day two {Colossians 3:12}

so, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you:

compassion, 

kindness, 

humility,

quiet strength, 

discipline.

Be even-tempered, 

content with second place, 

quick to forgive an offense. 

forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. 

and regardless of what else you put on, 

wear love. 

it's your basic, all-purpose garment. never be without it. 

colossians 3:12-14 (msg)

i read through a bunch of versions, but the message one stood out the most to me. i love the way it tells us that God picked this wardrobe out for us. 

if you're anything like me, that takes a huge weight off my shoulders. i hate getting dressed. there's a closet full of clothes and shoes and some how, i never have anything to wear. 

so someone picking it out for me? yes please.

compassion. 

check. 

my heart physically hurts when i see those in need. 

kindness. 

half check. 

let's be super real here for a minute. sometimes, i'm not nice. like at work. when i have a table leave me a $2 tip in nothing but change. and there's only two quarters in the bunch. 

humility.

check. 

there's no way i could walk around and think i'm all that and a bag of potato chips. i've got flaws. and big ones at that. 

quiet strength.

half check. 

there are times when i am not quiet, and gentle. times when my temper get's the best of me. 

discipline.

not a chance. 

i tend to be a "free spirit", going about at my own pace, maybe a few steps behind the rest. some call it procrastination, some lazy. me, i don't think i have a word for it. i just know that there are times in my life when some serious order is needed. 

be even tempered.

haha, me. even tempered. 

let's be honest here friends, not even close. there are days when my fuse is so short, there seems like there is no fuse. 

content with second place. 

check. 

i've never been the "if you're not first, you're last" kinda girls. i'm cool with just a participation award. 

quick to forgive an offense.

half check. 

sometimes, i beat that dead horse over and over again. anyone else like that? i'm a work in progress. 

forgive as quickly as the Master forgave you. 

not even half way there. 

why is it so hard to forgive people? it's not like i've had people wrong me far worse in my life than in anyone else's life, so why do i insist on playing the pity card? 

i live in florida, so i obviously own twenty something pairs of flip flops. 

but my go to's are my rainbows. 

they're comfy, go with everything. 

all-purpose, if you will. 

the reason love is listed last here, is because without it, none of these things will work. just like everything else about of faith in Jesus, this is an all or nothing kind of deal. you can't just be kind to people while you throw a tantrum about not getting your way (fingers pointed at myself).

but it's ok to be a work in progress. 

a big huge work in progress. 

for me, i have got to get that even tempered and discipline thing down. those are two areas in my life that are pulling me down. i know that although i've been made perfect, i still need some work. God knows that too. and He's humbled me to know that i need work. 

are there any areas in your life that need some work?

 and don't forget to put on love today. 

all my love, 

meg