sacrifice + patience::

in our week 5 study, we examine ourselves in the light of Jesus' example. we assess His attitudes and actions. and then, we examine our own. oh, how inferior we are to our Savior. however, i am not discouraged by such assessment-- but instead-- i am motivated. challenged.

there is a question posed in our study's companion guide that asks:

"Did you pour out your energy in sacrificial service to those who crossed your path?"

i LOVE this question, and not because i always attain the answer of "yes", but because i have made it my goal to be a continual servant. i ask myself this question regularly-- and make daily attempts to set aside my judgements, selfishness and laziness, for the good of someone else.

the other night, over mugs of warm tea, my friends and i were discussing the way we wanted to raise our children someday. i contemplated, and voiced that my goal would be to raise them as givers. servants. always aware of the needs of others. always thankful for the things they have. always pouring outward. in sacrificial service. be it to the homeless at a soup kitchen. to the earth in our garden. to the kid who sits alone at the lunch table. or to their brother or sister. i want the theme of my house to be

"there is always someone less unfortunate. be thankful."

with those thoughts in the forefront-- servanthood is the natural next step.

further into our study- in week 6- we read of patience. the most difficult attribute for myself. i like things NOW. better yet, yesterday. and i am continually re-planting seeds of patience. seeds of faith and trust.

i loved reading this passage from leonardo da vinci:

" patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. for if you put on more clothes, as the cold increases it will have no power to hurt you. so in like manner you must grow patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind."

while rarely easy-- make it your goal this week to plant patience. to practice patience. and see how far you can go.