so im sitting here. really hot. watching a bit of top chef. my mind is racing & im trying to sort & put thoughts & ideas into the places that they belong.


but there has been a theme in my life that has been coming up these last few days. im thinking that because it has come up multiple times, that maybe the Lord is trying to tell me something. or teach me something. or remind me of something. 


i wish i could remember the context. heck, i wish i could remember the conversation. i guess that's not really important...


anyway. the thought that came up to me was this: i think that at the core of us, there is goodness. that the way we come into the world & the way we go out of this world... it's all good. that there is always goodness in us. and not only goodness but kindness. love. joy. peace. kindness. goodness. all of them above~


i think that when it gets tricky is when sin plays the part that it was born to play. sin is the next layer that comes right after our core. it's the one that distorts everything. it plays the part of the evil villain that takes everything good & somehow tries to change it.. to mold the goodness in us into something that is deep, dark & ugly. 


think of this: someone's intentions may start out as wonderful & kind & good. however, when the sin, guilt, & shame in our lives come into play... it somehow gets distorted. jadedness could play a part? defensiveness? guilt? any number of things...


im not sure what to do with all of this. im not sure what to think of all of it. heck, im not even sure if it's a right way to think. 


however.


it has given me a different insight into a few areas of my life... a couple of people in my life. it has given me a bit of grace for them. a bit of love. kindness. compassion. now im not saying that its all roses, but it's different... 


so. those are my thoughts. i think that at the core of our being... that there is kindness. period. how it comes out & is displayed for the world to see is somehow up to us~


courageously thinking. & sorting,
lauren