Happy Mom Monday........Gentleness

Happy New Year and Happy Mom Monday. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and experienced some joy, special family togetherness, opportunities to give & bless others as well as some receiving as well, and some intimacy with the One whose birthday was celebrated. I also hope you had some time to reflect on the year 2010 and paid close attention to God's hand in your life........to how he provided for you materially, how he may have used others to comfort you, words he spoke to your spirit that challenged, encouraged, disciplined you, and taught you; how he may have given you the most precious opportunity to be "useful to the Master" in another's life, how he has directed your life through opened & closed doors and gentle or loud whispers/passions. As we enter this new year may I remind us that life, according to Scripture, is about knowing God, finding him, seeking him with all of our heart, and falling in love with Him and all his incredible goodness.  Everything comes from him. Your soul will be richer and fuller if you take the time to REFLECT, REMEMBER, & search your year for the hand of God in your life.        I had an encounter with my daughter, Reese, over this break that I hope I never forget.  One night I was tucking her in bed, feeling extremely tired myself and losing patience with her and her lack of tiredness (or at least fighting her tiredness).  I began speaking quite harshly with her. That is, until she said to me in the kindest, most gentle and sincere voice, with a tear in her eye and an apparently hurt heart,   "Mommy, you are being harsh. Will you please speak gently to me?"   Her question put me back in my place. As a mom, I know I need to grow in disciplining quicker & harder  while keeping a gentleness in my spirit as I relate to my kids. Their spirits are so tender and fragile  and so hungry for love.  Gentleness is powerful. Gentleness does not mean being weak, passive, and not firm. It does mean being careful with the souls we are dealing with.  May we grow in wisdom and self-control  so more love and gentleness can be displayed through our lives to the glory of God. Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link   A few verses dealing with "GENTLENESS"   Prov. 15:1 Matthew 11:29 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Galatians 5:23 Phillipians 4:5 Colossians 3:12 1 Peter 3:15     "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26