practice makes perfect.....well almost

THEREFORE, PREPARE YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION. BE SELF-CONTROLLED; SET YOUR HOPE FULLY ON THE GRACE TO BE GIVEN YOU WHEN JESUS CHRIST IS REVEALED.

1 peter 1:13

as I read this this morning I was struck that the words grace and self-control were in the same vs.... Just because we live under grace does not mean that we are not also called to action. Yes we need to give ourselves a break now and then and not be so hard on ourselves but we are also called to live lives worthy of HIS calling, lives that are examples of HIS love and power in our lives.

It took years for Abby to be able to leap like this, discipline of stretching every day.....we need to use this kind of discipline with our tongue.....

PREPARE your mind for ACTION, be SELF-CONTROLLED....BECAUSE your hope is in HIS grace not in your performance. I'm afraid that too often I forget who gives me the power, I forget to fill up with HIM before I start a day that is full of temptations to "lose it".... when I do "lose it" I excuse my behavior...."the kids were so bad today",  "I was so tired",  "PMS"...... when in reality I CHOSE to not fill up with HIM and I CHOSE to not prepare my mind, and I CHOSE to want things my way.

Abby could have "wanted" to do this for years but without working at it every day it would have never happened.......

Yes, God gives us grace, please do not beat yourself up for those bad moments, That is not helpful. but we need to also not excuse them, but go to the throne of grace and to our  children in repentance, not in pride......

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble

Ellie wants to be as good as her sister NOW! she is improving ever day but she looks at her sister and wants to be that good NOW.....with practice she will be.

Just like dancing, we can not expect to be wonderful on the first day, and we will not see our progress because it is slow, but week after week, year after year, by placing our will in HIS hands, spending time in HIS word and with Godly woman we WILL grow, he WILL change us. and we will dance for HIM!