July is filled with family birthdays starting with mine on the 1st. Today is another example. I had a brother-in-law with a birthday today. A cousin is today and my youngest granddaughter’s birthday is today. She is turning 3 and a very happy 3 it is! We are celebrating her birthday next Tuesday at our home. Her requests I’m told are chicken and to sit by grandpa! No problem there!!

GOD is LOVE. This was emphasized again in my devotional. We are to be love too both by our actions and our being. This is so easy to do when one is with their grandkids or friends. However, God reminds me that He wants me to love everyone. I do this by being patient and kind, forgiving and self-controlled. I show compassion when it is needed and tend to the one hurting. It is very easy to see these traits in others, or not see them in some. But, taking time to self-assess is what God is asking me to do and I’m sure each one of us needs to do this.

There was a time in my life when I thought I’d reach a stage when all of this would come more naturally and I’d be able to rest in life because I’d accomplished what God wanted as far as becoming the man He created me to be. Well, now that I’m at the age I am, I see that this human flesh never lets up. We always have a bent towards selfishness and it comes out in ways that never pleases God. But, His Holy Spirit is faithful to nudge when this happens so it can be corrected. It is taking the time to listen and reflect asking the Holy Spirit to speak. And, He does. He never stops directing us towards the One in whom we were all created originally to be like. I will never reach perfection I know, but then, the Holy Spirit will never quit guiding me towards the relationship with Him that helps me to stay on track.