Day 6: Love is not Irritable....

Dare: Choose today to react to tough circumstancs in your marragie in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list below of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to realease from your life.

Really? Love is not irratable? Seems to be my middle name. Ive been know to get irritated about eevrything. If you don't do this way, or plan this way, or do this or do that...I'm irritated. Mostly with Cory only and not other people in my past. I jsut seem to be the hardest on him.

Proverbs 16:32 states "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, andhe whol rules his spirit, than he who captures a city."

God has a way of jsut saying like it is, huh. He who is slow to anger is mighty. Why do I get upset about the smallest stupidest things. For example, I'm a creature of habit. I don't mind change at all, especially if I see some good in it, but I do like to keep some things the same. I get this from my mom. For example, we have to our house insurance because they drop our wind policy. Not big deal, I get that. But now we are looking into changing my car insurance. I don't like it. Although this time, when cory talked to me about he was very patient and said we had to make a decision. All I said was, i prefer to stay with mine because he has been there for me for so much. He sai, OK...that's fine. It is only a little more per month. So, that was that...no getting defensive, no argueing, nothing. It worked! We are both smart grown adults. Making decisions shouldn't be based on self motives!

Ok...that was tangent... Here is what the book says. Real love is hard to offend and quick to forgive. There have been times in the last few years where Cory never had a chance. And even recently...I was just waiting for a moment to prove to him that we would never make it. I looked for opportunities to frustrate him and overreact to silly stuff, just to make it hard for me. I blamed him for so much...when it truth, look how easy it has been for me to get a reaction from him. Five days, and we are falling in love again. Yes, I'm scared...I'm scared my insecurities will sneak back in again...but this time, I'm focussed more on God, on Him helping us. It is amazing how this journey is affecting so many lives...not just ours!

This irritable thing does get me. I'm under pressure a lot with work, and not to mention how busy I keep my schedule. But I chose to make my schedule this way. There is no reason for me to cranky or be overly sensitive because I have so much to do! If I am under the influence of God and experience love, I will be a joy for him to be around. (and btw, he gave up going to a friends house tonight late, to just shoot the breeze....) So why do I get irritable? The book gives two key reasons:

1. STRESS: it weights you down, drains your energy by overworking, overplaying, and overspending. And it can be caused by deficiencies: Not getting enough exercise, nutrition, or rest. Again..LIFE IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. We can't go full steam ahead and grasp for air. Instead, the Bible has a different take. Colosians says to let Love guide your relationships. Phillipians says to pray through your anxieties. Exodus says to delegate when over-worked. And proverbs says to avoid overindulgence. The big one hear for me that I have been working on is praying through my stress. I read a book that said why pray for God to help, and then continue to try and fix it on your own. Pray, knowing and trusting God will handle it, or you are hsowing lack of faith in the Heavenly Father.

2. SELFISHNESS: Man, do yo notice this book focusses a lot of being selfish. the true opposite of love. When you arr irritable, the primary problem is a problem of the heart. This is so true. How quick we are to get bothered by what someone else is doing, when the true issue lies with satisfaction of the heart. Some people are like lemons: when life squeezes, the pour our sour responses. Some are mroe like peaches: When just a tiny bit or a lot of pressure is on, the result is always sweet. May I be more like a peach in marraige, my walk with Christ, and my other relationships.
In being selfish, the book lists that there are hidden area of indicators where love is supposed to be. Selfishness can wear many masks:
a) lust - being ungrateful for what you have and choosing to covert or burng with passion for something forbidden. My new moto, if you have to hide something, then it is WRONG! (thanks friend - you know who you are)
b) bitterness - unresolved anger leaking out; I have had a lot of that these last few years; this can drain you- cause you to sleep more, depression, etc.
c) greed - for more money, possessions will frustrate you - I'm not so greedy.
d) pride - acting harshly to rpotect your reputation - this blog has really helped me to not be prideful. Even though there are parts I am emlinated to protect myself and others, this blog has allowed me to open up and let people know my weaknesses, and as a result, others have the same problem. Again, God knows who you need in your life!

Strategy today: BE HAPPY with who I have! Cory is a wonderful man who has stood by when I didn't deserve it. He still loves me, and I him. So, be happy, be content, encourage him, etc. And our marraige will get the response God intends!

Love yall...it is 2:30 and couldn't wait to do this! Better get some sleep! It is Sunday,and I am ready to WORSHIP!