If mom is upset, everyone is upset

Have you ever felt down? Just plain old yucky and negative and that you just can't do anything right? I am struggling with that right now. :/ The saying is "If mom is upset, everyone is upset". I do not want that to be so in my household. As wives and moms, the truth is we do set the tone. As I was thinking about this I was reminded of the following Scripture...

2 Timothy 1:6&7
For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

The dictionary says kindle means to start, to excite or to stir up/set going. What is kindling in me? Am I stirring up lies and negativity? Am I meditating on yuck and therefore yuck comes out? This week I am challenged to stir up what I know God has implanted in me... a spirit of power, love and discipline. Yes, this means I have to discipline my mind!

The world says if I have a reason to be upset, then be upset and let everyone know it {FB official?}. And let's just get down to it... a woman's hormones say the same thing! It is hard to meditate on the Word AND meditate on yuck at the same time. The world says we have a right to act the way we feel. The Scripture says to be disciplined and have self-control. What happens when we make that tough first step to follow the Lord? Most would say we get a ball and chain. But o'contrair! We begin to find freedom! There isn't any freedom in feeling the way we want to feel and doing whatever we want to do (sin). In fact, Jesus came to break the bond of sin. Romans 6:5-7 says For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

So, if we are born again, believing Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and only because of His death on the cross and resurrection we are freed from the bondage of sin, we may then die to our flesh (aka doing whatever we want, whatever feels good or feels right in the moment) and find life in Christ. John 11:25 says this - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."

For most people, it is easier to work in small steps so maybe ask this question... Am I showing the fruit of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Start with the first, love, and work on that. Then move on to joy and so on.