My husband has been traveling lately so has not had an opportunity to read my blog.  After reading them this week he commented that several of them had to do with me being mad at him.  I hadn’t noticed that but I didn’t really doubt it. I have a very low tolerance level for what my friend Elaine calls the “dailies.”  Overflowing trash cans, fingerprints on mirrors I just cleaned and dirty countertops.  The everyday irritants, annoyances and messes that merit my attention and time; time I don’t have and attention I don’t want to give (there seems to be a theme in my life with time and attention).  My hatred of the dailies translates typically into anger toward those around me and it happens so frequently I don’t even realize how irritated I get or how much I complain (or blog) about it.   

I don’t remember much from my freshman psychology class in college but I do remember one thing: metacognition.  Metacognition is thinking about your thinking. I have noticed in the past few days (after pondering my gift of irritability) that the Holy Spirit is in my head a lot, but usually I am going too fast, am too preoccupied with my agenda, am so quick to anger that I fail to hear Him.  I often fail to think about what I’m thinking about. Metacognition reminds me howJohn 14:26 is true; “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Yesterday when I was trying to use Siri to talk-text while driving I heard in my head, “It can wait” (http://www.itcanwait.com). I immediately put down my phone (even though I was hands-free texting, I was distracted.  I am tired of myself and others driving distracted and I have been seriously praying to change in this area). This morning when I was getting frustrated because we had to leave, my kitchen was a disaster and I knew I was going to be gone all day, metacognition kicked in again and I had the Spirit inspired thought that everyone in my family was healthy.  Unlike many of my friends, no one in my family was not going to the hospital, hospice or in for surgery. I realized that my heart should be overflowing with gratitude and I chose in that moment to overlook the science experiment that was evolving in my sink. Paul talks about having the mind set on things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5-7), but I feel really smart calling it metacognition. 

“Dear Lord, Thank you for slowing me down enough to hear You in my heart and in my head in the places that I truly want to look more like You.  Help me to choose to not let the “dailies” get me so irritated, angry and exasperated, especially to my family.  Help me to continue to make enough space to think about what I’m thinking about.  Thank you that when I allow the Holy Spirit to do His work, “moving up and to the right” in my faith does not take as much effort on my part as I used to think it ought.  Help me to continue to hear You and then act on those whispers.  In Your Name, Amen.”
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