Lisa Michele

How can I have love and patience (or any of the other virtues for that matter!) when there are idiots in this world!?  I think I have cussed more in the last hour than I have in my entire life (which says so little and so much at the same time for those of you who know me).  I just wanted to scream!   My sister and I went on a great walk and as we were walking I lifted my hands up and prayed for the Lord to give me love and patience.  Love is actually harder than I thought it would be, let me tell you.  Is it possible to love an idiot?  (I would use a different word to describe this person but it would be a little less loving). My challenge is definitely a challenge!

“16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

I love this passage.  So many times verses 22-23 are thrown out there alone, but I think the beginning of this passage is just as important.  It brings light as to why Paul tells us what the fruits are; they are the complete opposite of the sin he describes.  My challenge is for us to take verses 22-23 and live out one “fruit” each day.  With each new day we still live out the previous ones, that way on the 9^th day we (hopefully) are living out all 9.  Some may be harder than others (patience for me!), but my prayer is that we will take it to heart and try our best J  Below are the fruits broken down, with a definition to help us along. Good luck!

• Love-strong affection, desire, or devotion

• Joy-state of happiness; delight

• Peace-state of calm; freedom from strife or discord; harmony in personal relationships

• Patience- an ability or willingness to suppress annoyance when confronted with delay; quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care

• Kindness-benevolence, favorable disposition; showing sympathy and understanding; gentle

• Goodness-kind, profitable, excellent, fitting or appropriate; morally right

• Faithfulness- worthy of trust; devotion; true to one’s word, promises, vows; strict or thorough in the performance of duty

• Gentleness-kind, mild mannered; not severe, rough, or violent

• Self-control-restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, desires or emotions; temperance

Lisa French ate steak.  Yes you read correctly.  I’ll write it again.  Lisa French ate steak…and actually liked it.  Yes, I know, it’s a miracle.  The end.

I honestly think this was the best birthday weekend I’ve had in a very long time, if not ever.  It all started Friday night with an Angel game with Blake.  We met up with a friend there and had a blast, Angels won   Amy, Debbie, and their crew came over to my house for a bit after the game because they had gone to the Street Fair, and Amy ended up staying till 12:45am. Saturday afternoon I babysat (which was the absolute WORST part of my weekend, and possibly one of my worst sits ever), then went to another Angel game with Amy, Angels won again.  Sunday I went kayaking in Newport Bay with the family, minus my mom who was sick   We hung out there until about 2ish, then came home and made tacos (yum yum) and had dinner with the fam, including my grandparents.  We walked to the Street Fair to get Lukumades, which I tried, and (surprise! surprise!) didn’t like.  Monday (my actual bday) I went to breakfast with Amy and my mom, then went swimming at Amy’s.  Then Amy and I went to Disneyland at night to watch the fireworks, and had so much fun acting like tourists and taking tons of pictures.  I never want it to end!  And it hasn’t quite yet…I’m going to OSF for lunch tomorrow and my friends and I are having a bon fire tomorrow night, and I can pretend we’re still celebrating   Thanks to everyone who helped make my weekend so much fun!

Kayaking in the bay

Happy Birthday to me!

No candles to blow out

Birthday girl at Disneyland

me and Amy