THANKFUL… & Blog SUPERLATIVES.

MASH-UP: Thankful + You = Thankful for You.

I know that no one has to read my blog. No one has to comment. Even my dearest friends and family have tons more critical actions items to do in their day. I never presume that what I write is so earth shattering that it will trump LIFE.

I am humbled that you all read my blog. I am humbled that some have chosen to comment. I am humbled that regardless of the reason you come back (or even stopped by once)… you do! For that and from a spirit of gratitude, I say, “THANK YOU.”

I cannot promise that you will always like my posts, or even understand them for that matter. Instead, I promise that when I do write I will always write from an HONEST place. I won’t waste your time on words for “word count” sake. I promise that what you read will be a body of work for which I -even if only I- am PASSIONATE.

Special thanks to Mom & Dad, who if you NEVER  read my blog or support anything else in life upon which I embark, I thank you for the work you have already put in to make me who I am RIGHT NOW!

Now for BLOG SUPERLATIVES:

BLOG HOST AWARD goes to JayLauren for being the first to start following my blog 1 year and 4 months ago and allowing others to know it’s  cool to join this party!

FIRST RESPONDER AWARD goes to Alexandra for being the first comment made on the blog site!

HEAD OF THE CLASS AWARD goes to Rick Smith for having the most comments and often being the first to respond to a new post!

MOSTLY LIKELY TO START THEIR OWN BLOG AWARD goes to Lorraine for having the most word count of all commentators and providing the most detailed feedback!

GRATITUDE AWARD goes to YOU for being part of this experience in the way that suits you! I am eternally grateful.

Part 4: When Doing the Right Thing Causes Tears (like tonight)

THE MASH-UP: TEARS OF SORROW FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING- Restrained vs. Constrained

THE CONCLUSION

Until one learns to love God with ALL their heart, mind, and soul… one will always be trying to love others and oneself without the most important tool. God dictates who we are, how we were created to be loved (perfectly), teaches us what it feels like to receive perfect love, then teaches us how to give it! I love YOU (you know who you are) not how I FEEL loving you; I love YOU how Your Daddy is CONSTANTLY teaching me how to! God sometimes I feel like a fool for love but as I am reminded, “You are at work on our behalf, and we are not forgotten. Prove God, Sherrie!” *tear* My only prayer is that as I go to God for you, Babe, you will do the same for me. SELAH.

SCENARIO 1: RESTRAINED

Someone “did you wrong” in school and you were set to fight them. Just as you were literally inches away from getting a hold of them, some authority figure that could actually restrain you – grabbed you. Being so close yet not  able to take out your aggression raged in the core of your being that you ended up crying out of frustration.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about…hmmm. But if you do, keep reading…

SCENARIO 2: CONSTRAINED

…But do you remember the times when no authority figure needed to step in because it was your OWN internal moral that constrained the rage in you.  You wanted to fight but the cost was too great! You could have lost a scholarship, been expelled from a zero-tolerance school, or whatever … so YOU CHOSE not to! Then you cried, a deeper sorrow, still frustrated.

MY CONSTRAINT CAUSED TEARS (tonight)

Tonight my fight is a figurative fight raging in me but the tears were literal tears. I love my Daddy (Heavenly Father) with everything in me!  What happens when Daddy asks me to steady the course, no rash movements while He does a “work” on my relationship? When waiting feels good, I’m happy to do it. When waiting is “heavy”, I want to do what I WANT TO DO! Literally, nothing stops me from acting rashly, selfishly, grabbing control (from God), being spiteful, walking away from my partner… except my choice! I AM CONSTRAINED BY LOVE! It is my daily choice to LOVE my Daddy above ALL else. The only expression of our love for Him that Daddy accepts is OBEDIENCE! So I have to choose above all emotions to BE OBEDIENT  to GOD… and I am so far from perfect!

THE COMFORT

I neither have all the answers nor do I propose to be happy with ALL God’s requests of me but My Daddy doesn’t require that I LIE or SMILE falsely… he accepts my tears. Don’t believe me??? JESUS DID NOT WANT TO DIE ON THE CROSS, especially not THE WAY HE DID! THE BIBLE says so: St. Luke 22 verses 39-44. He was in so much anguish about what was about to happen that His sweat was described as being “like drops of blood.”

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JESUS DID NOT WANT TO DIE… (but He chose to anyway).

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” ⁴¹ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” ⁴³ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. ⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.^[c]