My Eleven Little Secrets

My friend Mark over at {grow} always inspires me and yesterday wrote a post with his 11 little secrets to his approach to life that help him achieve peace in his heart and mind. He took the challenge from another blogger and many have followed suit. I've wanted to get back into blogging for a while now and this was the inspiration I needed to get started. I can't promise anything about the regularity of my blogging going forward, although I do want to, but I can promise that what follows comes from the heart. These ideas help me form my priorities and keep focused on what I believe are the keys to joy and contentment in my life. I don't always meet my own expectations, but I continue to strive, day by day and moment by moment, to remember who I am and whose I am in my perfectly imperfect way.

Father + Spirit + Jesus. I am a woman of faith. I know that I am a redeemed daughter of the Father, inspired by the Spirit to live my life in response to what Jesus Christ did for me [and you] on the cross.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9 NIV

I respect and submit to my husband. (gasp) That's a tough pill for a lot of women to swallow. It was for me, too, in my first marriage to my abusive husband. But, God blessed me with a wonderful Christian man in my current marriage. We have been married almost 17 years and, truthfully, I can don't need much more than one hand to count the times we have even raised a voice at each other. Now, I am no door mat. I'm educated, opinionated and assertive. I make my feelings and opinions known when necessary. But, I don't sweat the small stuff and have learned that being right isn't worth disrespecting my husband. Do you know what is more important to a man than sex? Respect!! If you want your husband to love you, support you, spoil you then treat him with respect. The husband is ordained by God as the spiritual head of the household. Who am I to interfere with God's plan? Besides, his job is much harder...to love his wife as Christ loved the church. Wow! I only have to submit and respect him. He is supposed to live a sacrificial life for me, even giving up his own life to protect mine. Girls, I think we got off easy. :)

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24 NIV

There is no more important [or harder] job than raising your children well. The hardest job I've ever had is the one I have now: a full-time stay at home mother. In the 50's I would have been called a housewife. I think there is significance to the change in title. Parenting is tough work. Each stage brings its own joys and challenges. I have two grown sons and a 4 year old daughter. My husband and I will be licensed soon to foster to adopt from foster care. We are good at being parents and feel that God is calling us to parent more children. I think God is crazy sometimes, but I pray to know His will and allow Him to direct my steps. And I rest in the knowledge that God always equips those that He calls. My God is faithful so there is peace in taking these leaps of faith.

Train up a child in the way he should go: even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 ESV

Joy. One of the great blessings of young children is the freedom to act like a kid again myself. My daughter is 4-1/2 [can't forget the 1/2 :)] and my grandson is 2-1/2, although he lives in another state. Children laugh and play and act silly with total abandon and don't even know or care who's watching. Hannah is a constant reminder to take joy in as many moments in the day as possible, to appreciate the simple things and to play. I don't think youth is wasted on the young. I think the young have it right. Our days are numbered. Shouldn't we live as if we know that? I try to.

Be joyful always... 1 Thessalonians 5:16 NIV

I pray. Prayer is not just something I do everyday. It's something I do all day. I pray long prayers, short prayers, bullet prayers, while driving, walking, cooking. I live a life of prayer. I keep prayer lists and journals, flag e-mails with prayer requests, and yes....I even pray out loud....in front of people. I prayed as I began this post. I know a lot of wonderful prayer warriors that are much better at praying than I am and I am grateful for their example. I try not to worry about whether or not I get all my thoughts organized or if I get tongue tied on my words. Why? Because God doesn't care about my words. He cares about my heart.

Pray continually...  1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV

I'm thankful. For my faith, my family, my health, nature, flowers, relationships, friends. The list goes on. At the end of each day I take an inventory. I think about mistakes and apologies I may owe, but I focus on the good in my life. I am one blessed woman and making a habit of counting those blessings puts a smile on my face and centers me.

Give thanks in all circumstances...  1 Thessalonians 5:18a NIV

I'm content.  In 2004 God called me to adopt our daughter in China. He called my husband to work at our church for 1/2 his salary. We obeyed both. We sold the Mustang GT convertible, Navigator and Harley Davidson motorcycle to eliminate the car payments and finance the international adoption. We cut cable, the land line, and the wine budget. We chose to live differently. And we don't miss a thing. Except maybe the convertible on a beautiful spring day. :) I am content.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11b NLT

What I'm doing in 5 years is none of my business. It's God's business. Now, that doesn't mean I don't plan and learn and grow. I have goals as a Christian, woman, wife and mother. But I remain flexible in my plans to allow for God's redirection. No matter who wonderful my plans are, His plans for me are always better.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Serve others. This isn't just about giving back or paying forward, although those things are certainly included. Service is what I am called to do. What God created me to do. I am God's masterpiece! Isn't that amazing? And before I was born he had planned good things for me to do. Works do not secure my salvation. Works are my response to an active faith. It's living my faith. Currently, I mentor younger mothers in my Mother of Preschoolers group, where I serve as Prayer & Care Coordinator, work registration for vacation bible school (over 1200 kiddos!), and facilitate a Christ-centered recovery group. It's wonderful to see God's fingerprints all over the lives of others and serving keeps me focused outside of myself.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Accountability. At my core I am shy and insecure. I've struggled with low self-esteem most of my live. I have come to realize that my worth doesn't come from what I think of me or what others think of me. My worth comes from what God thinks of me and He thinks enough of me to have sent His only Son to die for my sins. Wow! I must be pretty spectacular. :) I surround myself with wonderful Christian friends, mostly women but a few men, that call me on my crap. And I do the same for them. We were created for community. And I live in a wonderful community.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 4:16 NIV

I need to let my right brain tell my left brain to shut up. I'm a CPA by education and examination. And I fit the type. I like order and precision, right and wrong, black and white. But there is a strong need in me to be creative. I've learned that I don't have to be perfect and to appreciate the things that I create whether it's scrap booking, quilting, counted cross stitch or crochet. I'm a happy person when I allow myself time in my girl cave.

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

Well...there is my top eleven little secrets and they are, more or less, in order of importance to my happiness and well being. I'd love to hear yours!