friend when Lindsay wasn't around. More like a daughter of the King, every single day.

I had to learn to choose. I saw the opportunity to work for Christ and change everyones attitudes about Breanna.

I understood how I was being taught a lesson here.

I knew that if I wanted to be a better, more godly teenager, then I had to stick it out.

Sometimes, our decision to follow Christ won't make life the easiest. Many times, we will find that it would be a piece of cake to give up, and do what is pleasing to us. We have to be aware that everything we do reflect back on us, and on Christ as well. We have to choose to stand up for ourselves and our friends, and to not disrespect them.

Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. - 1 Samuel 12:24

God is working through you and I right this very second. Don't fight Him. Let God's word work through you, and spread it on! Choose Christ, and choose to live a Christ filled life!

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #27: Deference!

Deference vs. Rudeness: Limiting my freedom in order not to offend the tastes of those God has called me to serve. -Romans 14:21

Throughout our lifetimes, we will encounter tons of different tempting situations. It's not always easy to hole back our opinions.

However, we have to learn to abide by J.O.Y. Jesus first, others sencond, yourself LAST! This means that when we act, we should always think first, "Will this action do honor to God?" then "Will this action offend anyone else?" and finally "Is this really any action I should be doing, after all?"

It's not easy to limit ourselves. It reminds me of the typical bully. A bully puts others down because it makes them feel better about themselves. What they will eventually learn is that we are here on Earth to serve, not to BE served. We have to respect others, understnad our purpose, and treat others the way we would like to be treated.

Don't be weak by giving in. It's hard, but you have to stay strong and fight the urge to take the easy way out by being rude!

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #26: Justice!

Justice vs. Fairness: Personal responsibility to God’s unchanging laws. -Micah 6:8

We have all heard the saying. "Life's not fair". Usually, hearing that makes me angry, because it means I'm not getting what I want.

We have all been led to believe that nothing in our lives is going to be fair, and we just have to muddle through. What we don't realize, however, is that life IS just. 

Justice means that we will get what we deserve. If we are saved people, choosing to follow our perfect God, then we will receive good things. God loves to lavish gifts on us, because we are His children!  If we are unsaved, unrepentant people, then we will not receive these gifts. God wants to save us, He desperately wants us to turn to Him, but we have to make that choice! It's not something anyone else can decide for you.

So make the choice: Either keep living the unsaved life and complaining about the way the world works, or plea your case, let yourself be saved by God's grace, and experience the great rewards of justice!

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #25: Flexibility! {Control Freak No More Series}

Godly Character Quality #25... Flexibility vs. Resistance: Not setting my affections on ideas or plans which could be changed by God or others -Colossians 3:2

Jeremiah 29:11 says,  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Hebrews 11:3 says, "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. "

Those are just 3 pieces out of thousands that leave us with one message: The Lord is good and we should put our trust in Him.

It's not as easy as it sounds. To truly "give it up" and submit to a higher power is no easy task. Why? Well, because it means giving up that one thing we love best: Control.

Come on, you know it. Most of us crave control. We need to have everything just a certain way or we go bananas.

I know that I should just stop worrying and quit resisting God' will. I don't want to miss out on something really great just because I have my mind set on a certain thing and I'm not trusting Him.

When we start thinking we can handle it all ourselves and stop asking God, that's when things get tricky. Even so, it's just SO HARD to plan our lives around His plans for us, and not around our own plans.

Here is where the fun stuff comes in:



We've all been control freaks at some point, and we most likely still are. What's your story? Has there been a time when you just "had" to be in control of a situation, and then later you changed your mind?

Let's encourage each other as we journey into becoming more flexible women. If you have a story of letting go of control in a situation, I want to hear it!

Starting next Monday, I'm going to featuring your "Control Freak... No more!" stories! If you want to share, please leave a comment or email me at:

faithfulalwaysblog@yahoo.com

Let's make this a new tradition!

"Be still, and know that I am God..." - Psalms 46:10

Godly Character Quality #24: Obedience!

