Where's the grace?

Where's the Grace?

I'm warning those that tend to get really emotional when it comes to political things.....I'm passionate about how I feel and ask that as you read this you would try to think deeply and reflect before commenting out of anger/frustration.

I feel like its really important that I start off by saying that I tend to lean more conservative on issues, but still try the best I can to pray and think deeply about things before I make decisions.  My husband tends to lean on the more liberal side, but I respect him so much in how he talks with me about things.  He hasn't really changed my mind on a lot, but I have learned to respect the other side and to gain knowledge instead of reacting emotionally to things.

I am writing this because lately I have been super sad watching the news...especially interviews regarding past cabinet and presidential heroes in my opinion.  Yes I said Hero.  How many of you have experience running a country?  How many of you have had to make decisions that affect millions and millions of people?  I'm guessing that the answer is no for most of us.  I use the word Hero because I look up to people who work hard to defend my liberty and freedom.  I don't idolize them though because we as a human race are fallen and make mistakes.  We need a God and savior and through Jesus we have that.

With that being said I write you to urge you to think about our own mistakes and all the ways we mess up daily.  Think about making these mistakes and having everyone being able to know those mistakes and feel like they have the authority to say whatever they want to about you.  Does anyone remember 9/11 anymore?  Does anyone remember how our president and his cabinet were there to calm us and keep us safe?  I don't say this trying to convince you to love our past president, but I am saying that you can disagree with him, but still respect his position.

Our news and social media love to nitpick people's mistakes.  You wanna know why?  Their ratings go up.  We love to watch and judge others mistakes.  I am preaching to myself on this one too.  I can't say that I don't hear about people like Tiger Woods and make my own judgments.  In no way does this mean I agree with what Tiger did, but I also feel like I wish I had more grace in knowing he made a big mistake and now has to be in the spot light as he deals with the consequences.  What makes me think that I couldn't make a big mistake like that?  Am I that proud and arrogant?  It is only by God's grace that he works in me to love my husband.  I need him to protect my heart and guide my path towards righteous living.

There was a question asked to Donald Rumsfeld tonight about if he had known what we know now, would he have gone into Iraq?  This really made me think because in my opinion you can't answer that question.  We make mistakes and are supposed to learn from them for the future!  You can't go back in time and ask yourself if with the same circumstances you would do the same thing.....the same circumstances won't ever happen again.  Lots of things change and we grow as individuals.  That point in time is gone and our environment (the people, technology,  places) is constantly changing.   We gain knowledge from our mistakes so we can use them to be wise about the future.  We went into Iraq and did what we did.  We found no weapons of mass destruction.  The central intelligence was wrong.  Does this mean that we won't ever make a mistake regarding entering into countries in the future?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Things will be different.  We will always have hard decisions to make and people will always be on different sides.  Can we learn to respect one another though and recognize that we will all make mistakes including people like our presidents, pastors and people in authority.  Lets be gracious in understanding and trusting that those people are in those positions because God has willed them to be there.  Let's learn to be slow to speak and judge and quick to pray and listen.  

I'm conservative, but I respect my president.  I desire him to make decisions wisely and sometimes disagree with him.  This doesn't mean that I need to write a blog post about all the ways I feel like he is doing a bad job.  He is there and doing his job to keep me safe.  God is doing way more though and I trust he is in control of big decisions like war, riots and unjust governments.

I guess I hope this post makes you think a little.  I love that we live in a country that gives us the freedom to have opinions, but lets learn to be gracious.  Grace and forgiveness really express love for others.  Lets love one another more.

The video below is one of my favorite songs.  Its written about her husband and I feel like it captures what true love means and true grace in relationships.  Hope you like it!!!!!

*Blessings*

Tiny living

Lately I have been feeling so crammed in our little apartment.  I'm at home a good amount (mostly because I'm a homebody and our one car that we share) and I have been getting really annoyed with not having a lot of space.  Our one bedroom 700 square feet humble abode is starting to get on my nerves!

I want to feel content with where we are right now, but I can't help but feel like it would be nice to have some more space.  It can be a little frustrating at times.  Also, I have dreams about washer and dryers....no joke.  I can't tell you how much I would like our own.....we pay so much to get clean towels.  The worst part is I try to go as long as possible without washing and being the clean freak I am makes me a bit anxious. 

Life is definitely getting harder...part of getting older I suppose.  As we think about more space and having a family, we get flustered with how to afford somthing nice and reasonable.  David currently works at an insurance company, but really hopes to find a teaching job.  This is hard though because our finances will get even tighter since his salary will go down......definitely a sacrifice, but a worthy one.  He just loves teaching and misses it, but I will admit its hard for me to think about things getting tighter!

I'm the first to admit that money brings me intense worry and anxiety.  I've always been like that, but I'm learning how to trust the Lord with this.  It makes me sad how little I make God most of the time.  He laughs at my worries since he will provide what we need.  Most of the time I want what we don't need.  I just love to compare our situation to others....which only makes my heart more frusterated.  Do I fight against comparing....more often than not I don't.  I want a house, and kids, a sweet kitchen, washer/drying....the list continues.  I need to give these things to the Lord and recognize my joy and satisfaction comes from trusting in him and what he has done for me.  Truth really does set you free....free from anxiety, anger, discontentment and comparing.  This is hard and requires a repentent heart....which without the spirit is so difficult.

Its a battle for me to trust the Lord for things.  I really like to rely on myself and others for my joy.  So as we think and pray about what our future has for us, I want to choose to be thankful for a warm home and food to eat.  We are so much more blessed than I will ever realize.

In other news, its my grandmothers 95th birthday today!  Talk about good genes :)  She is in North Dakota in a nursing home and my dad is visiting her this week.  She recently broke her hip and had surgery to replace it.  Since then they moved her to the nursing home.  I hate being so far away from her and miss her dearly.  She is petite and has one of the best personalities I know!  I have so many great memories of spending time with her and the radical things she says.  Not to mention the amazing home videos of Helen saying and doing crazy things.  I feel like most of my personality has come from her in that she is introverted, worries about everything, and frets about how things are organized.  More than anything I love that I look like her and look forward to having white hair when I'm her age.  I love Grandma Helen :)

Here are two of my favorite commercials.  The first is a commercial that was on awhile ago and makes me think about our situation right now.  The other is great because its the reason I hate cell phones so much.....I really wish I didn't have to have one. 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

ps.  Golf and Ice Skating are on right now.....we're watching ice skating :)  HA!

David reminded me of this commercial and how much we loved it!  So I thought I would share!  Enjoy!