Being strong and mature

God's aim for us as Christians is that we be unified, that we operate in the Kingdom of God now not just waiting for eternity in Heaven, and that we spread the gospel using all means ....sometimes using words (ha!)
Well this is some hat trick if we haven't let the word of God change us and mature us. Every slight or supposed slight becomes a looming threat if we operate in our own strength. The hardest slights are from family and those closest from us and those are the very ones that need the most grace. Those in the body of Christ end up being targets for criticism. We bulk up and posture to look good and we have high expectations of one another for our favorite characteristics and forms of integrity. We sometimes ignore out own flaws when we are concentrated on whatever we perceive to be another's lack. That scripture about ignoring the beam in our own eye while we tell our brother (sister) to remove the splinter...well I find this true for me and for those around me as well. We lick our wounds until they are raw.

I find that blogging my thoughts on a subject is an effective way for me to bring my random thoughts into order and see what is wrong with the deal. Often what is wrong is my own attitude. I recently blogged about the house growing smaller with 3 adults living in 3 rooms with a large dog and a lot of stuff. This is indeed a subject on my mind daily when I am there and sometimes when I am away as I know that is where I live. My blog set the situation up for viewing...not so much by my beloved fans (all 3) but for myself. As I write I see things about me and the putting it up there to see helps me make sense of my feelings as I organize and ponder the situations that come up. I do not apologise for using this blog system for my own growth. Instead I applaud my right to continue to be a self-reflecting person. I am intensely busy and often side-tracked with needs of others or pressing things to accomplish to keep the ship afloat so to speak. I take extra days to help others or earn a dollar or to just spent the money effectively so as to continue life, liberty and happiness for the ones I am responsible for at present. It is a weight but with God's help and this blog I may make it through without any major breakdowns or gliches. Those of you out in blogland please do not take my ponderings personally or decide major moves by what I write. Give me grace and allow the humor of the human comedy to filter through and bring you a chuckle now and again. Our dilemmas are similar. There is nothing new under the sun but oh my it can be an aha moment when you become aware of a lesson or a new level of maturity.