Practice Kindness.

For some reason, I feel like I need to carefully choose my words today. Articulation is under-rated, but I want to make sure I am clear. Lately, I have been thinking about excusing our behavior. I cannot tell you how many people say, "I've always been this way," or, "I'm never going to change," and that is all they have to say about a bad habit or misunderstood ideal that they know is off. Seriously?

Just because you or I have a natural inclination to something does not mean that you have to be that way; it actually doesn't even mean that it is easier to be that way, because you can constantly be hating yourself for the way you are. I'm not even sure what triggered this in my mind, but I just can't believe what people excuse in their own day to day. Ignorance, racism, rudeness, crudeness, violence, anger, and a million other tendencies and attitude problems. I do not understand the lack of desire to fight these inclinations. If you hate something about yourself, why leave it that way?

As I type this, I realize I am being insensitive to some, but to most it is a call to stop complaining about how you wish you were nicer or more generous, and just be those things. I know the way you are brought up changes things, but it does not have to control you. I know I sound like a broken record, but is it such a high calling to treat others with the respect they deserve? (especially those who openly claim faith). Go out of your way for someone who you are not that close with and expect nothing for it. Stop acting like you deserve the world for driving a few extra minutes. Stop wanting someone to re-pay you. Generosity extends beyond tithe... it is a way of life. Have an open door policy.

I guess I will stop writing about these items when I no longer see them as a problem with anyone in my life. I know I have work to do as well, and I charge myself to be less selfish with my time constantly. The rest of this week holds fluffier posts about happy things, but the only way I can write about those is by carrying around a clear conscience. I hope you feel as though you treat others fairly and with respect and love always, and if you do not feel like you are doing an adequate job, I hope you stop shrugging it off and start changing your hearts tune.

Comments

In the Nursery: Whole Hearted Parenting Manifesto

I recently finished a book by Brene Brown titled, DaringGreatly . It really moved me, and I am definitely still processing it. At the beginning of the book I wasn’t resonating deeply with the topic of vulnerability, as most people will tell you I am an “open book”. I will answer most questions without holding back and love to deep dive into good conversation. However, what I came to realize through her many examples is that we all wrestle with vulnerability, guilt and shame throughout this book even if is more momentary than constant. I gleaned SO MUCH from this book that I did not anticipate, and I thought I would share this Parenting Manifesto that she put right at the end of the book. I am printing it and framing it for our nursery, as I think it communicates some deep parts of my heart cry for parenting my kiddos well. I hope this resonates with someone else as much as it did with me. I needed these words to remind me that parenting is not a checklist,

A Penny For Your Thoughts - Looking Back & Missing Italy

I took this my first day in Italy, and will always remember my town just like this... I realized something about my writing the other day, and that is that I am much more present in my writing than I am in my brain. I am constantly thinking back, but I never write about my past. Sure, I write a story here or there reminiscing on my African travel, but rarely do you hear about my life pre-California unless it is in reference to my family. Lately, I have found myself pining for Italy. Did you know I lived there? Probably not, because I rarely mention it! I knew I was going to love it there, but it has stuck with me since the moment I left. I have wanted to go back every minute of every day since then. The simplicity of life, the emphasis on slowing down, the architecture, the food, the flowers, the people, the color, the trains, the bikes, the gelato, the smiles and laughter, the wine, and the cities are only scratching the surface of things I love from the bea

At the Library - May through September 2019 Reading

We had another baby in May (SO much more on that later) and blogging has obviously taken a back seat, but I am still reading for pleasure and have managed, in my sons first four months of life, to complete these 8 books! Y'all, I remember a time when even completing 2 books a year would have sincerely sounded daunting, much less with a newborn. If you want to read more, you can find the time! Take stock of your days and see where you are wasting hours. For some of these, I listened to the audio book while I was pumping or watering the garden. Rather than give you an individual breakdown of each of these books, I just want to report I found them all incredibly enjoyable. A total cross section of a food memoir to a psychology deep dive to nature centric novels, I would recommend them all in different capacities. We have fallen a bit behind on our Bible reading, but we WILL finish by the end of the year. You do not make it to September

Mrs. Rogers Neighborhood

Search This Blog