My life philosophy.

These are phrases and quotes that I keep telling myself to remind me of things that are important or to deal with feelings of discontent and frustration.  They reflect some of the things I have learned and represent who I desire to be.

“…it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of everyday as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus.  It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not.  We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary street, among ordinary people”.  –Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, 1992.

“You have no business trying to find out where God is leading—the only thing He will explain to you is Himself ”.   –Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, 1992.

(definitely my experience!)

My own stuff:

1. Keep expectations simple and realistic.  I expect that:

            Sinners will sin-that is just what sinners do

            Obedience results in nothing but obedience

            God is present

            God’s presence is the blessing

            I will never be anything but human until I die

2. The only person I have to please is God.

            Makes life pretty simple when I can remember this and it is very freeing

3. Take care of the things I am responsible for and let God handle the things He is responsible for.

My body, my mind (thoughts), my feelings, my soul are my responsibility. Others bodies, feeling, thoughts, and spiritual life are for God to deal with.  I may be asked from time to time to participate in this but I want to make sure it truly is God’s will and not mine.  Otherwise, I am asking the person to do my will, not God’s will and become who I want them to be, not who God created them to be.

4. Faith doesn’t take away feelings

 Jesus wept so shouldn’t I expect to have human emotions in response to this life?

To feel angry, sad, afraid, etc. is human not lack of faith and feelings don’t last.  But I also have to deal with those feelings.  Jesus didn’t run from them and neither should I.  The more I share honestly who I am and what I think and feel, the less those feelings control me leaving me free for God to control.

5. God is more concerned with who I am than what I do.

Again, very freeing.  I don’t let my to do list determine my attitude.  I try to keep focused on people, not on tasks.  For example, a few days ago at the grocery store I began feeling very weak and tired.  I had to stop shopping, check out and go home regardless of what was on my list.  But that didn’t keep me from being kind to the grocery clerk.

6. Do what you can and get help for the rest.  Don’t focus on what you can’t do.

We all have limitations.  Some of us are just much more aware of that fact.  Focusing on those limitations just keeps me paralyzed from doing what I can.

7. My name doesn’t go on anything I do, write, or say except my personal story.

This is in response to my ever-present pride.  One of my favorite poems says, “I am not yet weaned from all created glory, honor, wisdom, and esteem of others, for I have a secret motive to eye my name on all I do.” That is me.  I want the glory.  But I know only God deserves the glory for if there is any good in me, it was given to me by God. 

8. I have been given only one purpose in life and that is to show God’s loving kindness to whoever crosses my path that day.

This is independent of the things I do, how much energy I have for the day, or any human thing.  Most days I only see a few people. Occasionally, I am too sick to get out so the person becomes me for that day.

Corollary—it is never wrong to be kind or generous  (03/13/20)

9. I trust that as long as I am focused on my purpose, God’s will is being done.

I don’t have to be aware of it for that to be true.  Sometimes I am very aware that something beyond me has happened or that the Holy Spirit has used me.  Most days I am not.  But I trust that living out my purpose at anytime is the Holy Spirit at work because the desire is God given.

10. Take each day is it comes.

I have no control over what is going to happen or even how well I will feel so I am forced to live day by day, moment by moment.  Whenever I have had a period where I am doing better and I ask God if I will ever go back to work, I get the same answer: one day at a time.  It is clear to me that this is His will for my life-at least for today!