"When I am angry, I will seek to be kind.."

To think how far we have come since each of these pictures. Almost 9 years later... 

God presented me with the opportunity and the need to do some self reflecting as we near a decade in our beautiful journey together. I preordered a book that comes out in January that allowed me a small sample of the first 5 chapters or what the author calls challenges.  Becky Thompson's Love Unending is exactly what I needed to hit the ground running on remembering to be not only a mother, but a wife. I often find it near impossible to be good at it all...mom, wife, teacher, daughter, friend, etc... most days I feel I'm failing at at least one if not all. 

From Facebook I'm sure it seems we have it mostly together... we love each other and we basically have since day one.  But my heart knows I need work. Chapter 2 of the book is about speaking kindly. I struggle so hard with this. While I know when to hide it, my favorite words are 4 letter words, I get frustrated easily with people and things and my annoyance is very apparent. Unfortunately, my dear husband takes most of the hit. 

Speak kindly. 

It seems so simple. It was even in our wedding vows. "When I am angry, I will seek to be kind..." 

Talk about failing.  I fail daily... almost every hour, I'm sure. Life is so busy. And I use that as my excuse to be short and rude. Sometimes, because I know we love each other I feel as though I can say anything and speak any way... 

But like the book says, "Honest conversations should never be confused with the permission to be disrespectful." 

I am thankful for the opportunity to read something that puts me in my place and makes me squirm because I KNOW I'm at fault. 

I cannot WAIT to continue with these challenges. I already want to skip ahead... but I know I need to focus the way it was intended. 

The book comes out in January and you can go ahead and preorder now if you're interested. 

Love Unending by Becky Thompson

"The tone of our voices often communicates our hearts more clearly than our words ever do. And we have the power to change the nature of every interaction by speaking with a tone that conveys kindness."

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you."

 -Ephesians 4:32