love myself for who I am, be loved and give love

This week I went on a personal retreat from Wednesday night through Friday afternoon. It was restful, restoring, and relaxing. I’m glad I carved out that time in my schedule instead of letting it get frittered away, else-wise.

(Ephesians 3:14-21) “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.”

A couple of days ago, an elderly couple was in front of me in line, but insisted I go ahead of them since I only had two items. I thought to myself how I don’t see that as often in our society anymore.

Last night, a crazy driver past me on the left side as I was making a left hand turn. As far as I could tell, I had the right of way. He moved his car over to the side of the road after the turn, gave me the finger and started shouting obscenities. I found my anger surging, and I yelled at him, too, and honked my horn for a long, long time.

Just after that, I remembered the older couple in the line at the store. I found myself thinking about whether I wanted to be like them, or if I wanted to react to every angry person I meet, like the man who passed me on the road.

I have a choice about which kind of person I will be. Am I going to make the world worse or better for having been in it? I want to choose better than I did last night.