Gentleness

Oh why.....why did I choose a word for the year like gentleness? Next year I am already plotting to use the word food, or eat, or enjoy or pleasure.
Challenged to have a verse and word for the year and continue to search in Gods word as far as living out that word, I chose gentleness. That does not come naturally to me. That's something I need to work on so I thought....first problem. Second problem is how to live it out.
Colossians 3:12.  Therefor as Gods chosen people holy and dearly loved,,,,I could stop there. I am chosen as holy and I am dearly loved... End of thought for the day... But the verse goes on... Clothe yourself. I hate dressing. Not that I dislike the procedure, I don't choose clothes well. I don't put together outfits, I don't shop good, I hate shopping basically and I don't like those things hooked on the clothes that I find that I like called price tags.  But to avoid having issues in life, I have to dress myself in something. When I was younger I would wear my dads old Levi's and a white t shirt. To me that was simple. It didn't look good, wasn't appropriate for most places, But I was happy.  To clothe myself usually means I need to remove something to put something else in. I remember my kids putting their clothes over their pj's.  It's okay for a two year old: not for a 50 plus women,
So getting dressed is ok until I read the stuff I am supposed to put on...compassion: i'm not sure that comes in my size. Kindness, now that's a bit tight along with humility...how do I squeeze 50 pounds into a 10 pound sack? That's just very hard to get on not to mention gentleness and patience... It's no like that beautiful mannequin in the window that looks perfect: when I try to clothe myself it doesn't fit right.  That's part of the clothe yourself part...there might need to be some changes made in the attempt to clothe so the fit or comfortable and I don't rip out the shoulders or other seams as I bend down or try to sit.
Clothing ourself also involves some kind of visual check. I hate those three way mirrors in fitting rooms. I see all sides of me that I am not sure I like. When we look at ourselves in the  three way mirror of the Holy Spirit, we may see things we really don't want to see. It's either be upset about it, or change what you see.  And finally there comes he time when you look at a picture and say, wow I really good good in that outfit... Not just in the physical outfit, but finally when the clothing ourself with the compassion, kindness, patience, humility and gentleness that God wants to see when he looks at us.  It could be a long year: being gentle!