Don't you just love those cliche sayings? You know the ones, 'if life gives you lemons, make lemonade'. You know the type.
While these sayings can be fun and worthwhile at times... it is often the motto we come up with ourselves while we are in the thick of things that are the most powerful and important.
I have two life motto's that I try and live by.
The first is, 'my husband is a gift, so think of him that way'. I learned this idea from a strengthening your marriage class Eric and I took when we were first married. Think of Christmas morning, you run to the tree start opening your presents and say "oh wow, this is nice, but I don't really like that it is green.. or I don't like this or that about it." You would never do that (or at least I hope you wouldn't).
So why do we often do that with the people that are most important in our lives. Why do we look for the things that annoy us or bug us? Yes, we all need to improve and change and some things might truly be dangerous or bad; but most things, if we look at them (to borrow another cliche) through rose colored glasses might just disappear all together.
Just like the Gratitude/Thank you game I told about in the Time for Tots Day yesterday, there is always something good that can be found. So I try and see and concentrate on those things.
My other motto: "I cannot do it. So do it for me." Now I am not a big baby or a quitter. I have just come to learn in life that there are some things that are completely impossible for me to do. Whether it be forgiveness, trust, hope, or just the strength to make it through the day...without asking my Heavenly Father for help. When I surrender my will to Him, He does it for me. He gives me the strength, the peace, the courage to keep going and make it through. When I put my own stubborn will forward and insist on doing it myself... more often than not I fail.
So as I live this crazy thing called life I try and remember my motto's and just take it one day at at time.
Well, I dig your mottos!
ReplyDeleteReally REALLY dig them!!
i have to remind myself of that about my husband when I start getting negative and whiny! He is a gift and I should treat him as such! Good Post!
ReplyDeleteI love your post! I try to never even think of the annoying things of my husband (what annoying things? He is perfect!) because I know the more one dwells on the negative, that becomes all they can see. I love the Christmas gift analogy. And it is true that we sometimes need help, and I love that you are so quick to ask for it. I have to struggle until I fall to my knees because I am just that proud and stubborn. I guess I should learn from you. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is such an inspirational post, Emmy. I loved how you added your own twist on Mama Kat's writing prompts.
ReplyDeleteI think I may need to adopt your mottos in my own life. Just the mantras I need for the new year.
Thanks!
Fabulous post! Love it. And now you've given me two more awesome mottos :)
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading that TODAY. Not yesterday or tomorrow, I needed it today! So great . . . thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love both of those mottos. My husband and I try to say "I appreciate you because ____" at least once a day. The best is doing it as a quick surprise phone call in the middle of the day! I'm going to make it a New Years Resolution to be better at the 2nd.
ReplyDeleteAlso: I love the BYU Cougars too :-)
I think your mottos are pretty darn good and things we all need to remember. I'd have to think for a little bit what my own motto is!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm struggling with the whole forgiveness thing right now. This really helped!
ReplyDeleteI love your mottos! It really is true that sometimes we need to surrender to the Lord and have him help us. And he does it lovingly. Love your post Emmy.
ReplyDeleteIt is the hardest to accept help. I am really bad about it. Even when I am sick. I feel guilty about lying around like third base. What is that???
ReplyDeleteThat's cute about your husband being a gift. i like it. i like it a lot.
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