great ordinary happenings

I’m sorry I wasn’t able to keep with my commitment for yesterday, I should have posted a thought! But I was coping up with “the challenge” which I could only partly share here. I wrote about it for post Monday yet, even had it titled already, but I just couldn’t, in fact until now, I haven’t finished yet my reply to the letter (though have the ending already, pasted below).

What I would like to share here is the challenge of coping up, so that we could avoid disrupted relationships, just because we lack self-control. So I think, this is what I learned, and what I’d like to impart to you, it can be done, but always by God’s grace! Praise the Lord! So below goes my unfinished post, if you don’t mind. I wish I can get comments, new and unfinished as this site may be …. and with an unfinished supposed-to-be post! hehehe

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The Challenge of “Love Your Enemy”

“My best regards to all your family …” - so the letter began nicely and innocently. It came from a far-away supposed-to-be-close-to-the-family relative by affinity, and so it was more with a feeling of curiosity that I continued reading. I didn’t know its content could send pain in my heart and tears to my eyes!

This is not a blog day for me, but I would like to share this as I’m sure there are so many of us experiencing this situation, and I’d like to connect. In a way, just letting it out is therapy, isn’t it? There she was, ranting (“I would like to inform you“) so many negative things about a very close one of mine (call her ceee), which aside from the fact that they were so hurting and outright blunt, they are very much far from the truth, very twisted and malicious, I should say. She referred to ceee’s “petulance” (synonyms: bad temper, crabbiness, grumpiness, irritability, tantrums, peevishness) and that “she is always tired“, “she is sleeping again“, “complaining“….as a whole it seems ceee is very bad for her. These are just part, mind you, I have not shared the worst, and I don’t intend to. It’s just like feeding the evil one.

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Okay, so we stop here. We just don’t mind what it was about, shall we? But the ending of my reply to her letter, I’d like to share here:

“So there you are, replied as per contents of your email. My purpose in this reply is to clarify issues, for understanding and unity, and to extend my hand in peace even if your email was blatantly provocative. Have you not thought about this? –> We cannot afford to be at odds with each other, we live far away from each other, and life is too short, anytime we can go. Aside from that, we are bonded by affinity (kinship that is not by blood), ……….., and this should be with no traces of darkness in the recesses of our hearts. We cannot go “plastic”, it’s better to be honest with ourselves, and be open, be our natural selves for the other to accept unconditionally. In fact hurting though it may have been – anyway, that would only be the first reaction if our emotions are under our control – I thank you for your letter, as now I have known your innermost feelings and thoughts or impressions ……. But still hope lies eternal, especially when you realize and you can see the truth. Feelings, wrong impressions, perceptions, can be changed as we can be renewed, no one is stagnant in one’s feelings, now you are angry, the next time you are not. See? But if I pick it up as a fight, then it may be irreparable, and we don’t like that. I hope you agree with me.

If you still feel you have some more tirade to add, let it be out, the worst has already passed, or so I think. By God’s grace, I still have the allowance to take it :). All for clarification, and not for confrontation, or if confrontation it is, be it a healthy one, not damaging to our good relationship. Hmmmm it will not be damaged if we don’t allow it!

Thanks for having read this far, and for pondering on all its contents…

God bless us all,

Romy.”

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And how I began my reply:

“Greetings of peace, love and joy! You might be surprised, but it should always be like that, for I refuse to pick up any negatives, most especially from one who is supposed to be ………

I could not reply to you right away as I have to gather myself up from the impact of a bomb which was how your letter came to me. It was not easy to cope up with such aberrations, twists, and outright untruths. And to keep this just to one’s self to avoid further damage to anyone.

However, nothing to worry, we are forever friends for the sake of ……….. . Isn’t that wonderful? Whatever are the circumstances right now, it will turn to be beautiful and joyous, when the “time” comes. Think of this gift …., and all negatives will turn into joy, don’t you think so?

However, we won’t run away from any question, be it negative, or anything to be clarified and be straigthened. So I’ll answer you point by point, and I pray that the Holy Spirit be with us to enlighten us so that we can accept what is truth, for God is Truth! Also God is love! And with this letter, we still send you our love – Christian love – not wishing evil for any one, but only good.”

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The lesson? We can still meet negatives thrown at us with frankness and honesty, all the while bearing in mind to keep it cool and with much self-control to mellow whatever “seething anger” that is provoked by such. Always with much prayer, have I coped up, what I mean is, it’s no big deal, the reaction has passed away, i even could put a smiley in my reply!

I ‘m satisfied I was able to say “I have to gather myself up from the impact of a bomb which was how your letter came to me. It was not easy to cope up with such aberrations, twists, and outright untruths.” And I willed “to extend my hand in peace even if your email was blatantly provocative”. So for me, I was still being truthful and didn’t lose my self respect, even while I avoided a quarrel with her.

Of course, she’s not my enemy, but why this word in the title of the unfinished blog? Ahhh because last Sunday, it was so God-timed!!! the Gospel was about this (Luke 6:27-38) Partly: “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”…….”And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that” You can read the whole Gospel. And I would say, it was a test for me to apply this Gospel teaching. It was as if Jesus was saying: Can you apply this now to your daily living, to this particular case? I had to confront myself, and hurting though it may have been, I willed not to fight, and His grace flowed in abundance! I can truly love her! Oh, she was not herself when she said all those things, for she is a good lady (if she is not yet, by the credit of our humility and self-control, her renewal will follow, this I pray to the Lord! Amen!)

So who is our real enemy? It’s the devil luring us to be angry and to fight with each other - that is why there is so much chaos in families, communities, and in this whole world! - and if we are not aware of this, we fall into his trap! God forbid!

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season, and I received this text: “Our lives are but ashes, but by the LOVE of GOD and the CROSS of CHRIST, we’ve been renewed to LIFE with HIM!!!”

Here’s wishing you a blessed Lenten Season!

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