Homepage

I have two computers: my work computer (Jack) and my laptop (Alex). The default homepage for Jack is the GroupHealth Cooperative intranet page. I can't change it (try as I like) and I don't need the intranet for much. So when I want to get online I usually opt for opening the shortcut link to my iGoogle.

For those of you who don't know the gloriousness that is iGoogle, it contains the Gmail inbox, the weather, chat, news clips, the Google function and I even have a Tetrus game on mine. I love iGoogle. And I would love if Jack's homepage would be iGoogle instead of GHC.

*Segue!!*

Our church is going through a sermon series on the Fruits of the Spirit. We spent last night at our community group kind of recapping the last couple: kindness, goodness and faithfulness. After discussing the nuances of each of those, the main point became that all of these things boil down to love. You can't be kind without love; you can't be good without love; do you really want to have faith in something (or Someone) that you don't love?

The illustration was made that love should be our homepage. It should be what we default to. Once we're in the love 'homepage', we'll be able to "link" to anyone of those other fruits: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

However, for many of us, love doesn't seem to be our go-to; it's typically something else. We discussed Ephesians 4.31 that says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." One of these is more than likely what we default to.

I have to admit that mine is slander. When I'm frustrated, when I've lost control over something, when something doesn't go my way or I can't get what I want or I'm hurt, I default to slander. Whatever the situation, it's never my fault, something else made me drop the ball or caused me to be late or hurt my feelings or made me feel little. I want to deflect any responsibility and throw someone under the bus.

But what if rather than opening my homepage to slander, I opened it to love? How would that even look?

When I can't complete something on time, what if rather than complain, I worked to get it done more quickly?

When I lose control over some situation, what if rather than assume the other person has it out for me, I find something else to do?

When I get my feelings hurt, what if rather than talk bad about them to others, I stop right then and pray for them?

I think it might look like love. Like the love of Christ coming out in my life. And helping others to see Him more clearly in me.

I can't change the default setting on my work computer. It's always going to be GHC. However, I've gone straight to my shortcut enough that I rarely open the Internet Explorer icon. It's muscle memory. And I think if we do it enough, if we practice it enough, we can make our default settings remember love, rather than what we'd rather go to, be it anger or malice or bitterness or self-pity or judgmentalism or whatever.

iGoogle is awesome.

Love is awesomer.

Talk Thursday // Love Languages

Unless you've spent the last 8 years living under a rock in the Mojave, you've likely heard of Gary Chapman's book The 5 Love Languages. I personally have never read it, but more times than I care to count, I have been asked to take quizzes, answer questionnaires, and engage in EXTRAORDINARILY long conversations to determine my love language and how those love languages interact with other peoples. It's like signs of the zodiac for Christian love.

And while, yes, I feel like it's a little cheesy, knowing other people's love languages has really helped.

When my BFF and I were living together in college, we struggled for a long time to understand each other because she didn't want to cuddle and I was never home. She was (and I'm fairly sure still is (you can clarify if I'm wrong, 'Dino)) quality time and acts of service. Once we finally vocalized those things, it enabled us to figure out a way to satisfy one another's "love tanks" as it were (hey, I didn't make it up, I just took it from Gary). We didn't always work towards loving one another in the way that we should have, but at least we couldn't say we were ignorant about them.

So anyway, this week's Talk Thursday is pretty simple:

What's your love language? Is how you receive love also the same way as you give love?

PS, the options are:
* Gifts
* Quality Time
* Physical Touch
* Acts of Service
* Words of Affirmation

Time - She's a Tricky Mistress

It has been one year today since I've been home from Missouri. 

In some ways, it feels like I've changed.

In some ways, it feels like I've stayed exactly the same. 

And I'm not sure how I feel about that. 

I'm no longer "homesick" for Washington. 

Now I get "homesick" for Missouri. 

This is the place I know God wants me to be. At times that has been the only thing keeping me here. =)

It's amazing what a year does.

So much.

So little. 

"Time heals all wounds" - I don't know about that. 

"Time wounds all heals" often seems more appropriate. 

So here's to a year. 

What have you learned from February 7th, 2008 to February 7th, 2009?