It's a new year. The requisite resolutions have been made, the accidentally writing last year's date on everything has commenced, and life goes on just like it did way back in 2012 (you know, 2 days ago). And here lies my blog, untouched for months and months, waiting for some words to flow again.
As the new year approached, I determined that this year I wasn't going to make a resolution I couldn't (or wouldn't) keep, but would rather resolve to keep working at a way of life I've tried to strive for more in recent years: Love God, and love people. Sometimes (often!) that's easier said than done. Already in just a couple of days I've struggled to love people the way I should. And yet there are other people it would be easier to not love as much as I do. Either way, we are called to love. Love God, and love people. Simple, yet so complex. So one of my "resolutions" this year, if you will, is to reflect each day on a different example of love or kindness I was able to witness, or maybe demonstrate, or even an opportunity that I neglected to act on (sometimes those are the biggest lessons!). Because the only way to become more like Christ is to love like He did, and sometimes that means deliberately choosing love over hate or even worse, apathy.
So here is an opportunity for my blog to be more than just a place to collect pretty words. This is my accountability, my reflection journal, sometimes even an open prayer notebook. To the handful of people who take the time to read what I have to say, this blog can become my tool to reflect on this sort of resolution to love God and love people. Sometimes it might be a story, sometimes just a general life lesson, sometimes a quote or verse that spoke to me. But whatever it may be, I hope that once in a while one of those gems will speak to you, too.
Today's life lesson (in other words, how to love "better"): Be a listener. Don't spend time thinking of how you're going to respond, rather than really listening to the other person's words. Don't try to wrap up everyone's problems in a tidy bow and move on. Listen to the struggles. Listen not only to the words that are said, but also those left unsaid. And when you're really listening, you set aside any of your own "heart stuff" and make that other person the most important person in your universe at the time.
I had the opportunity today to visit with one of my oldest and dearest friends for just a little bit, and I'll admit, today was a day I talked a lot, and she listened a lot, and I'm so thankful for her open, hearing heart. I hope that tomorrow I can be that heart for someone else. ♥
John 13:34-35 (The Message) "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples- when they see the love you have for each other."