Obedience vs. Willfulness: Freedom to be creative under the protection of divinely appointed authority- 2 Corinthians 10:5

This weekend has been an extremely busy, exciting, and creative time. And it's only half over!

Of course, I'm really excited about the new ministry! I can't wait! I'm so glad to be a part of such a fun, encouraging adventure with Heather. Like she said, "Serve In Love.net is going to be a lot more than just a blog!"

Sweet people interested in helping out with the newsletter were emailing me all day. I'm betting half my day was spent in my yahoo inbox composing emails. Easily.

I am getting the chance to be creative with all the newsletter details. Still working on it, but it's going great!

In addition to the ministry project, I am redesigning this blog over the weekend! This weekend was already packed, but I've had my design for too long (Over a month!). It's time for some changes. As Thomas Jefferson said, "Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?" I haven't gotten too far yet, so it does not look to great right now. Don't worry, it's only temporary. I'm planning to really "makeover" this place, so stay tuned!

I think that's it. So... what does this all have to do with obedience? Well, don't think I didn't go into this adventure very prayerfully!

I've been contemplating growing this blog for a while, and praying about it. I have been patient in waiting until the right time, and finally that time is here!

I didn't do this on my own accord. As Psalms 37:7 says,  "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." I've done just that.

Now, I'm excited to have this God given, God "approved" authority to branch out and be a blessing to others in one more way (my ultimate goal)!

I hope you will drop by the new, Serve In Love Ministry site on Monday, when we go live. Share in His grace! There is a giveaway basket involved!

Bless you, as we head into a new week, and I hope that the time comes soon for you to take your big leap and accomplish your dreams!

Godly Character Quality #23: Gratefulness!

Gratefulness vs. Unthankfulness: Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefited my life. - 1 Corinthians 4:7

Gratefulness is, well, great! When someone does something nice for us, something that benefits our life, we need to give thanks!

Be thankful everyday.... not just on Thanksgiving. 

It's always great when you can be a blessing to someone else. Serving is what we are put here on Earth to do! When we do something kind to help a friend out, they show their gratefulness. We need to show our gratefulness when others do nice things for us!

Our entire lives and existences were given to us by God. It's a gift. When we get gifts on our birthday, we are continually thanking people for them. That's expected.

What about the gifts that aren't wrapped up in paper and tied with a bow? What about the gifts that are.more... subtle?

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.." -Hebrews 12:28

His kingdom is our kingdom. God has benefited our life in the biggest way... he has given us life! Sometimes, we take that for granted, but life is not a guarantee! If you died today, would you feel that you had given enough thanks to all those who had been a blessing to you?

Just know that it's never too late, or too early, to show your gratitude for someone else.  Make it known in your prayers how thankful you are for this gift of life your living.

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #22: Hospitality!

Hospitality vs. Loneliness: Cheerfully sharing food, shelter and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life - Hebrews 13:2

I think hospitality is the ultimate topic to talk about on a blog. Why? Well, most bloggers are all about hospitality! Interacting with other bloggers, supporting each other in our endeavors, sharing ideas and guest posts, etc. The blogging world is basically a big online home for everyone to get to know each other better.

Hospitality is a great thing. It brings people together and, even better, allows us to share new insights and grow in the Word of God.

"Show hospitality to one another without grumbling."- 1 Peter 4:9

"But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined." - Titus 1:8

No one wants to feel left out, whether it be in the blogging world or the real world. Be sure to always show kindness, and smile at people. You never know; a simple gesture of hospitality that means almost nothing to you, could mean the world to someone else.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10

Besides earthly or Internet-based homes, we are always welcome in the Lord's home! Therefore, we should never feel lonely: we have great friends, we have God who will never forsake us, and lastly, we have the power to be a friend!

Hospitality: It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #21: Security!

Security vs. Anxiety: Structuring my life around that which is eternal and cannot be destroyed or taken away. – John 6:27

What is there in this world that is solid? That cannot be taken away from us?

God’s Grace. God’s Word. It’s forever.

