1 week down

Life recently has been well, I don't really know how to describe it. Confusing? Exciting? Busy? I guess all of those are words that have described this past week. As I sit here and watch CNN this morning about Mr. Gustav, I can only think about what I read last night and ended up re-reading this morning. Last night I read 1 Peter and something I noticed throughout this book was how it talks about loving EVERYONE. He says in 1 Peter 2:17 to "Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." No only to the brotherhood of believers though, because in 4:8 it says: "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

I think loving others even if they are not in the "brotherhood of believers" comes from what else this book is talking about, which is self-control. In 1:13 it says, "therefore prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." At the end it is reiterated pretty strongly in saying, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

I think without any of this and being reminded of this we can fall in such a trap. And I think that's where I was for so long. I was not self-controlled and standing firm in my faith. I was not loving others deeply like I should. Maybe that's why I am ok with being friendly to people that have hurt me. I just want to fall more in love with people this year and more in love with our amazing Father that has so much mercy and grace towards us, even when I don't feel I deserve it.

I miss you all and hope that being back in real life at school, etc. is going well for you! Keelie and Kristin best of luck this week as you go into the real world. Erin, I hope your second week goes well...not many more left for you! Shayla, freakin write something and update us on your life. As for the others that have come across this, I miss you all too and hope you are having fun on your adventures! :)