Today, I will not strike out at those who cause me pain. I will feel my emotions and take responsibility for them. I will accept hurt feelings as part of being in relationships. I am willing to surrender to the pain as well as the joy in life.

Furthermore, we are not responsible for anyone else's feelings, although we are responsible for choosing to be considerate of people's feelings.

Yes, we have the right to be mad at a sick person. We didn't ask for the problem. Although the ideal feeling is compassion, we probably won't feel this until we deal with our anger.

I'd rather have a few wonderful years with love than a long life with animosity.

the spirit of Santa is real. It's the spirit of love and giving, and I like to think that it's symbolic of God's love and generosity. Sort of like a metaphor for children.

When someone is being particularly mean and nasty, I simply think to myself, he or she used to be a cute little baby, I wonder what happened?

There isn't anybody in the world who isn't worth something," I say. "If you're nice to them, they'll be nice to you. The same people you meet on the way up are the same kind of people you meet on the way down. Besides that, every person you meet is one of God's children.

As Proverbs 17:9 reminds us, peace is more likely when one forgets about past wrongs as opposed to reminding others of them.

Meanness at church sometimes exceeds anything that occurs in secular surroundings.

Lord, You have extended such grace to me. You have forgiven my wickedness and remembered my sins no more. (Heb. 8:12) Help me to demonstrate my gratitude by forgiving others!

I've become increasingly convinced that those we need to forgive most often grasp the least how much they've hurt us. If they understood and took responsibility, it wouldn't have taken the Cross to forgive them. It could have just happened over coffee.

Oh, God, give us a longing—not for the sin of this world to be judged—but for the sinners of this world to be forgiven.