One of the best things about teaching children is that it always seems that the lessons apply just as much to me as they do to the kids.  For the month of February, we are following the theme; "Got Love?".  Last week we covered that we all have God's Love, because He first loved us.  And this week, we take that foundation, and apply it to our families.  Since we have God's Love, we can love our families.

Seems simple enough.  But, loving our families isn't always an easy thing to do. I mean, I love my family, but there are days I don't like my family.   Why is it that our own families are the ones that seem to get on our nerves the most.  Why do we often have less patience with them than we do total strangers?

Now, I'm all for Random Acts of Kindness.  I joined, and then actively solicited members for the "365 Club" that challenges it's members to do one random act of kindness a day.  I think that is an awesome concept.  And I have been doing my best to watch for opportunities to be kind to the people I pass along my path each day.  (aka: scenery.  This was a great sermon that Pastor Ross preached a couple of years ago.  Crossroads #3.  If you haven't heard it, get it.  If you did, remember it.  "Every person in your path today is someone that Jesus died for".)

back on track:

I am trying to be kind to strangers.  But I have come to the conclusion that, some days,  it is so much easier to be kind to a random stranger than to my family members.  Maybe it's because we are with them so much, that they have more opportunities to upset us.  Maybe it's because we expect so much more from them because they are suppose to love us most!  Maybe it's because, especially moms, have spent many hours teaching and nurturing our children and when they fail to do the things we have tried to instill, it feels like we either failed as a parent, or worse, that our children (or husbands) know what we want, and they just don't care enough to do it.  Whether it's picking up clothes, closing closet doors, leaving dirty dishes on the counter, or watching TV while we talk, it makes us mad!  And we have a very short fuse for these infractions!

I'm just saying, if we were all as courteous and agreeable with our families as we are with the people at church on Sundays, things might be different at home.

The kids verse for this Sunday is:

"How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters and moms and dads) live in harmony."  Psalm 133:1

Got Love?