To Not Always Chide

 



I was feeling frustrated that some chores and responsibilities had been overlooked/ignored/disregarded.  It's something that can pull me from 0 to 60 very quickly.  It's not my favorite thing about me, but I also don't think wanting my people to be responsible is all bad either.  


Too often I take it personally and feel like cavalier attitudes toward dishes, cleaning up, or following through with commitments are cavalier attitudes toward me. 


Strangely enough nagging doesn't work.  😂 I've tried.  Natural consequences work sometimes, but often since they genuinely don't sense or care about the physical presence of the house or feel the responsibility of following through on their word to the same level as I do, I'm the one who actually feels it.


Today as I was sitting in frustration pondering a better approach, I turned to the scriptures and prayer and I read this passage. 


Psalm 103:8-9 


The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.


I need to be slower to anger.  I know I won't be perfect but I can work on being slower.  I need to be more plenteous in my mercy.  I can still uphold justice along with lots of mercy.  God does it for me all the time. 


And I need to not always chide.  Which means what? To scold, nag or rail.  😬


I actually like that it says not always.  I don't have to be perfect.  There may even be occasional times a scolding is necessary.  But not all the time and it shouldn't be my go to response.   And when the anger does boil up I need to not hold onto it.


And now to put it into practice....




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Never Fall Away

Image
  In Alma chapter 23, the sons of Mosiah preached to the Lamanites. The law was declared that the word of God could not be obstructed. Note that the law did NOT say that everyone had to embrace and follow it, but their synagogues and temples and homes should be open to them. And then in verse six, something stuck out to me. Something that applies to our day. “They were converted unto the Lord and never did fall away.” NEVER DID FALL AWAY?? That sounds  like an important need in our day.   My immediate question was HOW?  So I read more closely. Verse 7: “For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.”  They became a righteous people. They did lay down the weapons of their rebellion. They did not fight against God. They did not fight against their brethren. So what does that mean for us?  BECOME a righteous people.  Be willi
Read more

Trust

Image
  As I was riding a bike down the former train route along the Idaho-Montana border, I had hours to quietly reflect and appreciate the lush mountain landscape extending around me as far as I could see.   I was in a prayerful state, open to the promptings of the Spirit.   At one point I came to the edge of a meadow and needed to sit and rest for a bit.   There I found a lovely rustic bench made from a tree right there in the forest.  And it occurred to me how often the things we need are right there in our lives around us. The people, the resources, our talents and gifts. Psalm 34:8 lovingly promises “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him”. He will provide.   And as we learn to recognize that help, we will become more grateful and happy. 
Read more

Seeing

Image
  Even after a full semester, the young 7th grader, who I will call Anna, didn’t seem to have any friends. She said didn’t mind and felt anxious around people.   I rotated her through groups and she would participate as directed but rarely smiled, although she didn’t seem particularly sad or distraught either.   More of an acceptance that this was her life. She didn’t ever talk back or ask questions but she also didn’t complete assignments quite right.  Her other teachers also said that she didn’t follow directions well.   I was patient.  Building trust.  With her and within our classroom.  This had to be a safe place to share the hard parts. And two months ago she finally told me.  She couldn’t see the board.   As in she couldn’t read it without getting within 6 inches of the board! I immediately emailed our school nurse who gave her a screening.  When I asked Anna she said that the test was fine. But the troubles persisted and finally I reached out to her mom and expla
Read more