Be kind to yourself!

One of the Ten Commandments says 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself' Matthew ch 22 v 39 I have read this many times and only today has something really hit home!!
 I thought I was good at loving myself! I feed and clothe myself I try and get some exercise
and the right amount of sleep! But what I read today in a great book I am reading
'Naked spirituality' by Brisn D. Mclaren I am not my own friend!! I am often my own enemy!!
 Brian Mclaren writes ' If my friend made a mistake, I would tell him that it was ok,
 that nobody is perfect. But when I make a mistake, I would Constantly beat myself up and mercilessly take myself to task,
 If a friend was working to hard, I would tell him to relax, To take a day off go fishing or play golf.But down inside me was a cruel task master who was never satisfied.
 If a friend had some weaknesses, I would be gracious and compassionate but not to myself..
 But God used a random quote from Abraham Lincoln
 'I desire to so conduct the affairs of this administration that if, at the end....
 I have lost every friend on earth,I shall have one friend left,
and that friend shall be down inside of me!'
' This quote made me realise that I need to take Jesus words seriously
loving others as I love myself which requires me first to be a friend to myself!!'
 So how do we become our own friends?? Brian Mclaren continues
'Learn to stand with God and see yourself as needy,weak,limited and imperfect, edgy stressed!frightened or troubled.
BUT you don't criticise, condemn! chide or or reject yourself,
rather you join God in God's desire for your own expansion and well being.
You join God in wanting the best for yourself,and in that light,
 you make your request to God for your friend yourself!!'


 God forgives us I need to forgive myself as quickly as I forgive others,
 God shows mercy and grace I need to show Grace and mercy to myself as I do to others!!
 Are you a good friend to yourself????

There is no I in TEAM!

I recently got to see an amazing team of people work in a surgery procedure!! It was surreal as they were working on me and I could see and hear most of what they were doing! So here is an intro to the team: Mr M- consultant radiologist Sue - theatre nurse Lorraine - theatre nurse and general supporter of the patient! Mr W - consultant radiologist who comes in half way through procedure Pat - radiographer who works the huge scanning machine! Saahee- registrar and observer The team welcome me in and make me comfortable, I ask Mr M if he would please talk to me as he does the procedure he assures me he will, I also like a big kid ask if I could have the filter in a tube to take home when it's removed! he agrees to this even though it's not hospital policy!! I like him already!! The procedures starts, I have an injection in my neck after I have been covered and kitted out with a paper hat!! Then Mr M cuts my neck and starts to feed a tube down into my abdomen and down into my leg to have a look at clotty!! Lorraine and I start to talk about my new job and I share how it's amazing that I am working at all and share with them how I have had lots of prayer and that my amazing church have provided me with an automatic car! Mr M says " wow that is amazing " I didn't realise he was listening!! The team are laughing and listening to each other at the same time doing there job, then suddenly Lorraine slips her hand under the green covering and squeezes mine I think she saw in my face discomfort as I didn't wince!! Next Mr M asks for a tube as it's time for the filter to be removed! Sue is on the side nearest to him and she passes him everything he needs! The filter is very hard to latch on to and I am sensing the team are all routing for Mr M, after 1 1/2 hours it will not come out! Mr W comes in and suggests other ways he could remove it, he tries everything he says, then the nurses suggest another way that another consultant has tried, Mr M suggest that they should get this consultant on the phone,unfortunately he couldn't be reached! the nurses and Mr W decide that they are going to work a different way and make up a different tube and instrument to get this out!! I spoke up then and said to DR M "it's a good job you don't have a big ego, as you are working so well together as a team and your listening to everyone's advice" he replied " When I start playing God then I will start making mistakes!" The procedure took another painful hour but the last few minutes the team held there breath as he pulled the filter out and they all applauded!! Not one person was more import than the other, they all had chance to express their opinions, all were valued in their important roles. Dr M could of easily sent Dr W out as it was his procedure. The nurses were never put down or told they had spoken out of turn! Whatever team you are on be a team player value each other listen to each other don't play God that's not your role!!thats Gods!! Rom 12v3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.