We have to focus our lives on living God’s way instead of Man’s way. Man’s way is unstable and unsure. On the other hand, God’s way is steadfast and true. It’s graceful and eternal.

Many of us struggle from not having enough stability in our life. Our actions are not consistent; we don’t even fully understand why we act. If we choose to follow Christ, then we will be granted with the stability we need. Seemingly huge problems now will work themselves out. All by His mighty power!

“I took the one {the road} less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference”- Robert Frost

On Tuesday the 8^th graders at the middle school I work at went on a field trip. I was not supposed to go, but they were short a chaperone and since I’m only an assistant teacher and don’t have an actual class, I went along. We went to this place in Indiana called Conner Prairie, to experience an Underground Railroad simulation.

Let me just say, it was fantastic. It was such a great experience and it seemed to be a very accurate representation of what slaves went through in the 1800’s. The only difference was that it was just a simulation. In an hour it would be over and we would be on our way back to school. No one was truly fearful, but in reality, slaves had plenty to fear.

We all know slavery is wrong. Right? It was wrong that they could never feel truly secure or be treated with dignity and respect just because of the part of the world they came from! However, some of the greatest faiths in God come from hardship. If you don’t experience something challenging, where you are saved by God’s grace alone, it is more likely that you will be anxious and not fully trusting in Christ.

During part of our adventure, we went to the home of some Quakers. The Quakers {a.k.a. Friends} explained that they wanted to help us {slaves}. They said they did not follow Man’s ways, but God’s ways. They knew that it was their responsibility to help others, to love thy neighbor no matter their skin pigmentation. 200+ years ago, Quakers really did risk their lives to help slaves get to freedom. They knew in was wrong, and they had enough faith in God to know they would be kept safe.

I’m pretty sure none of us are Quakers, but I think we should adopt the Quaker attitude! They were kind, honest, gentle people who knew God’s word and wanted to follow only it. They were not a bit unsure about helping people.

We should all realize that our life is not our own. It belongs to Christ. We are merely here to carry out His wishes for us. So let’s carry them out! Let’s be fearless, courageous, strong, loving, and generous without worrying about anything else. We are safe with Him, because He will never leave us!

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." – Deuteronomy 31:8

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #20: Virtue!

Virtue vs. Impurity: The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life as I obey God's Word. - 2 Peter 1:5

Wisdom is knowing what to do next... Virtue is doing it!

You have to be committed to purity and good character to have virtue. To live your life by God's Word and not Man's Word.

Last night, as I was reading my Bible in Luke, I came across something that jumped out at me. I've read it thousands of times, and I've always liked it, but last night I felt like I really understood.

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.

 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.

 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.

 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

- Luke 8:5-8

"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

- Luke 8:11-15

It's not always easy to be a good person of good character. Some people mean well. They want to follow God, but they don't have any real solid commitment to hold onto when times are tough.

Other people don't have the power to be virtuous. They desire to be close to God, but they don't know how to live out his Word and apply his principles. They have wisdom to know what to do... they just don't have the strength and virtue to do it.

Virtue is an important part of godly character. Actions speak louder than words. I can log onto my blog and tell you guys about becoming a good, godly person. But if we don't have the virtue, the actual act of applying these character qualities, then we have nothing!

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #19: Contentment!

More.

Isn't that what we all want?

But it's not what God wants for us.

And He gets to decide.

Contentment vs. Covetousness: Realizing that God has provide everything I need for my present happiness. - 1 Timothy 6:8

God provides. He gives us all the tools we need to be successful and fulfilled in our lives. So why are we often unhappy and unfulfilled then?

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” - Psalms 46:10

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" - Psalms 42:2

We don't deserve God. Really. We have done nothing to EARN God's grace. But He give it too us anyway. All we have to do is ask!

You have not because you ask not; Ask and you shall receive. {I love that!}

We have the capacity to be perfectly happy. We have to chose to be happy. Choose to see God's grace everywhere we turn. Choose to see our lives not as our own, but rather, as a tool to serve God. See our blessings as a way to turn on our heel and BE a blessing!

