HEY AGAIN!
Or if not again, welcome to The Attitude Of Adventure Blog!
I'm Morgan Deane and my mission with this blog is to give great, applicable advice and funny stories, so that you get a laugh, leave with something helpful, and keep coming back!
I'm a Christ follower, I'm married to the LOVE of my life, we're parents to Winston BARKtholomew Deane (the Goldendoodle), and I love pizza! No seriously. I could eat pizza Every. Day!
{Want to know More About Me? Check it out!}
And now, for the reason you came here today!
Over the past few years, I've thought a lot about what it means to love like Jesus loves. I've listened to the way that other's treat each other. I've seen hate, sarcasm, shaming, judgement, and pain. I've felt each of these. But I've also observed love, patience, teaching, helping, kindness, encouragement. I've known what it's like to work under people with different strengths. I've thrived in a positive environment and hated, dreaded, and quit the negative. It's been an interesting, freeing, complicated, yet simple realization.
"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." -Mark 12:30-31
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." -John 13:34 NLT
I'm Morgan Deane and my mission with this blog is to give great, applicable advice and funny stories, so that you get a laugh, leave with something helpful, and keep coming back!
I'm a Christ follower, I'm married to the LOVE of my life, we're parents to Winston BARKtholomew Deane (the Goldendoodle), and I love pizza! No seriously. I could eat pizza Every. Day!
{Want to know More About Me? Check it out!}
And now, for the reason you came here today!
"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." -Mark 12:30-31
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." -John 13:34 NLT
BLURRED LINES + GREYS
It's so interesting to see the world from a different perspective you never knew existed. You're going along with life and doing your day-to-day under the influence of your childhood home. You don't know any different, then BAM! You realize that not all parents follow the same set of rules. That slide that you've always climbed up is off limits to your friend. That pudding that you eat as a snack? Well, in most homes, it's not a snack. It's a dessert.
Something happens in this realization and you start to wonder if there are other things that not everyone in the world agrees on. One day everything seems so black and white and the next, you're unsure where the line is. There's so much grey. You start to wonder, "What do I believe? Are my parents right? If not, why would they do it that way?" You start to realized that not everything is right or wrong. There's judgements everywhere. More and more grey.
So where should we land? How do we make these hundreds and thousands of decisions?
Should we boycott Target? Because gosh, darn it! They have such cute stuff! I just love Target. Should we let our children believe in Santa? Because we are technically lying to them, but it's so much darn fun and I just love the Christmas season so much! Should we start a vegetable garden in our back yard and only eat organic stuff and follow a super strict diet and whoa, whoa, whoa, don't you dare drink that soda. Because honestly, sometimes you've got to live a little and have a little butter on your biscuit and quit complaining about the calories because that diet you were on last week wasn't sustainable!
It's so interesting to see the world from a different perspective you never knew existed. You're going along with life and doing your day-to-day under the influence of your childhood home. You don't know any different, then BAM! You realize that not all parents follow the same set of rules. That slide that you've always climbed up is off limits to your friend. That pudding that you eat as a snack? Well, in most homes, it's not a snack. It's a dessert.
Something happens in this realization and you start to wonder if there are other things that not everyone in the world agrees on. One day everything seems so black and white and the next, you're unsure where the line is. There's so much grey. You start to wonder, "What do I believe? Are my parents right? If not, why would they do it that way?" You start to realized that not everything is right or wrong. There's judgements everywhere. More and more grey.
Something happens in this realization and you start to wonder if there are other things that not everyone in the world agrees on. One day everything seems so black and white and the next, you're unsure where the line is. There's so much grey. You start to wonder, "What do I believe? Are my parents right? If not, why would they do it that way?" You start to realized that not everything is right or wrong. There's judgements everywhere. More and more grey.
So where should we land? How do we make these hundreds and thousands of decisions?
Should we boycott Target? Because gosh, darn it! They have such cute stuff! I just love Target. Should we let our children believe in Santa? Because we are technically lying to them, but it's so much darn fun and I just love the Christmas season so much! Should we start a vegetable garden in our back yard and only eat organic stuff and follow a super strict diet and whoa, whoa, whoa, don't you dare drink that soda. Because honestly, sometimes you've got to live a little and have a little butter on your biscuit and quit complaining about the calories because that diet you were on last week wasn't sustainable!
Should we boycott Target? Because gosh, darn it! They have such cute stuff! I just love Target. Should we let our children believe in Santa? Because we are technically lying to them, but it's so much darn fun and I just love the Christmas season so much! Should we start a vegetable garden in our back yard and only eat organic stuff and follow a super strict diet and whoa, whoa, whoa, don't you dare drink that soda. Because honestly, sometimes you've got to live a little and have a little butter on your biscuit and quit complaining about the calories because that diet you were on last week wasn't sustainable!
