Love keeps no record of wrongs for me

Earlier this week, I thought to myself: it’s a good thing Love keeps no record of wrong because if Love kept a record of wrongs, some people would be really screwed," for lack of a better word.

As I thought about this aspect of love, certain instances and certain people I have observed came to mind.  I would easily place these people in the "fickle" category.  Apparently, whenever they are ready to return to the status quo, they will, regardless of whatever may have transpired during the last encounter. 

I wondered what could possibly be going on in their mind for them to think everything is just okay, whenever they like, without so much as a clarification, explanation, caramel apple, something.  Did they single-handedly delete that part of history? Or independently resolve any qualms the night before, while I was sleeping, no less.  I guess so.  My only justification was that: this particular section of the oft-quoted and inscribed "Love is" scripture reference must be one of their favorite passages, because they are surely taking advantage of it!

How pious of me! As if I have done not anything worthy of being recorded as wrong. As if I am not guilty of the same offense and even worse. As if.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Matthew 7:3

Daily I do things, to others and God, that would leave me speechless and without sensible explanation at the judgment seat.  For example, anytime I doubt the Lord’s leadership and miraculous power, it’s sin because anything done without faith is sin. See Romans 14:23.  Additionally, if all my thoughts were transcribed, well, God please have mercy.

By God’s grace, these wrongs, that would otherwise be recorded if not for love, will decrease.  Meanwhile, I need to change my perspective in my everyday analysis of what or who is really wrong.  When considering what someone else does "wrong," I must weigh my faults greater.  There’s always a plank in my eye and a speck in the other person’s eye, all the time, every time.

The "love keeps no record of wrongs" isn’t for “them,” it’s for me.

So about that list….

Yesterday, I had a meeting with my Pastor. As a young woman meeting with my Pastor, people automatically assumed I was telling him my prince has found me. *screams* :-)

After the nth time of being asked subtly and overtly, I played along and acquiesced with a smile.  If everyone keeps asking, they must know something that I am yet to know, might as well claim it. *shrug*

While waiting for my meeting, another Pastor on the leadership team, asked me “well what kind of things are you looking for in your mate?”

Of course I have this written down, so I busted out my laptop and opened “the list” for her.

I haven’t revisited the list in a while.  I mentally revisited the list over the summer when I learned the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle is what the King is looking for in His Son’s bride.  Likewise, I should also possess those characteristics and desire these characteristics in my "life partner" as my grandma commonly calls it, (almost every time she asks me, almost every time she sees me, and subsequently every time she prays for me……God bless the intercessory grandma's!)

Apart from that, I hadn’t really considered my list since the soul mate (woman’s perspective, man’s perspective, wrap-up) blog posts and the subsequent discussions that flowed from those posts about 6 months ago.

Going back to my particular list, which may or may not have been posted, the lists are anonymous ;-) she began to go over it with me.  I couldn’t help but to laugh, as we went down the list.

“Christina, does this person exist?.... He does not have to..... Is he a clown!.... What…! Why....? What does this even mean?” [insert chuckles here and there]

Granted, I'm not "married" to this list and wouldn't use it as the end all be all check list, as that would be unreasonable. However, listening to my list being verbally processed by another was humorous.

Some of my characteristics were taken from Godly matrimony's that I have witnessed and a combination of teachings.  Undoubtedly, many married couples with the admirable Godly relationships did not have their current relationships, pre-marriage (aka courting or dating) and possibly for some time post-nuptials (aka "the ceremony").  So one should not necessarily expect all the desired characteristics from the get-go.

I realized my previous list, was more so a list of desired characteristics in my husband, after years of growing together, learning and knowing each other.

My list now consists of 4 main things of equal importance:

1. Friend
2. Faithful
3. God-loving
4. Prayerful

BAM!

I have two more preferences but they are certainly not deal breakers.

Given that we do not have a soul mate, that is until we have chosen our life partner, we do have our Sovereign Lord.  He knows my whole story from beginning to eternity.

So until that part of my story comes along, I know He knows the desires of my heart.  I’ll pray that He would conform my desires, to His desires for me.

And rest assured His will, will be done.

Change is necessary

One of my high school track coaches wrote on my facebook status and said “I see you made a few changes to yourself.” {The comment's connection to my actual status is not readily apparent to me, just yet, but hey, he's old[er] and relatively new to facebook :-) }

My mental response: umm. GREAT! Praise God then.

One of the worst things we can tell someone is "Don’t Change . . ." {a common high school yearbook comment - at least it was back then}

"Change is necessary, growth is optional." -Julie W.

I'd like to believe I'm doing both and it's a process. I'm a work in progress.

Wouldn’t that be a shame if I was the same person I was when I graduated high school at 17? Thank God I’m not the same person today, that I was in 2003, or even yesterday for that matter. 

"I want to be able to look back every 2 years and not recognize who I used to be." #change #transformation -Kimberly S.

I hope tomorrow, I will not be the same person that I am today. Many more changes to come :-) Progress.

"I jokes, no stress, love, live life, proceed, progress." -Julie W.