Friday Reflection

2/22/2013

If I had to pick a theme for this week it would be based on Philippians 1:9-11 from yesterday and Colossians 4:5-6, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom towards outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (NASB)

I like to think it a sign that my love is abounding more and more that I am becoming more concerned about how I interact with the rest of the world, and how my interactions reflect on God. With the political climate in this country there has come a lot of ugly talk, from those on both sides. Neither likes to admit it about themselves, but is quick to point it out in others. I see the same thing happening in the church in this country.
My son reminded me of something that happened to him while he was studying abroad in Australia. A person on the street offered him a Bible. He refused it with a "no thank you," as he has all the Bibles he needs and thought it better to give it to someone who needed one. Immediately he was loudly barraged with how he is going to hell and needs to confess his sin and... well it left him with a bitter taste in his mouth for Christians. This from a young man who has an amazing heart for the Lord. Imagine how a non-believer would feel.
I experienced a similar thing this week, and how the tone changed once they realized they were speaking to another Christian. Why was it okay to be ugly when they did not know who I was? Is this really how we treat the outside world? Those verses in Colossians are spinning in my head and heart. In the midst of this I came across two wonderful posts from some fellow bloggers that are challenging me in the area of how I relate, not just to those who differ politically, but also those within the church with whom I may disagree.

Learning to Love your Haters- Courtney over on Good Morning Girls, where I first learned about the SOAP method of Bible study by-the-way, has written a very good post.

For You It's Sin, For Me It's Service -Tim Challis provided me with another good challenge. How easy it is to see the speck in someone else's eye and neglect the ugly plank in my own. Great piece of satire here that gets us to take a serious look inside.

Things I love...

And now to share some things I have loved about this week.

Matthew and Dr. Miller arrive in Nicaragua to take part in dedicating a new telescope. Always good to hear your son has arrived at his destinations safely and is having a great time. Judging from his Facebook posts to me I think the boy is enjoying his VIP treatment.

Free quilt pattern from Pam Bono. I am not sure if the link on the left for the pattern will work if you are not an American Quilters Society member.

New fabric arrivals in my studio make me happy.
The Rainbow Batiks on top will eventually end up in a Lone Star quilt- my challenge goal for myself this year is to learn to make one.

The Blues were a gift to myself .
I just could not pass up the coupon
from one of my favorite quilt shops in Texas
for $10 off a $25 purchase on Valentines day.