WHAT MATTERS?
Most decisions don't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's not going to kill your child if you add the correct about of water and sugar to your Kool-aid! The kids will actually drink it and want to come over more than if you serve them watered down, barely sweetened blue liquid that nowhere close to resembles Kool-aid! ...I desist.
But some things, some issues can't be as easily thrown one way or the other. Some things we've got to stand up for. No, we do not lie. It's true, murder is also a big no-no. We don't steal from others or cheat. These are things that the general population agrees on. These are things that you can ask pretty much anyone and we'll all agree.
But there is a lot of controversy around things like politics, gun control, homelessness, religion, abortion, gender, age, race, marriage, marriage rights, animal rights, recycling. I could keep going, but you get the idea. I believe it is our right to have an opinion about each of these. A lot of people have done extensive research into the whys behind their answers and there are people on every side of the fence.
Each one of us is passionate for something and we each have a good reason why. But we don't always align our reasonings with Jesus. We don't always look at how our reasoning might not be loving others as He loved us. Jesus was kind to those who were broken and hurting. He was caring and compassionate. He ate with people that most of us would cross the street to pass as we walked by quickly. We're so quick to judge. Are we missing what He called us to do?
Most decisions don't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's not going to kill your child if you add the correct about of water and sugar to your Kool-aid! The kids will actually drink it and want to come over more than if you serve them watered down, barely sweetened blue liquid that nowhere close to resembles Kool-aid! ...I desist.
But some things, some issues can't be as easily thrown one way or the other. Some things we've got to stand up for. No, we do not lie. It's true, murder is also a big no-no. We don't steal from others or cheat. These are things that the general population agrees on. These are things that you can ask pretty much anyone and we'll all agree.
But some things, some issues can't be as easily thrown one way or the other. Some things we've got to stand up for. No, we do not lie. It's true, murder is also a big no-no. We don't steal from others or cheat. These are things that the general population agrees on. These are things that you can ask pretty much anyone and we'll all agree.
But there is a lot of controversy around things like politics, gun control, homelessness, religion, abortion, gender, age, race, marriage, marriage rights, animal rights, recycling. I could keep going, but you get the idea. I believe it is our right to have an opinion about each of these. A lot of people have done extensive research into the whys behind their answers and there are people on every side of the fence.
Each one of us is passionate for something and we each have a good reason why. But we don't always align our reasonings with Jesus. We don't always look at how our reasoning might not be loving others as He loved us. Jesus was kind to those who were broken and hurting. He was caring and compassionate. He ate with people that most of us would cross the street to pass as we walked by quickly. We're so quick to judge. Are we missing what He called us to do?
Each one of us is passionate for something and we each have a good reason why. But we don't always align our reasonings with Jesus. We don't always look at how our reasoning might not be loving others as He loved us. Jesus was kind to those who were broken and hurting. He was caring and compassionate. He ate with people that most of us would cross the street to pass as we walked by quickly. We're so quick to judge. Are we missing what He called us to do?
SO FIRST LOVE YOURSELF
"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." -Mark 12:30-31
The saddest thing to me is to see people hating themselves. I think this is the cruelest trick the enemy has played. He saw that verse and twisted our thoughts so that it wouldn't mean as much. "Love your neighbor as yourself". In other words, love anyone you meet as much as you love your own self. The sad thing is that we have come so far away from loving ourselves. TV commercials prey on it. They know that if they can make us feel bad about our weight, our skin, our hair, our whole selves, that we'll buy their products to "fix" us.
And we buy into it. We talk about it with our friends and they buy into it too. It's almost not okay to feel good about yourself because everyone is trying to be "better". So when it comes to loving others like we love ourselves, we don't connect as much intent and feeling. Instead we treat them the way we treat ourselves. We talk to them the same way we degradingly talk to ourselves. We tell them they should be better and different and fit the mold because being the way they are isn't enough. If it was, you would be fine too, but you don't feel fine. We tell our kids to do better, be better, because we're secretly disappointed that we're not.
Friends, we have to stop this way of living, this way of thinking. We must be loving and kind, not only to others, but first and foremost to ourselves. When we feel good about who we are, we don't feel the need to degrade others. All those people out there saying hateful things to those they don't know or understand feel just as worthless as they're trying to make us feel. They need love, they need compassion.
"And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." -Mark 12:30-31
The saddest thing to me is to see people hating themselves. I think this is the cruelest trick the enemy has played. He saw that verse and twisted our thoughts so that it wouldn't mean as much. "Love your neighbor as yourself". In other words, love anyone you meet as much as you love your own self. The sad thing is that we have come so far away from loving ourselves. TV commercials prey on it. They know that if they can make us feel bad about our weight, our skin, our hair, our whole selves, that we'll buy their products to "fix" us.
