This is my goodbye post. I've really enjoyed blogging here on how He loves us for the last three years, but it's time to move on.
Starting now, I'll be blogging on a new site: Kira Writes.
A few different things went into this decision, and I hope that it will be a profitable one. Please go check out the new blog and make yourself at home there. (I'll leave this one up for archive perusal, should anyone be inclined)
For the last time, thank you for reading, and goodbye!
-Kira
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on appreciating the little things around you and my life has seemed so full of those things lately that I wanted to do a post compiling some of them. So, here is a list of my happy things.
- coffee on the back porch
- finishing the first round of edits on a manuscript
- early morning runs
- ultimate frisbee in the rain
- finishing the Psalms in devotions
- spontaneous bakery trip
- walks in the Virginia July heat with my sister
- looking forward to a camping trip on the lake with the whole family
- getting to bed early
- fireflies
- talking on the porch swing with Grandma
- making sweet potato pie (more pie than sweet potato)
- my sister's hair dyed blue
- listening to the sermon at church
- audio books on long drives
- waking up on time
- being caught up on e-mail
- writing outside
- watering the garden
- cinnamon rolls for breakfast
- seeing siblings after a lot of travel
- happy dogs
- a new tank top for running in the heat
- reading books for pleasure
- training for a half marathon with Daddy
- purple and orange sunsets over fields
- pink and blue sunrises over mountains
- finding new blogs to read for encouragement
- being able to be impromptu
What are some of the things that give you a little joy?
-Kira
"You're right."
Some of the hardest words in the world to say. They seem to twist up your stomach before you can finally push them out, often just barely loud enough to hear.
No one wants to be proved wrong, let alone admit to it. For a very long time, I was more likely to try to continue arguing for the wrong side than to concede a point, even after knowing I was in the wrong.
It doesn't matter how trivial or important the matter - everyone wants to be right. It all comes down to pride. We feel a need to be seen as great in the eyes of people around us. By God's definition, that makes us fools.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15
We're all born fools, with a desire to win every argument, triumph in every debate. But there is hope for us. God doesn't just leave us with the news that we're fools; He gives us the example of a wise man to follow - the example of listening to advice.
Ah, listening to advice! What a marvelously difficult thing to do. How much easier it is to remain a fool and think yourself right than to listen to someone with more wisdom and learning. And yet, that is what we must do if we are to grow in our walk with God.
We were not saved so that we could only be forgiven our sins, but so that we could grow to be more like Christ in our character. A crucial piece to that puzzle is learning from those who are wiser than ourselves when we are shown to be wrong.
I'll be the first to admit that I hate saying that I'm wrong. There's something about it that seems to diminish me as a person. I feel like I'm putting myself below the other person and elevating them above me. (Hey, wait - isn't that what Philippians 2:3 says to do anyway? Well...back to the topic at hand) If I can't be right about things, why should I try? Why should anybody listen to me? I want people to respect me and my opinion and my advice. But I can't give advice unless I can take it.
Listening to the wise words of people more mature in their faith than us makes us wise along with them. When we accept criticism and input from authority graciously and gratefully, we are working toward being like Christ, growing in wisdom.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a rightous man, and he will increase in learning.
Proverbs 9:9
As painful as it is to admit when we're in the wrong and accept instruction from other people, it's worth it. The rewards well outweigh the difficulty.
So next time you find yourself in the wrong, try saying those two little words: "You're right." They become easier with practice.
-Kira