I'm happy just typing this. Whoever does not love does not know God- For God is love. {to quote Megan's blog.}

Don't be greedy. If you always want what you can't have, you can't be truly happy. I don't need riches or anything else superficial to make me happy: I'm perfectly content {ecstatic} with God's love.

What makes you content in your walk with God?

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #18: Availability!

Today's character Quality is a hard one to submit to. It takes a lot of selflessness!

Availability vs. Self- Centeredness: Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to wishes of those I am serving. - Philippians 2:20-21

Girl Keeps New Year's Resolution: One Good Deed Per Day



That video is some really inspiration. Maren is 14 years old... and she is cleaning out attics or volunteering at soup kitchens. Talk about availability! Her whole life is based off of the needs of OTHERS. I think that's just fantastic.

I couldn't even keep up with my New Years resolution to read the Bible in a year {Though I restarted this on Wednesday!}. Maren should be a role model to us all, because even though I'm older than her... what other person of any age has this kind of dedication?

We don't, but we should. J.O.Y: Jesus first, others second, yourself last.



The thing that makes us most happy is to serve others. It's so fulfilling to help people out! More than that, it is pleasing to God when we do good. So don't wait any longer!

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:10-11

  If you haven't done so in a while, please try. You could:

• Give the person behind you in line at the store a coupon. {Last week at Kohl's, the woman in front of me just handed me her 30% of coupon because she wasn't going to be using it. Wow. I've NEVER done that. Those coupons usually sit in the bottom of my purse for a year.}
• Cook dinner for someone {It doesn't have to be a special occasion, and it doesn't have to be someone you know well either. Reach out to your neighbors! This is a really sweet and easy way to serve.}
• Help someone declutter their life {Physically and mentally! Lend a helping hand by assisting them in spring cleaning, all the while talking and connecting. It serves both parties.}

It's time. Surrender to Christ. Give it all up to Him! Be a blessing to someone else.

How have you served someone else this week? What made you do so?

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #17: Determination! {For Lent}

Today is Ash Wednesday. I've been particularly looking forward to this day for a while.

Character Quality #17 is.... Determination vs. Faint- Heartedness: Purposing to Accomplish God's
goals in God's timing regardless of the opposition. - 2 Timothy 4:7-8

That's right. Today is the start of Lent, and we are all determined that we can do it. But it's not about US. It's about God! That's why we are doing it now. We aren't putting off the start of Lent until it's convenient for us. We are purposing to achieve that spiritual closeness God longs to have with us, NOW. This is why I feel that Lent is such an important season to celebrate!

I am already doing the cliche things. No chocolate or beverages besides water for the next 40 days. Okay, now what? For most people, nothing. Lent has been simplified to, "No chocolate until Easter."

I want these next 40 days to be a meaningful experience. Not just a deprivation of sugar (or so we think)experience.

Why do we observe Lent?

We do it for Jesus. Jesus made the biggest most important sacrifice ever... He gave his life for us! The Ultimate Sacrifice. The way I see it, we sacrifice something personal in honor of Him.

We make it hard. It really shouldn't be hard at all. What's so challenging about taking on/giving up one think so that we will have more time to honor Christ?

For the next 40 days I'm going to focus on strengthening my relationship with Him. Freshen up my Bible study, pray more often for more things, and be more selfless.

I always have 4 goals that I set for myself and ask God to help me accomplish every night: To not judge, to have empathy, to Obey, and to not complain.

I want this to be a time where my spiritual life can grow. I've never really known the meaning of Lent before. It used to just be a time where I didn't eat a certain food. But now I understand that there is a meaning. We wouldn't do this for nothing. We set aside our desires and empty ourselves of us so that we can be filled with Christ. :)

I won't be doing a Lent series, but you should drop by Serving One Another In Love where Heather is hosting one.

 I'm praying for us all to have a wonderful, purposeful, meaningful, Christ filled Lent.

Blessings!

