Chocolate Bunny Rabbits and Hearing God's Voice

One of my goals in life is to become a better Christian, as well as a better person. Part of doing this, is trying to be conscious of, and giving thanks for, things and people I usually take for granted. The people who help you in little ways all the time, yet you hardly recognize it. Today, I give thanks for my mommy. I no longer need to fully rely on her for everything, yet she still does so much for me that I don't recognize always. She used to be my chauffeur, chef, maid, etc. I now drive (and usually wind up running errands for her), usually like to do my own cooking, and for the most part, I've learned to clean up after myself. I like to consider myself to be pretty self-sufficient. But i must recognize the fact that she still does a heck of a lot for me. She provides me with a beautiful home in which to live (She has a bit of a green thumb), she tries to cook a least one big meal that I love while I'm home on break (usually my marinated pork chops), reminds me of things when I'm in my scatter brained mode, and she's always there for me when I need someone to talk to. My mom has honestly progressed to the point of being as much my friend as she is my mom. The main reason I'm writing this now though, is because I'm eating a chocolate bunny she made me, filled with that delicious sweet vanilla and cream cheese filling she makes. If you've ever had the privilege to taste my mommy's home made candy, you know what I mean. Basically my mom rocks, and does a great job of still showing me that she loves me (which ties in with the second half of this entry), without doing it in an overly maternal manner, which makes her even cooler. Anyone reading this, I demand that you get up right now, and go hug your mother.

Today, in one of my classes, we discussed hearing God's voice in our lives. I've decided to grace you with my ideas on this. Personally, I find it blasphemous when people use God as an excuse. "I didn't do my homework last night because God told me that it was more important for me to comfort a hurting friend of mine." I do not recommend ever saying anything like that around me. I think God can influence us, and direct us in life, but you feel Him more that you hear Him. When I feel passionately about something, I take into consideration that that might be God nudging me to do something about it. God's "speech" with us, is almost completely non-verbal. Those were my thoughts when I started writing up my journal before the discussion. While writing it though I came to a different conclusion about hearing God's voice. As stated before, God is love. And I would be referring to love as it is described in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4-6:
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on it's own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I consider this to be a description of God, as well as a goal for how we are to try to live our lives. With that in mind, whenever we are treated with love, kindness, and respect. like in the verse mentioned, I believe that we are, in a way, hearing the voice of God. When someone makes you feel good about yourself, and treats you how you deserve to be treated, that right there, is God's voice. Along those lines, when you treat others with love and respect, you are also helping them to hear God's voice as well. Basic moral here: Love one another as you love yourself (I have no clue what verse that is).