Someone said to me this week that they wished they could be more "together" like me. This made me laugh because this person thought I "had it all together." I could not have been feeling futher from this image she had of me! I informed her that at that that morning alone, I could not find my checkbook, the pants I wanted to wear, or my camera SD card. Oh, and my house was a crazy mess and I was feeling like I was drowning in my "To Do" list. I went on to tell her that I constantly struggle to keep up and am usually one step behind. After unloading my shortcomings of the moment, she told me how good it was to hear this. For a moment, I wanted to say, "I'm feeling like a failure, and that makes you feel better?!" Yes, I admit it....I struggle with moments of feeling like I am failing at being everything to everyone. Trying to be the best wife, mom, teacher, student, daughter, friend....wow, the list is to long to list. Then it hit me....The appearance of having it all together is deceiving! When you look at someone else's life and you wish you had what they had, keep in mind that you do not know what they are dealing with behind closed doors. They may be struggling with issues in their marriage, finances, or families. They may battling internal issues such as depression or low self esteem. What you see on the outside just means they can pull it together long enough to make you think they have it together.
God made me to be compassionate but he didn't make me the most organized person. He gave me a sense of humor but he didn't give me the greatest fashion sense....although it is developing.
So the next time you look at someone and wish you had it all together like them, they may be looking at you wishing they had it all together like you. Be yourself....work on being the you that God made only YOU to be!
Growing up, I used to sing a song and the lyrics are, "He's still working on me. To make me what I ought to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the Earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and caring he must be, cause he's still workin' on me." No matter how old you are, He's still working on you! Seek out what God wants you to be and you will find that you will no longer look for yourself in others.
Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Triple F needs JOY
Do you ever wish your path and purpose would be made crystal clear? I struggle with times of uncertainty. I don't like not knowing where I'm going. I will admit it...I'm a planner! The typical first born, list making, planner that likes to be in control. At the beginning of this school year, I had a plan to finish my Masters degree at the end of next school year. All was good until the university decided recently to change the location and night for the classes. This change complicated my plan in a major way! I spent the majority of this week trying to figure out a better plan and at one point I had decided to just give up...the give up option only lasted a few hours. Then something major and tragic happened. The vibrant and devoted mother of three of my former students was suddenly killed in a car accident. All of my thoughts went from my problems to thinking of what this family was facing. I heard someone say that they just didn't understand why so many good people and families have had horrible things happen to them lately. This is a statement that would take several blogs to explain my thoughts about but when I heard this statement, everything suddenly snapped back into perspective for me. My "Triple F needs JOY" order was restored.
"Triple F needs JOY" stands for FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS needs JESUS, OTHERS, and YOURSELF. It is my combination of two ways I was raised to think about my priorities....maybe you grew up singing the JOY song too! Simply put.... My faith is about a personal relationship with Jesus. My family needs to come before others and my family will be strengthened by my faith. And at times, my faith, family and friends, will NEED Jesus, others, and/or myself to get through life's challenges, and heartaches. I could go into much greater detail of this but for now, this will suffice.
This order of life can so easily get skewed. Jealousy, envy, anger, greed, and many other human feelings creep in and cause us to lose the focus on what matters the most and our perspective becomes offset. Think about it....if our #1 focus and priority is our faith in Jesus, if we have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus then when bad things happen, our greatest friend, Jesus, will give us our greatest strength to get through it. We would also strive to live with love in our hearts, like Christ.....yes, this means resolving our issues with and loving those that we would rather never speak to or acknowlege they exist. If we live with love in our hearts then our family and friends will naturally be at the forefront of our thoughts.
While I was looking for a crystal clear answer to my issue of what classes to take, I didn't have the right perspective. I wasn't thinking "Triple F needs JOY." I was thinking more along the lines of "How could they do this? This doesn't fit my plan!!" Now, in no way am I comparing my school issue to the tragic loss of life. I am saying that no matter how great or small our problem, or heartache is, if we are living the "Triple F needs JOY" motto, then our perspective will be different. My thoughts of "why" and "how" turned to "ok, I am going to trust." In moments of heartache and despair, we will still hurt but we will turn to our first priority and will feel a comfort and peace that passes all understanding. In moments of confusion and roadblocks, we will find our way and be at peace with the path before us. We have never been guaranteed an easy life. Life is hard! However, even in the biggest, most difficult to understand moments in life, God is bigger and can bring understanding and peace if we stay focused on keeping him our priority.
"Triple F needs JOY" is a reminder to me that life is about more than me. It is a guide to finding my way through life's storms, no matter how big or small, and for making every moment count.