P.S: Am I the only one who was out of the loop? Apparently, Mardi Gras is not just a month long celebration in Louisiana. It used to be just one day. The day before Ash Wednesday. Now, it is commonly known as Fat Tuesday. A day where you indulge in rich foods (like doughnuts) before fasting for Lent.

I have never heard of this until yesterday!

Godly Character Quality #16: Creativity!

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze…” Exodus 35:31-32

Creativity is all around us. I love being creative!!! I did a few creative things myself this past weekend.

I think we all know what creativity is, but then again, do we really? Character Quality #16 is… Creativity vs. Under-achievement: Approaching a need, a task, or an idea from a new perspective. – Romans 12:2

Seriously? This was meant to be. I LOVE Romans 12:2! I put it down as one of my 5 favorite verses of Scripture last week. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Get a new perspective on life (no, they don’t sell that at the store). Be transformed by the power of God’s Word. Do something out of the norm. Be adventurous. Live this wonderful God given life of yours with vigor! That’s what creativity is all about.

We are creative with food, with crafts, with clothes… but what about being creative with our LIVES? Ever thought about that?

See the world in a different way. Marvel. When you see a bee, don’t think, “Get away from me! I hate bees.” Instead, think, “Ah. What a beautiful God given creation.” This is just an example. You can apply this concept to so many areas of your life.

Be empowered. Approach new things with a outlook. A lot of times, we are asked or forced to do what we don’t want to do. We complain. We get upset. Why? Why don’t we just change our view? Approach everything from the attitude that, “You are God’s child. He will love you forever, and He will never forsake you!”

Purpose to be creative and see the Light in new ways. It’s everywhere!

This past weekend, I purposed to give attention to my sister, Rachel. There is an 8 year age difference, and she is always envious of everything I do. We used to fight all the time, but now that we are older, this has gotten better. I’m pretty sure she has some kind of inferiority complex because I was always the overachiever. She has a right to feel that way, but I wanted to provide her with some positive influence.

First off, I let her help me make cookies. Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise cookies that I got from Pennies on a Platter!

They were a little complex for her to make all by herself, but I let her make the dough and filling. It was a fun experience and I know it was good for her to receive all the praise for the delicious cookies.

Second was something I did for her as a surprise. I was going to take an old coffee can and turn it into a storage bin for my scrapbooking supplies. However, I knew she was jealous that I came up with the idea, so I decided to decorate the coffee can for her instead.

It was great fun to sneak around the house finding the supplies I needed to make an old, metal coffee can into a chic decoration. I decided to use Tinkerbell wrapping paper instead of scrapbook paper because I know she adores Tinkerbell. I was disappointed that I couldn’t find my scrapbooking stickers, but I improvised with bows.

I don’t know if this was the brightest showcase of my artistic talent of not, but Rachel loved it. And me? I loved that she was loving it.

All of this came from my willingness to be creative. To see spending time with and doing things for my sister as a blessing, instead of a chore.

It take some faith. It really does. But if we are willing, if the Lord is willing, then our spirits can be renewed with His wisdom and flooded with His love. 

 For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name! – Amos 4:13

 Now that I think about it, I should have put Romans 12:2 on the inside of the coffee can, as a reminder. But then again it might have been a conflict of interest seeing as I don’t really know Tinkerbell’s religious affiliations. J

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #15: Meekness! {Give it up!}

I've kept up my 3 character qualities posts a week goal for 1 whole week! Yay! Plus, I've managed to sneak in a whole bunch of other stuff! In less than an hour, this week ends and a new week begins. How are you going to start off this new beginning of sorts? Let me provide you with some insights before you etch it in stone.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. - Matthew 5:5

Character Quality #15 is... Meekness vs. Anger: Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God. - Psalms 62:5. 

When I hear the word anger, my mind automatically goes to Ephesians 4:26: Do not let the sun go down on your wrath...

I'm really loving the operational definition for this character quality. Sometimes, they are so complex that even I'm like, "Huh?". Today is not one of those days. Today... I get it.

Give it up... Give it all up to God!!!



