Lenten "Love Dare" ~ Day 3

So Day 3 has arrived. How are you doing? Things got challenging for me last evening when my husband and I had a "laundry" moment. We do things very differently domestically, and he had combined clothing that I would not have. There was also  shrinkage of a few garments from the dryer. None of this was life threatening nor did it require anything to be replaced. I was just annoyed. Needless to say, I was NOT patient or kind. But God in his infinite mercy showed me how wrong I was. 


After all, hubby took the initiative and was willing to help me do the laundry. What do I do? Skin him alive because he didn't do it MY way. Well, that shows me doesn't it? Who was successful at the dare? That would be husband #1,  the one who I am supposed to be loving. I fall for the first time. 

Thank goodness our Lord is ever merciful and stays with us even when we fail. He is ALWAYS there, whether we feel his presence or not. We KNOW He is there. Once again, I am called to die to self, be kind and patient for love comes from these two gifts. I apologized to my husband and then helped him with his evening chores as an unexpected gesture of kindness, after I took his head off for the laundry. Yikes! Do I have some work to do or what? Thank goodness Lent is 40 days. Maybe I will get it right by then. Jesus certainly did! Leave a comment and let me know how you did with your day. We need to support in other in this journey. It will only get more challenging from here. 

Day 3
Love is not selfish
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor."  Romans 12:10

"Whatever you put your time, energy and money into will become important to you. It's hard to care for something you are investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy (or make) your spouse something that says, "I was thinking of you today."

At the end of the day ask yourself  "What did I choose to give my spouse (family member or friend)? What happened when I gave it?

The above italicised text comes from "The Love Dare" by Stephen and Alex Kendrick

If Lent is all about "dying to self" then this is a perfect challenge. Our culture is built around extreme self-esteem and  personal desires. Almost every sinful thing we have ever done can be traced back to pride and selfishness. This is our opportunity to put someone else first by using our time, talent and treasure to show them how we feel about them. How we truly feel. We are asked to do the same for Mother Church. Remember, this challenge is not just about our spouse or family member. It's about drawing closer to Jesus, our Beloved. We can do that by serving his people. 

I can't wait to hear what you come up with for this dare. Remember that prayer strengthens all things.  Leave a comment and let me know how it goes. I will be praying for you (and me)!
Blessings, 
Mary

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