Perspective

A couple months ago we were having dinner with a sweet couple from our church family. She was praising her husband for how he helped her wash the dishes. I laughed and said that Shorty REFUSES to do dishes (load the dishwasher) for me because I used to be too particular about HOW they were done. I thought they needed to be in the dishwasher "just so". I keep telling him that I've mellowed over the past few years, but he's sticking to his guns! =) I did say that he'd been helping me a lot with the laundry, though. He laughed and said his primary motivation was so that he'd have his workout clothes clean. (I knew that.) It was really funny though later as Shorty and I were talking about it. I told him, I guess I could be thinking about it in terms of, "He only does the laundry HE thinks is important. He's not thinking about me." =P That is such a terrible line of thought! It would breed so much needless frustration and anger and bitterness into our relationship. It could be my optimist coming out, but I prefer to think of it in terms of, "That's one load of laundry that I don't have to wash and dry." =) It's all a matter of perspective!

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
 
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
 
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15