The mystery of turning anger into love

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...

Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them."

(Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:29, 32)

it's been awhile since i've blogged.

it's really a victory, in a way, because as i said in my last post, my main goal for this year is to be rooted and grounded in my husband and in supporting him. 

so that's exactly what i've been busy doing. 

(ok, so i've also taken on an additional 10 teenage girls to try and keep up with.

i know, as well as anybody who knows me, that i will never run short of things to keep me busy.)

that's not the point.

the point is, amidst my absence from this blog much growth has continued to take place.

much to my chagrin as growth always means "the hard stuff".

BLECH.

sometimes it's REALLY REALLY hard to remain that strong tower amidst the hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis. sometimes all i want is to be vindicated, relieved, freed. what is righteous anger anyways??

THE TRUTH IS, THE RIGHTEOUS RESPONSE IS TO LOVE.

and right now, that is the hard choice that i don't know i can make.

aren't i bridging enough gaps, Lord?

it's not like i'm choosing the easy route in any way.

really?

there's one more thing You must ask of me?

great.

"And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

love your enemies.

i can assuredly say i have never quite felt the reality of that command until now...

believe me, everything in me wants to run.

"Tho much is taken, much abides; and tho

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

...

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

TO STRIVE, TO SEEK, TO FIND AND NOT TO YIELD"