Weekend Kindness
Reaching Others Through Kindness

What’s the worst thing that you’ve done as a parent?  Or are you one of those perfect parents?

In the case of torraanne, she had an accident with a clothes driver, but you shouldn’t go read it unless you promise not to tell her daughter!

Seriously, we all make mistakes, the question is how do we handle them when we do?  Are we parents that can admit that we have faults and make sure that we apologize and seek forgiveness when it happens, or are we parents that always have to be right?

Being able to be human with your kids will go a long way to helping them to know how they should behave now and as adults, and will make the Christian life a whole lot more real to them.

The Complete Husband
By Lou Priolo

Men and women tend to let themselves become bitter by feeding on negative stimulus and dwelling on it.  It is this bitterness that can tear at a marriage until it is destroyed.  Priolo lists 18 signs to look for to see if your husband is bitter:

1. Frequent arguments (inability to resolve conflicts)
2. Outbursts of anger (raising of the voice, throwing, hitting, etc.)
3. Withdrawal (giving her the silent treatment or the cold shoulder)
4. Diminished affection and sexual activity.
5. Sarcasm (mocking, ridiculing, mean-spirited joking, etc.)
6. Acts of vengeance (getting even or trying to hurt her back)
7. Condescending communication (speaking to her as though she were a child or an inferior person)
8. Criticism (a critical, condemnatory, judgmental attitude)
9. Suspicion and distrust
10. Hypersensitivity
11. Intolerance (not overlooking little offenses that once went unnoticed)
12. Impatience
13. Misuse of authority (domineering, dictatorial, or tyrannical attitudes which require needless exactions of obedience)
14. Lack of social interaction as a couple
15. Loss of companionship (the intimacy of the one flesh relationship is damaged and communication becomes superficial)
16. Lack of respect (dishonoring her to her face and in the presence of others)
17. Lack of kindness and sympathy
18. Angry children (who have been greatly provoked by their parents)

In order to overcome this bitterness, we must practice true forgiveness.  Forgiveness is making three promises:

1. I promise not to bring up the offense to the person being forgiven.
2. I promise not to speak about the offense to others.
3. I promise not to dwell on the offense myself.

Only then can you start on the path toward healing.