Prayer for Love

May my children learn to "live a life of love," as the Holy Spirit works in them to produce "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Ephesians 5:2; Galatians 5:22-23).

I've been thinking about all those evidences of the Holy Spirit. I've actually come to regard the pursuit of them as a bit of "snack mix" for the soul. Think about it: 4pm is well into the day, I'm cranky and have low blood sugar. So I reach for a snack to give me the strength to make it two more hours until supper. And what do I choose? I can pick the easy choice, a chocolate bar or cookie (yum!). Or I can choose smart, and have a handful of almonds, a serving of yogurt, or a bit of trail mix. The second option contains protein and more complex carbs, giving me more brain power in addition to just entertaining my mouth and tummy.

Just like with my body, my spirit tends to get cranky throughout the day. Suddenly I will realize that I need a few moments to take a break and breathe. I could turn on the TV for a few minutes, or go check my Facebook account. I could catch up on the newspaper or open my latest fantasy novel. Those are fun and entertaining options, for sure!

But there is also a smart choice, one that will actually make a difference in my mental state. I could choose to meditate on God's truth for a few moments, to give me perspective in the midst of the chaos. So I have made a list of verses that encourage me to practice the attributes listed in Galatians 5. My goal is to memorize these nine verses along with my children, so that God can bring them to our minds in times of spiritual crankiness.

My snack mix verse for love says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).