This is going to be good!

Our church is going through a "40 days of love" series. We are having sermons given on this topic, discussing it in our small group, and reading a book together called "The Relationship Principles of Jesus" by Tom Holladay. It has one chapter to read (short chapter) each day. I have read my chapter for the day and Andrew is planning to.

This whole series is (obviously) about relationship building. This is not just about marriages but about all relationships in our lives. I am going to chronicle my thoughts and what I read here because I think it is valuable information to understand. And I would like to remember it in the future! :)

Today's topic was titled "Nothing is More Important Than Relationships". How very true this is and how very easily I forget it. God created us FOR relationships. It is so easy for me to get caught up in "getting things done" such as work, cleaning, laundry, cooking, getting "stuff" I want, etc. While it is important for me to do these things for my family, it is MORE important for me to give the most important thing to my family and that is TIME. (See, I was listening in the sermon yesterday!). I also need to not be concerned with what others are doing or giving, as far as time is concerned, and only focus on overcoming my selfishness.

This chapter was great to read because of its honest. Relationships are both wonderful and horrible at the same time. We are all human. We're capable of a wonderful, deep, enriching love but at the same time we're capable of hurting someone else deeply. Sometimes these things happen within the same day or even hour!

Here is a great quote from the book:

"Your relationships with God and others will last all the way into eternity. Jesus knows full well that the swirling wonder and pain of our relationships tempt us to move them down our priority list. "Who needs this?" we say, and so reduce our lives to simple hobbies, tasks, and entertainments. That is not the answer! When I try to make less important that which is truly most important, it only causes more confusion."

"The path to the greatest life possible and the greatest joy possible is found in the priority that Jesus taught us to keep at the top of the list: Place the highest value on relationships."

I'm still boggled in the brain by how easy this is for me to forget. I need this study now more than ever as I balance lots of relationships (old and new) in my life. How will I relate to my daughter? What will my daughter learn from watching our marriage?

Anyway, good thoughts for me today.