Today I felt like making a special cup of coffee for myself. The steaming brew is Door County Cherry Crème. That flavor is like an old friend to me.
Recently Rene was able to purchase an antique biscuit cutter on one of her shopping adventures. Needless to say. "I like biscuits".
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 6:22,23
Practice Empathy,
We gave been working all week on developing attitudes that would help us to put others first. I really do like biscuits. Rene knows that. She can bake a mean biscuit. Add a little sausage gravy and I am a happy camper. From time to time things can become overwhelming. Rene will bake some biscuits and say, maybe these will help". She doesn't always try to understand what it is that I am working on or has me perplexed. She knows that she too has those days and can identify with a plate that is too full of troubles or concerns. So she helps soothe the troubles of the day with a biscuit. She doesn't tell me how to respond or act. She has been in my shoes.
Consider the needs of those around you. Try to put yourself in their situation and treat them as you would like to be treated. We call this the Golden Rule and it is found in Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
We often talk about putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes. That is a good way to think of empathy. When you are having trouble getting along with, or helping someone else, try to picture yourself in the same condition or position they are in. How would you like people to treat you? Treat them the same way and you will become more empathetic to the needs of others. Rene does this. She knows how she would want to be treated. (Peanut Butter Cookies)
Now let's take what we learned the last few days and put it to practice.
God bless,
Marty
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