Lower your expectations and not your standards.

Don't give other people permission to disrespect you. Don't disrespect other people. It's okay to disagree if one does it agreeably. It's not okay to disagree disagreeably.

I believe life is supposed to be joyful because of our salvation. I think of Christ often when I've been disappointed in the actions of other people...especially Christian people. There's a BIG difference in church Christians and practicing Christians. There's also more of the former than the latter.

Christ was VERY disappointed in his "church" folks; after all, it was they who brought about His death. Yet, He still died for them as much as I.

I've had some pretty krappy things done to me by Christians and non-Christians alike; otoh, I've done some pretty krappy things both as a Christian and not as a Christian. We all make mistakes but, I think, what makes us bigger, as opposed to smaller, is when we forgive others and ourselves for our mistakes. God says He forgives us, as far as the west is from the east...which is just about forever because the west and the east *never* met...I've found we have a harder time forgiving ourselves and others and that's a bad thing.

I try to live my life so I won't be ashamed when I'm standing in the face of God. I've chosen to crawl and apologize to people who, not only threw my apology back in my face, they soundly trashed me in the community as well. That's now God's problem; I simply cannot carry that burden and remain true to Him.

One thing I have learned though...if someone will gossip WITH me, they will gossip ABOUT me.

Stay happy with God and you'll go far...if not in this life then the next. And, on Good Authority, the next life is going to last a LOT longer than this one!

Agape & Shalom...