I read a book last week by Elizabeth and Anna Sofia Botkin called It's (not that) Complicated. Really it was mostly about godly friendships/relationships with boys/young men. The emphasis was really just on friendships versus more romantic relationships. I did enjoy the book. It was engaging, very thoughtful and had lots of good points. However, I wasn't overly impressed. EXCEPT the section on being a godly sister. *bam* Where they specifically looking at my life when they wrote that? I'm very suspicious. So here's a little run-down of my favorite parts about that section... also known as the very convicting parts.
The whole brothers section started out with the point that we are commanded to treat all men (and women) as brothers (or sisters) in Christ. Personally, I don't want to start treating everyone like I do my siblings (as Hiccup says, "we need her to like us!") So, first step... work on my relationships with my real brothers. Because they are my practice. I know personally, the relationship I have with my younger and older brothers needs some work. "Some" in this instance means "I will be working on this for the rest of my life".
The Botkin's listed several things that I hadn't considered in my role as a godly sister/woman "...to confess...to admit wrong...to defer to another in love...to care, to ask questions, to sympathize...to be capable of giving wise counsel, loving reproof, and gentle exhortation..." (56). Okay then, let's just apply that list to my younger brothers.Maybe I'll tell another time how this book convicted me about my relationship with my older brother. But for now, we'll just stick with the little, dirty, loud, and pesky ones.
I have a very common relationship with my younger brothers. They plague my life...I plague them back. They tease me...I tease better (I mean, just sayin'!). But to defer in love? (Can you hear me justifying? "But they're my little brothers, I should NEVER defer to them! If I do, I will actually be able to watch their heads swell") But that's not really necessary is it? I don't always have to be exerting my rights as the big sister, do I? And "wise counsel", that would involve actually stopping to listen to them and showing interest in what they're doing ("But I don't care about swords and legos!"). But I'm supposed to be one of their examples of a godly woman. The mission I assigned myself: Stop. Listen. Learn to care so that I can be what a big sister should be; someone who can give encouragement (because I know them well enough to know the encouragement they need), wise counsel (because I'm seeking out God's purpose and plan), loving reproof (loving, not criticizing, undermining, or aggravated), and gentle exhortation (because a gentle answer turns away wrath). Those adjectives are important, let me tell you.
So that's what's been floating across my mind this week. :)
Showing posts with label Tyler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler. Show all posts
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
{Family} Tyler
This post should be interesting. Tyler (IF you didn't already know, he's my only older sibling) and I have an interesting relationship. He's my best friend and my worst enemy in the same day.
Tyler is my best friend because (aside from my parents) he is the person I have known the longest. Regardless of how much you dislike someone, knowing them since birth and seeing them every day, makes your relationship with them special. I love (most things) about Tyler's personality. He loves to serve by working. HARD working. Helping people move, or doing work on their house, their trucks, or trailers, or combines, or tractors, or balers, or corn-pickers.... yeah. :) Tyler doesn't verbally show that he is passionate about things, he shows by how hard and long he works at them. I am always shocked at the joy he finds in equipment, and motion. That is so not me.
Another thing I love about Tyler is he KNOWS what I am thinking. He can look at my face and KNOW what quote, story, joke, or thought process I am going through. It's scary and funny at the same time. Also handy. Like in church, I don't have to whisper whatever was sparked in my memory, he usually knows.
Tyler is my worst enemy because (aside from my parents) he is the person I have known the longest. [It's good to be able to argue both sides of an argument, right?] When you know someone that well, and they know you, it gets one-hundred times easier to push their buttons. Which he can do perfectly. I actually think he's working on writing a book called Big Brother's Unite to Drive Little Sisters Crazy. I keep thinking he's going to grow out of making me scream by jumping out in front of me. It's a nice thought, but it hasn't happened yet. I can't say I'm innocent. *evil giggle* When he kept complaining about how I never put the right socks in his pile, I drew red hearts on the top of his socks to "remember which ones where his". :)
Anyhow, worst enemy or best friend doesn't change the fact that Tyler is graduating this year. He's played his last game of high school football, he's gotten his senior pictures taken, he owns a truck (oh wait, he's owned that since he was 13), and he can officially only bake when it's brownies from a box (everything you need to move out of the house.). And he has plans to move to Nebraska and be gone for the better part of the year. That's great, he's planning on doing what he has always loved (insert here: equipment, farming, working) but what am I supposed to DO without my redneck, annoying, big brother? I'm not sure yet. I'll keep you posted. :)
Tyler is my best friend because (aside from my parents) he is the person I have known the longest. Regardless of how much you dislike someone, knowing them since birth and seeing them every day, makes your relationship with them special. I love (most things) about Tyler's personality. He loves to serve by working. HARD working. Helping people move, or doing work on their house, their trucks, or trailers, or combines, or tractors, or balers, or corn-pickers.... yeah. :) Tyler doesn't verbally show that he is passionate about things, he shows by how hard and long he works at them. I am always shocked at the joy he finds in equipment, and motion. That is so not me.
Another thing I love about Tyler is he KNOWS what I am thinking. He can look at my face and KNOW what quote, story, joke, or thought process I am going through. It's scary and funny at the same time. Also handy. Like in church, I don't have to whisper whatever was sparked in my memory, he usually knows.
Tyler is my worst enemy because (aside from my parents) he is the person I have known the longest. [It's good to be able to argue both sides of an argument, right?] When you know someone that well, and they know you, it gets one-hundred times easier to push their buttons. Which he can do perfectly. I actually think he's working on writing a book called Big Brother's Unite to Drive Little Sisters Crazy. I keep thinking he's going to grow out of making me scream by jumping out in front of me. It's a nice thought, but it hasn't happened yet. I can't say I'm innocent. *evil giggle* When he kept complaining about how I never put the right socks in his pile, I drew red hearts on the top of his socks to "remember which ones where his". :)
Anyhow, worst enemy or best friend doesn't change the fact that Tyler is graduating this year. He's played his last game of high school football, he's gotten his senior pictures taken, he owns a truck (oh wait, he's owned that since he was 13), and he can officially only bake when it's brownies from a box (everything you need to move out of the house.). And he has plans to move to Nebraska and be gone for the better part of the year. That's great, he's planning on doing what he has always loved (insert here: equipment, farming, working) but what am I supposed to DO without my redneck, annoying, big brother? I'm not sure yet. I'll keep you posted. :)
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