S.O.A.P. Journaling - Matthew 22:37-40

Date: Oct. 29 and 30, 2012
Passage: Matthew 22:37-40

Scripture:
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Observation:
Jesus was so incredibly clever. Of course He was, it's just that sometimes my little completely-unclever mind is in total awe! When the religious hypocrites of His association thought they'd trip Him up with tricky questions, they quickly found they were in over their heads. When they asked Him what could be the most important command of all their 'holy' law (probably thinking all the laws were equal and that they could 'get' Him when He elevated a single one over the others) He simply answered, 'Love God - with everything you have.'
Who could argue with that?! Of course that one would be the most important! They probably felt really foolish.
But then Jesus takes the situation a step further, turning it from a 'Q & A session' into a sermon - one perfectly balancing love and rebuke.
'The second-most-important command is like the first: Love others the same way you love yourself.'
And He adds a final punch to these guys who felt like keeping all those laws was the most important thing in their lives: 'All the laws are based on these two commands.'
Basically, get these two down pat and you won't need to worry about the rest; all the others will just fall naturally into place.

Application:
Oh how I long to Love! How I want to love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind! My Lord first, above all else, other people even, of course. God help me love You More!
And others. Oh how I want to Love! To love all others the same way I love myself - that sounds at first very easy, but how hard it really is when taken literally! Naturally, like all other people, I subconsciously look out for 'me', first. Not necessarily on purpose, it just happens. When it gets close to lunch time, I start thinking about how hungry I am, automatically. When my stomach growls, I don't immediately think, "So-and-so needs something to eat." I think, "I'm hungry." When I don't feel good, I'm not thinking of extra chores I can do to lessen Trissy's load - my mind is automatically distracted by my headache or sore throat. To love others is a conscious decision - humans automatically look out for themselves first.
So how would it be to love others as we love ourselves? Like the first command, it is one that will require constant practice throughout life. Oh that I may come closer everyday!

Prayer:
"God help me love You More! Help me love You with all my heart; that everything I consider important or special be something that is important or special to You - something that will last, that will effect eternity for Good. Help me love You with all my soul; let me never look to something or someone else to satisfy my hunger and thirst for You and Your Word. Help me love You with all my mind; may all that I consciously put before my eyes (anything I read, watch, or look at), put into my ears (music, conversations with others, etc.), or allow myself to think about, be only what would help me grow closer to You, and help me to serve other people better.
Oh Father help me Love! Help me love people! Cause my love to shine out so brightly that others can see I care about them. Help me to help. Use me to bless those that have blessed me, and those I long to bless. Help me to be open to loving the 'unlovable' people. Give me wisdom - show me how to turn my love into appropriate action that would accomplish Your glory in their lives.
Cause my love for You and for others to only grow greater, and to be a light to direct the wandering to You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen."

Note: The words of Jesus in single quotes are my paraphrase of the actual quotes from the Bible.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 56

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight:

2. Hearing: Archer's Comment About Abigail And Law

3. Smell: The Gym At Victory Rd.

4. Taste: Lunch Thursday

5. Touch: Ava Braiding My Hair

The stories behind the list:

1.

2. Long story short, Wednesday night after prayer time, we got to discussing how different people 'grow up' differently and mature at different rates.
Archer said Abigail was really difficult for about seven years before they came to Victory Rd. Then he said, "Abigail's grown up alot, and Law will too."
Especially coming from him, and in the context of the rest of the discussion and recent events, I can not even begin to describe what an encouragement that statement was to me.

3. I went to the church yesterday for something, and as I walked into that big empty gym, I was overwhelmed by the smell of memories. I have no idea what the 'smell' in that gym actually is - probably a combination of many smells - but it is a precious one. So much history has been lived in that gym. So much before I came to Victory Rd. So much since I've been here.
As I walked across the floor, it just overwhelmed, slowed, and stopped me. I knelt on the basketball court and prayed for Victory Rd., for the children and young people that have crossed that floor and that cross it every week, and for a particular one especially.

4. Yesterday I took left-overs for my lunch at work: Meatloaf, canned (store-bought) french green beans, mashed sweet potatoes, and home-made macaroni and cheese.

5. Thursday night at College Bible Study I had my hair in a side ponytail and Ava started playing with the curl it made. She asked if I ever braid my hair (I do alot actually, I guess I just haven't much recently) and if it was okay for her to.
Sweet, funny, random, wonderful Ava. Of course I let her.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 55

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Fall Mornings

2. Hearing: Bible Pages Turning

3. Smell:

4. Taste: Apples

5. Touch: Abigail's Hand

The stories behind the list:

1. I've been doing alot of bike riding recently, trying to get a constant routine of exercise going. I love to ride my bike, and since we live in the country it's even nicer. We have a path Dad's cleared through our woods around our land, and I've been riding that circle. These fall mornings are so beautiful and make it even more enjoyable - the sun streaming through the trees, the dewdrops like tiny diamonds flashing from the tips of every leaf and grass-blade, and the rich red-ish soil of the neighbor's freshly-plowed pasture next to us.

2. Sunday morning Bro. Earl used alot of different Scripture references in his sermon, and really encouraged everyone to find each one and follow along in their Bibles.
Each time he announced a new reference, the whisper of pages turning would wash gently across the auditorium like a refreshing summer shower through the leaves of a forest.

