The people I knew around that age seemed to have it all together. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm still figuring things out and finally coming into my own. I know how far I've come, but also know how far I need to go. I wonder if they felt the same way I do?
The reality of my turning 50 is I out-lived my mom (she passed when she was 46), so this is new territory and I wish I could have asked her what she was going through physically, where she was at emotionally and with her life. I'm making a map for my girls, and anyone else that needs it.
There have been some things that I have learned that I want to share with you. My gray-haired words of wisdom...yes, I have gray hair and yes I color it. I'm not going down like that! I have made sure my girls know to keep me plucked and colored! :)
1. You can't reason with crazy!
There is NO point, don't waste your energy. If there is a person in your life that never sees their part in conflict, deflects and blames everyone/thing else, can never apologize and always finds you at fault...move on. Be nice, but move on. God says His love leads to repentance. We need to love like He does, but we don't need to have them over for dinner and invite that crazy into our everyday lives.
2. Sometimes you step in poop!
You will be doing life, handling everything and juggling all those balls in your life when BAM! a big pile of poop is all over your favorite shoe. Now, our tendency is to throw our hands up in the air and scream, "Why??? Don't you see what's actually going on here?!" Take a moment. Grieve the beloved shoes. Ask why things keep happening when you're trying your best. It's OK. THEN grab a stick, clean your shoe, and move on. It's called life. It's not a personal attack of the universe against you.
God says we can do all things in HIS STRENGTH! Thank you Jesus!!
3. You can learn something from everyone!
That was one of my Mom's sayings. Deciding who you allow to influence your life is huge. Everyone has good and bad qualities. You can learn what to do and what not to do, both are important. We can easily see flaws in others and think I never want to act like that. So don't. We can see things we admire and wish we could be like that. Do that. We need to realize that we have the potential to be and act in ways that we like and ways we don't a million times every day. Every day is new. Every day should be a learning experience. Everyone has something to teach us. Pay attention.
4. You will have the grace to eat a snake-on-a-stick when you have to eat snake-on-a-stick!
Another one of Mom's sayings. (For my "Redefined" girls I combined this one with the poop one...oops. But let's be truthful, sometimes the snake you have to eat tastes like poop.) :{
There is no point in getting overwhelmed by your calendar, what could happen, all the things going on in your life or the lives of the people you love. You don't have the grace for what's coming next week, because it's not next week. You have the grace for today. Walk in that today. When you need the grace to walk through a situation, such as a crazy period of life, God's grace will be there. Not before it and not after it. Just when you need it. He says it will be enough for all you need. He says it covers you like a tent. Trust Him! ...He's not freaked out!
While we are on the topic of Mom. She also used to say: "I can see clearly now, said the man, as he peed into the wind. It's all coming back to me now." This has little redeeming factor, other than making me chuckle, but...peeing into the wind is never a good thing? or maybe what you put out there comes back? I don't know...
5. You need to embrace your life, where you're at!
When I was younger so much energy and emotion was spent on wanting to be somewhere else emotionally, financially, geographically, spiritually, vocationally. You get the picture. Comparing ourselves to everyone else is NEVER helpful!
I am not as great as I think others are and I am not as awful as I think I am. They are not that great, see #3 and I am that bad. Give yourself a break and take them off the pedestal. OH! Another thing my mom said was, no one poops gold. She was something, that Renee! When I finally stopped fighting and learned to embrace my life, as it was, I found peace. Like Paul, we can say no matter what stage in life I'm in, I am content.
So, there are a few things...
I love you and hope you have a great day!!
Have a piece of cake for me this weekend and enjoy your life!
All my love ~
xo JB
