Relationship and Forgiveness

It's been a while since I posted, it's not because I have been to busy, just too confused and maybe a little disillusioned.

We have been going through the 40 days of love program at our church, this involves a daily reading of "The Relationship Principles of Jesus" by Tom Holladay, along with a small group meeting every Thursday eve.

The book has caused me to do quite a bit of soul searching. I find that I am very selfish and self centered. I have a tendency to think way too much of my self and not enough of others. My time is way to precious and I would rather give somebody a dollar than an hour of my time. After all an hour in front of the TV is so emotionally uplifting and rejuvenating. I blame others for the problems of our church, the lack of close relationships, and personal interactions.

There is a saying that goes something like this "If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem." I want to be part of the solution, but I fear that I am just as much, (if not more) part of the problem as those that I blame.

I have put the blame on others for failures that have occurred in my life, I realize now that these are my failures, because I failed to accomplish the task that the Lord had provided me with.

In case you don't know I love dogs, they have such a unique quality about them. They love you just the way you are. You can leave the house to go across the lawn and get the mail and they will greet you when you come back like you have been gone for weeks. They don't care if you snore they don't care if your feet stink (actually I think they prefer that your feet did stink). You can scold them for something they did that wasn't pleasing to you, and they will hold no grudge against you. You know as I write this I am reminded of the scripture that we have been studying in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Why is it that I find it so difficult to express love as easily as does a dog? ===Skid===