Change

Sorry that I have been MIA as of late.  You see, it's summer break and I'm trying to spend as much time with all the kiddos as I can before the girls go back to school.  Speaking of, school begins in just four short weeks.
I've not done any new 50s things since I deep cleaned the house.  Funny thing is, if you don't keep that schedule up, it all goes back to the way it was.  And honestly, the way it was is...
Comfortable.
My home is clean enough to be healthy but dirty enough to feel lived in and happy.  Just the way I like it!
I want to talk to y'all today about attitudes, feelings, emotions and how they effect you, especially the negative ones.
Envy
Jealousy
Discontentment
Anger
Those are the feelings I've had lately and I've noticed my attitude gets worse the stronger these feelings get.
I decided those feelings need to go away and be replaced with godly feelings and emotions.
So, I took a technology fast, technically still am.  I stepped away from Facebook, email, Candy Crush Saga, etc to speed time in the word.
I knew to make the changes I needed to make, I needed God's help because I've spent years trying to do it myself to no avail.
I started by reading James, which I highly recommend all Christians read.  He is open and honest about how the Christian should live.  And he'll tell you flat out which things you shouldn't do.  Can I say that he stepped all over my toes?   Especially when he talked about being quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.  Then there's the part where he talks about the tongue being like fire and corrupted by the world.  Oh yes, and we can't forget about faith without works being dead.
Yowzas!
I'd love to tell y'all that I'm a completely different person and have made a full 180 degree change but I haven't.  I am making strides, baby steps, if you will.  All with God's help.
I want to share the prayer that I have been praying.  Maybe it'll encourage someone to pray the same, maybe not but I'll never know what impact it could have if I don't share it.  So, here it is.

I can do nothing on my own!  I need You to bring about changes in me.  Rid me of envy and jealousy; replace them with love and mercy.  Take away my worldly desires and replace them with a desire for more of You.  Turn my angry and bitter words into loving and faithful instruction.  Pull all sinful nature out of me and fill me instead with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Make me quick to listen, slow to speak, and slower to anger.  Tame my tongue, Father Abba, as only You can.
Amen.