As the all-wise-and-knowing Hilary and Corey said a couple of weeks ago "The grass is always greener on the other side." Though, in their case, this was actually, truly literal, because we were building a fence for their yard, and the neighbors grass was, indeed, greener. But, their fence rocked, and after it's built, they won't even know their grass isn't the greenest! :)
I'm not sure where this idea came from, but I always seem to think if I work hard enough, everything will be okay. That my grass will be the greenest.
What.A.Lie.
I don't mean having a lotta money, a perfect job, or a super nice house. Nothing as exceptional as that. I mean things about myself. If I could just keep my house clean, if I could just be a better wife/mother/daughter/sister/friend, if I could just have more self-control, less crazy, more patience, less cranky, more grace, etc...
If. If. If...
If. If. If...
The problem is, even if I WAS able to achieve all of those things, eventually, something would break or change, and I'd have to work (twice as) hard to get back to who I wanted to be. And that whole working twice as hard deal, well, as I've been finding out, that uses up all of your time and energy, running around trying to make everything perfect, and that leaves you have nothing left to give the people that you love. And what a crapload of crapiness that is!
So, about that whole having any energy left over to give those you love thing. Everyone needs help. If I wanted the perfect life, it would require everything from me. Everything. I would have nothing left to give those in my family and community. And the reality is, life isn't about stuff, it isn't about things, it's about people. And I want to be able to give them everything. Everything. Every part of who I am and all I can do to help them. But, if I'm spending all of my time and energy on my life, well, they're just not gonna get it.
Everyone needs help. Varying times, varying situations, varying life struggles. We need so much. So, so, so much. We need each other. As much as our society tries to promote the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality, we cannot argue that no one is truly able to make it through this life (successfully) alone. And even if you could, who would want to? Not me, that's fo sho!
There are two ways to look at everything and everyone in your life needing so very much. It can either make you overwhelmed and frustrated. Or, it can make you take a serious look at your life and re-prioritize how you live it.
So, when everything in your life requires so much, and everyone in your life needs help, what do you do? What, or who, takes priority? Lemme give you a hint. It's the who, not the what. I don't want a clean house, but friends who are struggling and feeling all alone. I don't want a perfectly manicured lawn (as if that would ever happen anyway!), and family who hasn't seen me in a month. I don't want a perfect body, but no one to share my life with. I don't want a relaxed scheduled, but a community who hasn't seen me in weeks, and needs my strength and love.
I have a leaky roof. I have a house full of dust and a laundry room full of dirty clothes. And I am out of toilet paper. But, you know what? I have friends, family, and a community who need me, and they win out over all of that other stuff (except the toilet paper, that is a necessity!). I will give up everything else, including my pride about my "stuff", so that I can do/be what they need. And even more, I will do it happily. Cuz, as my parents always taught me, don't do something unless you can do it with a good attitude.
My love will shine through my dirty house. My love will shine through my chaotic schedule. My love will shine through my leaky roof. My grass will not be greener, but my heart will be bigger.
Everyone needs help, and I'm not about to say no. So, here is my good attitude - you've got it!
So, about that whole having any energy left over to give those you love thing. Everyone needs help. If I wanted the perfect life, it would require everything from me. Everything. I would have nothing left to give those in my family and community. And the reality is, life isn't about stuff, it isn't about things, it's about people. And I want to be able to give them everything. Everything. Every part of who I am and all I can do to help them. But, if I'm spending all of my time and energy on my life, well, they're just not gonna get it.
Everyone needs help. Varying times, varying situations, varying life struggles. We need so much. So, so, so much. We need each other. As much as our society tries to promote the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality, we cannot argue that no one is truly able to make it through this life (successfully) alone. And even if you could, who would want to? Not me, that's fo sho!
There are two ways to look at everything and everyone in your life needing so very much. It can either make you overwhelmed and frustrated. Or, it can make you take a serious look at your life and re-prioritize how you live it.
So, when everything in your life requires so much, and everyone in your life needs help, what do you do? What, or who, takes priority? Lemme give you a hint. It's the who, not the what. I don't want a clean house, but friends who are struggling and feeling all alone. I don't want a perfectly manicured lawn (as if that would ever happen anyway!), and family who hasn't seen me in a month. I don't want a perfect body, but no one to share my life with. I don't want a relaxed scheduled, but a community who hasn't seen me in weeks, and needs my strength and love.
I have a leaky roof. I have a house full of dust and a laundry room full of dirty clothes. And I am out of toilet paper. But, you know what? I have friends, family, and a community who need me, and they win out over all of that other stuff (except the toilet paper, that is a necessity!). I will give up everything else, including my pride about my "stuff", so that I can do/be what they need. And even more, I will do it happily. Cuz, as my parents always taught me, don't do something unless you can do it with a good attitude.
My love will shine through my dirty house. My love will shine through my chaotic schedule. My love will shine through my leaky roof. My grass will not be greener, but my heart will be bigger.
Everyone needs help, and I'm not about to say no. So, here is my good attitude - you've got it!
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