In the book of Philippians it says, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is honorable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things."
This is one of my favorite passages from the Holy Scripture and has very practical applications. Think about it, it is when I am not following this standard of thinking that I get in trouble! Unfortunately, I can recall on many occasions standing over a mountain of laundry or a filthy kitchen and feeling resentful. Instead of stopping there and confessing my bad attitude and redirecting my thoughts; regrettably, I have found myself deluged with thoughts of envy (for those with less laundry and fewer dishes), resentment towards my children (so ungrateful for all the work I do each day) or anger towards my husband (who is not in helping me do my job). All of these thoughts lead to feeling worse and acting less loving to the people I love.
Instead, I must consciously push aside the unlovely thoughts and focus on the truth of the many blessing I have, the noble qualities in my husband, the rightness of cultivating joy, the purity in my children, the lovely opportunities I have as I nurture our family life at home, the honorable vocation of motherhood, the excellent friendships our family enjoys, and the praiseworthiness of our Lord! God bless us as we turn our thoughts towards Him and dwell upon lovely things.
Peace, Hope