And we buy into it. We talk about it with our friends and they buy into it too. It's almost not okay to feel good about yourself because everyone is trying to be "better". So when it comes to loving others like we love ourselves, we don't connect as much intent and feeling. Instead we treat them the way we treat ourselves. We talk to them the same way we degradingly talk to ourselves. We tell them they should be better and different and fit the mold because being the way they are isn't enough. If it was, you would be fine too, but you don't feel fine. We tell our kids to do better, be better, because we're secretly disappointed that we're not.
The saddest thing to me is to see people hating themselves. I think this is the cruelest trick the enemy has played. He saw that verse and twisted our thoughts so that it wouldn't mean as much. "Love your neighbor as yourself". In other words, love anyone you meet as much as you love your own self. The sad thing is that we have come so far away from loving ourselves. TV commercials prey on it. They know that if they can make us feel bad about our weight, our skin, our hair, our whole selves, that we'll buy their products to "fix" us.
And we buy into it. We talk about it with our friends and they buy into it too. It's almost not okay to feel good about yourself because everyone is trying to be "better". So when it comes to loving others like we love ourselves, we don't connect as much intent and feeling. Instead we treat them the way we treat ourselves. We talk to them the same way we degradingly talk to ourselves. We tell them they should be better and different and fit the mold because being the way they are isn't enough. If it was, you would be fine too, but you don't feel fine. We tell our kids to do better, be better, because we're secretly disappointed that we're not.
Friends, we have to stop this way of living, this way of thinking. We must be loving and kind, not only to others, but first and foremost to ourselves. When we feel good about who we are, we don't feel the need to degrade others. All those people out there saying hateful things to those they don't know or understand feel just as worthless as they're trying to make us feel. They need love, they need compassion.
AND THEN LOVE OTHERS
Jesus called us to love as He loves: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." -John 13:34 NLT
We are not called to be the ones who mock or scorn or talk badly about those who are hurting. This doesn't just go for the homeless man you pretend not to see as you wait for the light to turn green. This is also true of that guy you know who identifies as gay. We're called to love on him the same way you would love on your best friend. This is true of that girl who seems weird and isn't very social. We're called to love on her the same way we love on our other piers.
We must reach out to those who are hurting and seek to understand. From a place of understanding comes compassion and love. Ask questions instead of coming in with your judgements. You may not change your mind on where you stand, but when you understand why someone believes and acts and speaks the way they do, you won't feel as strongly about having to "win". Loving them is the win.
Next time you see that person who you don't agree with, don't come in with flames blazing, ready to fight. Come with a humble spirit, ready to learn and seeking to understand. You may not agree, but you can still love them like Jesus did and still does.
Jesus called us to love as He loves: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." -John 13:34 NLT
We are not called to be the ones who mock or scorn or talk badly about those who are hurting. This doesn't just go for the homeless man you pretend not to see as you wait for the light to turn green. This is also true of that guy you know who identifies as gay. We're called to love on him the same way you would love on your best friend. This is true of that girl who seems weird and isn't very social. We're called to love on her the same way we love on our other piers.
We are not called to be the ones who mock or scorn or talk badly about those who are hurting. This doesn't just go for the homeless man you pretend not to see as you wait for the light to turn green. This is also true of that guy you know who identifies as gay. We're called to love on him the same way you would love on your best friend. This is true of that girl who seems weird and isn't very social. We're called to love on her the same way we love on our other piers.
We must reach out to those who are hurting and seek to understand. From a place of understanding comes compassion and love. Ask questions instead of coming in with your judgements. You may not change your mind on where you stand, but when you understand why someone believes and acts and speaks the way they do, you won't feel as strongly about having to "win". Loving them is the win.
Next time you see that person who you don't agree with, don't come in with flames blazing, ready to fight. Come with a humble spirit, ready to learn and seeking to understand. You may not agree, but you can still love them like Jesus did and still does.
Next time you see that person who you don't agree with, don't come in with flames blazing, ready to fight. Come with a humble spirit, ready to learn and seeking to understand. You may not agree, but you can still love them like Jesus did and still does.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I hope you enjoyed today's topic!
If you want to see more by me, check out my full list of blog posts.
Comment below or shoot me an email at AttitudeOfAdventure@gmail.com
Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, & Facebook @AttitudeOfAdventure
If you want to see more by me, check out my full list of blog posts.
Comment below or shoot me an email at AttitudeOfAdventure@gmail.com
Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, & Facebook @AttitudeOfAdventure
