"Love Up, Love Over"

I found out today that I'm angry. Not the "angry" where I destroy furniture, flip over cars, and crush people who get in my way. But the everyday, normal angry. I get angry when people are driving slowly in the left lane. I get angry when my dad says another criticizing comment to me or a family member. I get angry when I'm quizzed about my whereabouts by my mother. I get angry at the bureaucrats when they cut my pay or create a new policy with which I don't agree. My anger is justified in the moment. I'm going to be late, my father is picking on me or my brother again, my mother is slowly driving me crazy, I already get paid crap but go ahead and cut my pay again.

In church today (which I am loving and am now a permanent fixture of) we learned about the negative effects of anger and how Jesus views anger. Anger is cause for judgment. Anger negatively influences lives. Being angry is not a productive emotion. Nothing good comes from anger. I cuss at the driver, I feel more annoyance for my father, I ignore my mother's phone calls, and I complain with my coworkers. None of those things are productive. None of those things illicit positive responses. We have to learn how to harness our anger. We have to remember to look on the positive.

The tip we were given today was to learn to count to ten in a foreign language. Useful in several ways, especially if you find yourself in Spain and need to count from 1-10 at the drop of a hat, but also important in this whole anger scenario. In those 10 seconds when a driver has cut in front of you, or someone stole the last pair of jeans in your size, or your father has insulted you once again, count to 10. And in those 10 seconds remind yourself who you are. Remember to always carry around patience, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness and love. Forgive them, accept them for who they are, and do not harbor anger towards them. We were told to "love up and love over" today. Love God, but love your neighbor too. Love each person for who they are and accept them. Anger is a wasted emotion. Yes, it's going to be hard to completely rid myself of these tendencies towards anger, but I'm going to try. And I challenge you to do the same. I challenge you to rid yourself of the wasted emotion anger. And I will do the same. We are never alone in our aspirations, so I know I'm not alone in this.

On a side note: a few people I love are heading to Haiti later this week. They are going to spread God's message and to provide for this disastrous nation. Pray for them and the good work they are going to do. Pray for them as they travel to and fro (on a massive plane!). And pray that the people of Haiti will accept them, their involvment, and their words.