Musings at Altitude

After writing that last post 36 hours ago, I’ve been trying many, many different approaches to meet the very high standard of loving more than just the lovable.  I wanted to share a few of the techniques I’m now using to get closer to this goal:

(1) Deep Breaths – I’ve been taking a lot of these lately, just to make sure I think through my responses and my actions.  I carry a card in my wallet that’s visible every time I pull the wallet out of my pocket.  It says, “Stop-Think”.  Loving the unlovable sure isn’t easy, but if I can slow my response mechanism down and squelch my tendency to pop off in response to an irritation, then I just might have a chance to not exacerbate any given situation.

(2) Constant Counseling – I spend even more time seeking the listening ear from friends and family in the hope that by venting to them I can prevent emotional response to others.  I’m blessed with several good listeners as friends, and I’m also blessed with a brutally realistic wife who keeps me grounded and makes sure I put everything into the right perspective.

(3) Unceasing Prayer – Philippians 4:6 says, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  When I’m dealing with situations or with people that I know will create distress for me, I do get anxious.  I’ve been saying a lot lately, “be anxious in nothing”.  If nothing else, it forces me to pause and not immediately respond and then regret that response later.

I did a quick assessment today on how I’ve done since I pondered this yesterday, and I think I have to give myself a C+ thus far.  I’m definitely thinking about my actions and my reactions now, and that alone is causing me to move one step closer (potentially) to loving the unlovable.  However, I find myself saying some not so loving things when I vent on my friends and seek counsel from those so much wiser than me!  I also find myself praying a lot more for peace and understanding, and I’m actually finding some peace though not yet necessarily understanding anymore.

Overall, I’ll take a C+ now because I know how much I need to grow in this area to meet expectations!  To keep my sanity though, I may need to take baby steps up the grading chain, so I’d be ecstatic to get to a B- in the coming days!  To get to an A, I have to cut out the venting and the anxiety.  Though I’ve never been happy with a B, to get to the A is an incredible mountain for me to climb.  I better start climbing now!