I love the word "yield". I don't know what dictionaries say about it, but to me, it means give it up.

What does all this have to do with anger? Well, when we get angry, it's because we are disappointed or upset. We have been let down. Things didn't know exactly how we wanted them too. We are feeling troubled and annoyed.

Anger is selfish. It's all about us!!! That's why we have to decide to give up on being angry and instead, to be humble, kind, and patient.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. -Psalms 37:8

Our lives are not about us.  Our purpose is to serve the Lord! It's so important to let go of false pretenses and expectations.

What is there to be angry about, anyway?  I serve a big God, I live a blessed life, and I'm not going to let any minor annoyances or issues get in the way of that!

For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. - James 1:20

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #14: Gentleness!

 Let me ask you this… do you care? I mean, really, do you care? Do you shoe compassion for other people? Are you kind to them? Do you console them, and help them heal? Are you concerned for them? If you answered yes to anything them you’ll love this character quality. If you answered no to everything, then come along for the ride and learn with us!

Gentleness vs. Harshness: Showing personal care and concern in meeting the needs of others. – 1 Thessalonians 2:7

I am what I would call selectively gentle. Or in other words, gentle to who I chose to be gentle to. When someone is hurting, or when they need a helping hand, or maybe even just someone to talk to, I’m vying for the position. I love that type of stuff! However, other times, (especially back in those days when I was a 14 year old with a 7 year old sister) I can be least gentle person ever. I used to fight with my sister like crazy. Sometimes, I still do. J

I don’t think that selectively gentle good enough. For some people it’s fine, but to me, choosing who to care for and be concerned for, is just not right. Why? Because it’s not for me to choose. It’s up to God.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” – James 2:14-17

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

It’s pretty clear to me who God has chosen. Everyone. Yes, everyone. He wants me to care for everyone I meet, be concerned for everyone I know, be a friend to everyone who needs a friend. And you know what? I accept that challenge, because even though it sounds daunting, I have His grace to back me up.

Join in: challenge yourself to be gentle and kind to everyone. Don’t let anyone mess it up either. If someone is getting on your nerves to the point where you are ready to thrown in the towel and be harsh, stop yourself. Ask yourself (and, yes, I know how terribly cliché this is, but…): What would Jesus do? Because I guarantee you the answer won’t be scream and yell.

This is about caring: let people know you care. You are concerned about them and their well-being. You want to do what you can to help them.

This won’t be easy, but I’m committed to “going gentle”. I’m not surpassing great opportunities to show I care and to assist any longer.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” –Philippians 4:6

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #13: Punctuality!

I’m sure none of us are strangers to this character quality. For some of us, it’s an ongoing daily struggle. Character Quality #13 is none other than: Punctuality vs. Tardiness: Showing high esteem for other people and their time. – Ecclesiastes 3:1

That definition just screams a certain profession to me. Do you know who I’m talking about? Doctors. I’ve never had an extreme problem with it, but let’s face it: Doctors are almost never on time. My dad gets extremely annoyed by that.

However, I don’t hold it against doctors. I mean, they have tons of patients and I’m sure they really want to build a relationship with each one, but it’s kind of hard to fit that plus an examination into a mere 15 minutes. J

This post isn’t really about doctors though. So lets move on… to us. Are you punctual? Do you respect other people’s time and commitments? I’m an it’s-better-to-be-way-too-early-than-to-be-way-too-late kind of person, so I don’t really struggle with this a whole lot. The thing I do appreciate punctuality with, though, is e-mails. Don’t ask me why, but I’m e-mail obsessed. I get different kinds of e-mails all throughout the day and I obsessively check them. That’s why I say that if you e-mail me you will get a reply very shortly! If you don’t specify a time I don’t mind, but when someone says they will get back to me soon, I’m so antsy! It bugs me if they take an entire week to respond back.

So we’ve hit doctors, ourselves/others, so what’s left? Oh right, GOD! How do you budget your time with God? When you commit to do something, like say, read the Bible at least 15 minutes a day, are you punctual with it? Or, like me, tardy? I really need to work on that. Above anything else, you should value your time with God the most. In the last few days I’ve really gotten more into my Bible reading and I’m really happy. I’m the kind of person who throws myself wholeheartedly into everything I do.