3.

4. I've always loved apples, but recently I've found myself almost starving for them! Wednesday, over the course of the day, I had four!

5. This past Wednesday night was Victory Rd.'s yearly walk/run that I told a little more about in this post from last year. Towards the end of the night, Abigail and I were walking together, joking, being silly, and generally enjoying each others' company. We each had a cold water bottle and she decided the chilly moisture on the outside of hers would be fun to wipe off and rub down my bare arm!

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 54

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Wildflowers By The Road / Ava

2. Hearing:

3. Smell: Magnolia Spice

4. Taste: Red Velvet Cake With Vanilla Frosting And Ice Cream

5. Touch:

The stories behind the list:

1. It is early Autumn in the South and the Black-Eyed Susans, Goldenrod, and numerous other unnamed wildflowers are alive in riots of color along the highways. Gold and black, soft powdery purple and rich dark purple, green and tiny explosions of white, their simple pure beauty sings the creativity of their matchless Maker, and cheers the tired hearts of those who pass.
/
Ava came with Austin to Tues. night music practice this week, and sat curled up in the big comfy chair in the corner, reading her homework while we played. What an answer to prayer she is! How perfect she is for Austin! How good the Lord was to send her to us!
I'd look up at her across my music from time to time, and she looked so comfortable and sweet and dear curled up in that chair, content to just be near us, patting her foot to our music.

2.

3. We have a Magnolia tree in our front yard and every year during the fall, when it's pods fall and the little red berry-like seeds fall out, it gives off an amazing, sweet, spicy smell. It's like the excitement of fall/coming winter turned into a scent. I was out mowing the other day and when I passed under the tree, that smell was like breathing a rich soothing happiness.

4. Mom made a red velvet cake with vanilla frosting this week and we had it with vanilla ice cream - A. Ma. Zing.

5.

Birthday Gift - Birthday Weight

On my birthday recently, Mrs. S., Abigail, and Piper came over for a couple of hours. They'd asked the Sunday before if they could, and I'd so been looking forward to it!

A polite knock sounded at the front door, and Trissy, though she was practically there, stepped back and motioned for me to get it.
I swung the door wide, and there stood the three S. ladies: Mrs. S. on the top step at the door, Piper on a step below her - holding a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a small brown paper bag tied with beige ribbon - and Abigail with a red paper sign and a bulging black garbage bag standing in the grass at the bottom of the steps. As the door opened, they all called, "Happy Birthday!!", Piper waving and Abigail holding up the red paper sign with my name on it.

I invited them in, giving and receiving hugs as they filed by into the warm house.
They'd made the cookies, and Piper stressed that I was not to return the plate - it was for me too :) . It's a lovely ceramic fall plate, with a simple painted design of a red maple leaf, a yellow oak leaf, and a cluster of orange pecan leaves, and the word, "Thankful" in gold across the center. They know me so well.

The small brown paper bag was a late birthday present for Trissy - a nice paperweight with a redbird on it, and a lovely little round pop-open pocket mirror that has a colorful and intricate mandala design on the lid.

The red paper sign was designed and made by Abigail, using red paper, navy paper, and white star stickers. She had doodled my name in marker in the center, framed it with popsicle sticks marker-colored dark blue, and hung it with a red white and blue ribbon. On the back she wrote me a *letter I will always treasure. So perfect - handmade and patriotic.

The big garbage bag had me quite curious. Abigail lifted it easily over the back of the couch as Mrs. S. explained that it was an idea they'd seen online - blow up the number of balloons as birthday years, and put a note to the birthday person in each balloon. They've got to pop the balloons to get the notes. What a meaningful gift!

We all sat on the couch or in the chairs of the living room. Mom and Mrs. S. chatted as I began taking balloons out of the bag. I winced as I popped each one with a pearl-headed corsage pin Mom found me, and silently read the notes inside.

There were notes from Julia, Julia's mom, Autumn, Henley, Joy, Mr. S., Mrs. S., and many from Abigail and Piper - one note for each year of my life. Piper said Archer had wanted to write one also, but just forgot and then didn't have time before leaving for work that morning. They had wanted to get alot more people in the church to write some of them, but had run out of time and opportunities.

Each note warmed my heart, and sobered my conscience. Some showed insight into myself that I didn't know other people had noticed. All said something about my life and character and how it had touched others.

What a gift.
What a weight.

Oh how I desire these things to be true!! As I took out each bit of colored paper and read each message of love and affirmation, what a monumental responsibility I felt and realized that I have that I must live up to! How I pray that God would help me be worthy of the love and respect of these dear dear friends. May He give me grace to never let them down, and wisdom to be a friend and influence that would always point them to Him.

*Note: I decided to record here the letter from Abigail on the back of the sign she made me. Words of love from a teen-age heart. Such an encouragement. Such a challenge. Such a treasure. I want to always remember.

"Happy birthday Kyrie!!!
I hope this is the BEST birthday EVER!! You are so special to my family and I! I love how you always have a smile on your face, and how you bring smiles to everyone elses face! =)
Everything you do, I see Jesus in it! You make me want to be a better person!
Thank you for always being there for me, and I will always be there for you! <3
Love you lots and lots <3
Your friend,
Abigail S."