the misseldines

I've had this post bubbling in my head for the past year or so, steaming and cooking and sometimes boiling over, but every time I have tried to write it down, the words have all been wrong. Maybe this recipe is still not quite right, but today I feel like trying again.

I read everyone's blogs out there, and I get the feeling that everyone wants to be heard. So and so is searching for themselves, and doesn't want to be treated badly by Mrs. Meanie Head. Everyone is tired of drama and then, everyone wants peace.

But you know what I think, I think that what we all are searching for is much more simple than we could ever have believed.

I think this world has forgotten how to be centered in Christ. I think we have forgotten how to put others first. Yeah, everyone says you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others, and to an extent that is true, but I think it has become an excuse. It's all too easy to say you are too busy to call a friend or family member you haven't talked to in a while, or to stop by and visit someone you heard was struggling. Maybe it's gotten too easy to put the blame on the other person: "well they were supposed to call me". I think we have become selfish, and motivated by what others can do for us. I think it has become an easy trap to fall into judging an uncomfortable situation and not taking responsibility.

What happened to caring about others? When did our society become the society of what can you do for me? When did we forget that we are not perfect? When did we forget to be grateful? How about this one: When did we forget that we are all important? We are all God's children.

A few people are probably reading this right now and thinking that it's funny I should be saying all these things because I am like the last person who should be saying anything. To you reader who is thinking this, I say this is exactly my point! Maybe it's that we have become too involved with social media; too involved with spouting opinions. I think we have become a nation too entirely caught up in caring about how other people are living their lives, while completely ignoring our own.

And, well, if you are ignoring your own life, then you are probably ignoring relationships, and probably spending a lot of time feeling empty when faced with real life when off of social media.

I'm not sure what the answer to all of this, because maybe it's different for everyone.

I guess I'd say that being kind and loving is more important than anything else in life. Turning the other cheek is not always fun, but it's a Christ-like thing to do. Some time ago, I was praying for comfort after providing service for someone. I was really hurt and sad, feeling like I had been wronged, but then this scripture came to me from Matthew 25:40 (thank you scripture mastery) ...  Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Guys, we need to stop. It's time to rearrange priorities and put people first again. I realize this post is all very poorly written and the thoughts are all over the place, but maybe this pot of goulash is just that; a big mish-mashy pot of a million thoughts all coming together forming a haphazard stew with one message. We need to become re-centered in Christ.

Life is not about what we can get, but what we can give. Serve more, love more, judge less, be more grateful, be kind.

That's all I've got. The soup is served.