(Think J.O.Y: Jesus first, Others Second, Yourself last!)

The truth is, I really love punctuality and it’s an easy way to please me. (Or more like it’s an easy way for me to please myself.) J Let’s face it: If you are able to pull it off, everyone enjoys being punctual.

Blessings!

Godly Character Quality #12: Enthusiasm!

12… out of 49.

I’m pretty sure that if I actually kept up with this series and posted 3 character qualities a week, we would be half way through. Obviously, that didn’t happen, but I’m going to change! Unless I have this burning desire to post something else, then I’m going to start doing Character Qualities every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Remind me!

So I felt like this series was really lacking. The posts are so irregular that no one (including me) is really able to get… what’s the word? Oh, enthusiastic. So without further adieu, Godly character quality 12 is… Enthusiasm vs. Apathy: Expressing with my spirit the joy of my soul. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 19.

God loves us. He chose to let us live in this great world, and for that I am so grateful! Whenever I’m having a bad day, and I’m just totally stressed out and ready to give up, I ask God to renew my spirit. I think of all the wonderful blessings I’ve been given in life, take a deep breath, and try to express the joy that is always in my heart. Previously, I have let my joy just sit idle inside of me, but I’m done with that.

In my nightly prayers, I always ask God to present me with a way to help others. I understand the importance of showing compassion to my peers. I know I don’t do it enough. I want people to be able to learn from me and look to me as a role model. I want it to show in my countenance that I am radiantly happy to be where I am.

I’m going to focus on showing my love for the Lord more prominently. Because I do love Him. I will strive to always be of a joyful spirit. Otherwise, people might look at me, assume that I am unhappy and unfulfilled in my life, and worst of all, that I don’t truly love God.

I’m so deeply joyful to be a child of God. Are you?

Blessings!


P.S: Right in the middle of this post, I took a break to go blog surfing. Kind of random, but I'm SO glad I did. I stumbled upon the most perfect post ever. It seriously melted my heart. It sums up all I am trying to convey with this post in an easy, beautiful way. Please read this lovely post from Sweet Blessings about a woman who is so totally fulfilled in her life and proud of it, too!  I hope you are as inspired as I was.

Godly Character Quality #11: Orderliness!

I recently decided that my weekend project would be to remodel this blog. I knew the current design would be temporary for me. Now, I'm on to bigger and better things!!! The remodel should be completely finished by Sunday night, so check back then to see what I've done with the place.

Anyway, with a remodel comes some disorganization. For this reason, I decided to make character quality #11... Orderliness vs. Disorganization: Preparing myself and my surroundings so that I will achieve the greatest efficiency. - 1 Corinthians 14:40

It's a pretty simple concept. I know that I need to establish more order not just here, but in my life too. I know I am not as efficient as I could be. Although I try to stay organized, sometimes that just isn't reality.

However, I don't worry about it because I know everything always works out in the end. When I feel overwhelmed with all I have to do, and I just want to scream my head off (sometimes I do) because I can't get anything done, I just take a deep breath and tell myself it's going to be okay. I can be a neat freak when I want to be.

I have a friend, Julie, who, bless her heart, just cannot get organized. I mean, she has papers everywhere, she has binders with random things sticking out every which way, she's pretty much a mess. That's to me. Julie, though she would love to get more organized (and recently asked for my help, actually) is totally content the way she is. She gives it her all, and that's all she can give. She is not trying to please anyone else. That's the thing I love about her.

God made us and we are perfect the way we are. He doesn't care if we aren't always the most organized and on top of things, so why should we?
Being orderly can be tough, but just remember: if it feels organized enough for you, then it's perfect. Who cares if other people are way more organized than thou? Not me!

In honor of my remodel, I have decided to try and be a little more orderly. To start, I will list out my checklist in an organized manner:

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

God Bless,