We've Given Up the Easy Life for the Good Life
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Words To Live By
The other night, I asked Dallin if he had some favorite quotes written down. My sister wants a calendar for Christmas with our favorite quotes. The request made me realize that I don't have a place for favorite quotes. I know I've heard some great ones--things that have helped me. But since I don't write them down, I forget. I've been journaling along with my scripture study for a couple of years, but I would be difficult to sift through those journals and find my "favorite quotes". I read a lot and I have books that I just adore, but it is usually while I'm eating or lying down with the baby. Not exactly the best time to jot down my favorite quotes from the book. It is kind of sad. What treasures I've lost! It made me realize I want to change that.
Especially when I saw Dallin's quote books. They are awesome. He writes quotes from everything: Newspaper, pamphlets, books, movies. And he's read some books that I haven't seen, but reading through the quotes makes me want to read them!
It makes me excited to try harder to give myself time for real study.
Reading the quotes was valuable in another way as well. I've heard Dallin talk about reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren years ago. I had no idea what it was really about. I was truly impressed at some of the material:
"It is impossible to do everything people want you to do. You have just enough time to do God's will. If you can't get it all done, it means you're trying to do more than God intended for you to do (or , possibly, that you're watching too much television)."
Quoting George Bernard Shaw: "This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."
Ouch, I'm afraid there have been times that I've been the clot...
More from TPDL: "You were planned for God's pleasure. God did not need to create you. But he chose to create you for his own enjoyment. You exist for his benefit, his glory, his purpose, and his delight. Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life."
"Bringing pleasure to God is called worship. Worship is not for your benefit. We worship for God's benefit. When we worship our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves. There are benefits to worship, but we don't worship to please ourselves. Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to our creator. Worship is not a part of your life. It is your life."
"Every human activity except sin can be done for God's pleasure if you do it with an attitude of praise."
"Service is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we're more interested in 'serve-us' than service. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, 'who's going to meet my needs?' and starts asking 'Whose needs can I meet?'"
Wow. That was a lot for me to take. It was a wake-up call to how much the self-centeredness of our culture is still influencing me. How far I am from true devotion!
So the next day I decided I was going to try my hardest to ask God what I could do for him instead of thinking of what I wanted to do.
I'd been dealing with a super cranky sick, teething baby for a few days. Not sleeping much. Him needing me all day and night, etc. I got up that morning for scriptures, but I didn't wake the younger kids. I was too tired. Sulley was super fussy after being up for just a short time. I asked what I could do to serve God. The thought that came into my mind was to go back to bed and cuddle with my sick boy.
Sweet! I definitely wanted to do that one, but there was still the subtle difference in doing it for Him.
On my way back to my room, I stopped by the girls' room where they were waking. I told them I would like to make it a day of service. I wanted them to think about ways they could serve the family and serve God. I told them one way was to help the younger kids be happy while I rested with the baby. Daisy's response: "So we don't have to do our jobs today?" Oh boy. I told her that that was actually a wonderful service she could do for our family but I wanted her to choose. I snuggled up, hoping to get some sleep while I comforted my sad baby.
We have a loud house. Nearly all of our floors in the house are wood laminate. Only the very bottom basement has carpet. I can hear everything from my bedroom. Lately the kids had been playing loudly right near my bedroom door when I was trying to soothe the baby to sleep and they got in trouble. So I was hoping they'd play downstairs quietly.
It wasn't long before I was awakened by the pitter-patter of lots of little feet going up and down the hall. I could hear voices. My first instinct was to get angry. I had just gotten the baby to settle down, and I did not want him to wake up. But I quickly caught myself and said, "this is okay. whatever happens is okay. those are the people I love. If I don't get sleep, it doesn't matter as long as I remember that I am here to make Sullivan comfortable. I am doing this for God." I quickly calmed down and dozed a little. The pattering continued and I wondered what they were doing. Then I heard their morning chore music and I realized that the older girls were helping the little kids complete their chores. I was so glad I stifled the anger and I was filled with love. Once the music was over, the house became quiet enough for both me and the baby to sleep soundly for quite awhile.
