Sometimes, you need to live a quote – and by living the quote, you can smell the basil, the rosemary, lavender and thyme from the garden on your fingertips
and you can savor a half-dozen pairs of hands reaching for out-of-the-oven warm chocolate-chip muffins
or a smile thrown my way by one of my growing-up boys
or sitting, just sitting, with my aunt on a rainy day
or an early morning call with my mom
or brown smudge on my retriever’s nose from digging mole holes
or an encouraging note from a friend
and feeling the love from those God gave you – over a bowl of curry chicken, or a cup of honey-infused lemon sorbetti tea
the first-person story of a son pushing himself over a challenge to be who he thought he was
a to-do-nothing time with my husband – no outside challenges invited or allowed to crash in
and the first, second and third person story of my boys helping my husband build a dream
Yes, sometimes, you have to live a quote, in order to see yourself as God sees you, to be who God designed you to be – and know it. Sometimes you have to live a quote to let go of things we were not designed to carry.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered,
forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives,
be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies,
succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you,
be honest and frank anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous,
be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow,
do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough,
give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God,
It was never between you and them anyway” (Mother Teresa)
Sometimes you have to teach yourself to recognize that what you do, how you live, the decisions you make, what’s really in your heart – how your children, your parents, your neighbors and everyone you walk by in the daily – their interpretation doesn’t matter a hill of beans – it’s only what’s between you and God in the living of it that matters.
I realize all too often I am still to concerned with pleasing others instead of a focus on what’s between me and God. It’s becoming all too clear that I need more and more time with Him. My priorities are out of whack. Great message. Blessings.
I love quotes and do find them as great guideposts and often correction posts to steer my way. This is so poetic. lovely writing. Thanks for starting my day off on the right note.
Amen. Well said. I’m working through something right now to which this applies and is further confirmation that I’m on the right track. Thank you.
Awesome!!!!!! I needed this today! Thank you for being such an inspiration!
Well said! I find that I am too concerned with trying to please others, but I’m slowly breaking away from that bondage. It’s incredibly freeing, but very hard to do. Sometimes we do have to live a quote in order to see ourselves correctly. Great post! Visiting from the Salt and Light Linkup.
You are so right. When we get to the point all over voices but His are a hill of beans, we are in the right spot!! xoxo
I wasn’t quite sure where you were going with this……….then I got to the end. Wonderful words.
It’s really between us and Jesus.
This is so true, Maryleigh. It’s one thing to know about something; it’s another thing altogether to KNOW something through a direct experience.
I Maryleigh, those words from Mother Theresa are so profound. To live them, we would never be offended or riled up. Great words to try live up to. Also words I truly needed to hear/read this week.
God bless
Tracy
Ok, that was supposed to read HI Maryleigh! 🙂