Mark 12:30-31 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these.”
"Triple F needs JOY" stands for FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS needs JESUS, OTHERS, and YOURSELF. It is my combination of two ways I was raised to think about my priorities....maybe you grew up singing the JOY song too! Simply put.... My faith is about a personal relationship with Jesus. My family needs to come before others and my family will be strengthened by my faith. And at times, my faith, family and friends, will NEED Jesus, others, and/or myself to get through life's challenges, and heartaches. I could go into much greater detail of this but for now, this will suffice.
This order of life can so easily get skewed. Jealousy, envy, anger, greed, and many other human feelings creep in and cause us to lose the focus on what matters the most and our perspective becomes offset. Think about it....if our #1 focus and priority is our faith in Jesus, if we have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus then when bad things happen, our greatest friend, Jesus, will give us our greatest strength to get through it. We would also strive to live with love in our hearts, like Christ.....yes, this means resolving our issues with and loving those that we would rather never speak to or acknowlege they exist. If we live with love in our hearts then our family and friends will naturally be at the forefront of our thoughts.
While I was looking for a crystal clear answer to my issue of what classes to take, I didn't have the right perspective. I wasn't thinking "Triple F needs JOY." I was thinking more along the lines of "How could they do this? This doesn't fit my plan!!" Now, in no way am I comparing my school issue to the tragic loss of life. I am saying that no matter how great or small our problem, or heartache is, if we are living the "Triple F needs JOY" motto, then our perspective will be different. My thoughts of "why" and "how" turned to "ok, I am going to trust." In moments of heartache and despair, we will still hurt but we will turn to our first priority and will feel a comfort and peace that passes all understanding. In moments of confusion and roadblocks, we will find our way and be at peace with the path before us. We have never been guaranteed an easy life. Life is hard! However, even in the biggest, most difficult to understand moments in life, God is bigger and can bring understanding and peace if we stay focused on keeping him our priority.
"Triple F needs JOY" is a reminder to me that life is about more than me. It is a guide to finding my way through life's storms, no matter how big or small, and for making every moment count.
Mark 12:30-31 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these.”
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Make It Count 2012
It has taken me more than a week but I have finally decided on my personal theme for 2012. Rather than a resolution, I like to come up with a simple theme that covers every aspect of my life. "More Than Me" was the first of my themed years and I will continue to carry this theme with me. This year I have decided to go with the theme of "Make It Count."
When I thought of the phrase "make it count," I began to question, do I make every day, every action, every word, every dollar earned, every bite taken, and every moment with my family count?? I was honest with myself and decided I can do better. So here I go!
Today was an intersting start. I decided that in order to make every dollar count, I would get back to couponing like I did years ago when I stayed home and worked part-time. I spent two hours planning, printing, and clipping coupons. The "plan" was to go to one store just to get 2 items and then on to another store for the mega savings and to collect the rest of my list. Well, I ended up doing all my shopping at the first store and only used two coupons out of all the coupons I clipped. I came out of the store frustrated and just headed home. Yep, it might just be more of a challenge than I thought to make every dollar count.
When it comes to eating, I want to make the food I eat count towards nourishing my body and making my body healthy. Making what I eat count should have the reward of losing weight. Oh, how this will be a challenge! However, my body is a temple and I will MAKE IT COUNT!
While the saying may seem simple, "Make It Count," but it is sure to be a challenge. Next December I hope to be able to say that I have made this year count like never before and I am excited to see what happens when I focus on making it count.
James 1: 2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
When I thought of the phrase "make it count," I began to question, do I make every day, every action, every word, every dollar earned, every bite taken, and every moment with my family count?? I was honest with myself and decided I can do better. So here I go!
Today was an intersting start. I decided that in order to make every dollar count, I would get back to couponing like I did years ago when I stayed home and worked part-time. I spent two hours planning, printing, and clipping coupons. The "plan" was to go to one store just to get 2 items and then on to another store for the mega savings and to collect the rest of my list. Well, I ended up doing all my shopping at the first store and only used two coupons out of all the coupons I clipped. I came out of the store frustrated and just headed home. Yep, it might just be more of a challenge than I thought to make every dollar count.
When it comes to eating, I want to make the food I eat count towards nourishing my body and making my body healthy. Making what I eat count should have the reward of losing weight. Oh, how this will be a challenge! However, my body is a temple and I will MAKE IT COUNT!
While the saying may seem simple, "Make It Count," but it is sure to be a challenge. Next December I hope to be able to say that I have made this year count like never before and I am excited to see what happens when I focus on making it count.
James 1: 2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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