When I awoke, I found the kids playing quietly. They had all done their chores and schoolwork, including doing some preschool activities with the little ones. How precious!
As I continued my day, I found that many of the things I felt prompted to do for Him are things I already do and enjoy.
By day's end, I felt humbled by the privilege it is to serve God by being a mother. It can hardly be called a sacrifice.
Especially when I saw Dallin's quote books. They are awesome. He writes quotes from everything: Newspaper, pamphlets, books, movies. And he's read some books that I haven't seen, but reading through the quotes makes me want to read them!
It makes me excited to try harder to give myself time for real study.
Reading the quotes was valuable in another way as well. I've heard Dallin talk about reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren years ago. I had no idea what it was really about. I was truly impressed at some of the material:
"It is impossible to do everything people want you to do. You have just enough time to do God's will. If you can't get it all done, it means you're trying to do more than God intended for you to do (or , possibly, that you're watching too much television)."
Quoting George Bernard Shaw: "This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."
Ouch, I'm afraid there have been times that I've been the clot...
More from TPDL: "You were planned for God's pleasure. God did not need to create you. But he chose to create you for his own enjoyment. You exist for his benefit, his glory, his purpose, and his delight. Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life."
"Bringing pleasure to God is called worship. Worship is not for your benefit. We worship for God's benefit. When we worship our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves. There are benefits to worship, but we don't worship to please ourselves. Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to our creator. Worship is not a part of your life. It is your life."
"Every human activity except sin can be done for God's pleasure if you do it with an attitude of praise."
"Service is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we're more interested in 'serve-us' than service. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, 'who's going to meet my needs?' and starts asking 'Whose needs can I meet?'"
Wow. That was a lot for me to take. It was a wake-up call to how much the self-centeredness of our culture is still influencing me. How far I am from true devotion!
So the next day I decided I was going to try my hardest to ask God what I could do for him instead of thinking of what I wanted to do.
I'd been dealing with a super cranky sick, teething baby for a few days. Not sleeping much. Him needing me all day and night, etc. I got up that morning for scriptures, but I didn't wake the younger kids. I was too tired. Sulley was super fussy after being up for just a short time. I asked what I could do to serve God. The thought that came into my mind was to go back to bed and cuddle with my sick boy.
Sweet! I definitely wanted to do that one, but there was still the subtle difference in doing it for Him.
On my way back to my room, I stopped by the girls' room where they were waking. I told them I would like to make it a day of service. I wanted them to think about ways they could serve the family and serve God. I told them one way was to help the younger kids be happy while I rested with the baby. Daisy's response: "So we don't have to do our jobs today?" Oh boy. I told her that that was actually a wonderful service she could do for our family but I wanted her to choose. I snuggled up, hoping to get some sleep while I comforted my sad baby.
We have a loud house. Nearly all of our floors in the house are wood laminate. Only the very bottom basement has carpet. I can hear everything from my bedroom. Lately the kids had been playing loudly right near my bedroom door when I was trying to soothe the baby to sleep and they got in trouble. So I was hoping they'd play downstairs quietly.
It wasn't long before I was awakened by the pitter-patter of lots of little feet going up and down the hall. I could hear voices. My first instinct was to get angry. I had just gotten the baby to settle down, and I did not want him to wake up. But I quickly caught myself and said, "this is okay. whatever happens is okay. those are the people I love. If I don't get sleep, it doesn't matter as long as I remember that I am here to make Sullivan comfortable. I am doing this for God." I quickly calmed down and dozed a little. The pattering continued and I wondered what they were doing. Then I heard their morning chore music and I realized that the older girls were helping the little kids complete their chores. I was so glad I stifled the anger and I was filled with love. Once the music was over, the house became quiet enough for both me and the baby to sleep soundly for quite awhile.
When I awoke, I found the kids playing quietly. They had all done their chores and schoolwork, including doing some preschool activities with the little ones. How precious!
As I continued my day, I found that many of the things I felt prompted to do for Him are things I already do and enjoy.
By day's end, I felt humbled by the privilege it is to serve God by being a mother. It can hardly be called a sacrifice.
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