Just Sayin'

It seems like everyone is making lists these days on their blog. Top ten things to do this summer; top ten things NOT to do this summer; top ten things to see when you go to (fill in the blank), top ten recipes to try this summer, top ten things you need to take on summer vacation, top ten restaurants to go to while you’re traveling, or hotels to stay in, or parks to camp in, etc. They’re all fascinating and I feel the need to read every one of them, even if I’m not going on a road trip or to a restaurant or to a campground. Nor do I need advice with what to do with my summer—I have my own list which I have mostly ignored, thank you very much. Still, I can’t resist the lure to make my own list. But I think I’ll stick to five. So here goes. Five Things To Do In Your Life (Is that a BIG enough topic? Ha!) 1. Reach a goal: reaching one goal leads you to take risks, try harder, and learn more. Start small and work up. Dream Big and then share what you’ve learned. 2. Conquer a fear: doing something you are afraid of builds your confidence like nothing else. Picture yourself with arms outstretched flying high on the prow of a boat: I can conquer the world! Again, start small, and then take a leap of faith. Hold someone’s hand when they leap. 3. Nurture a child: if you’re not a mom or dad, get involved with children somehow—children slow us down and force us to notice the small stuff, teaching us about joy. Don’t worry about the messy house or serving leftovers--or even writing (did I just say that?). Consider the lilies of the field… 4. Learn to be grateful: for the bad days as well as the good. Each day teaches us something and appreciating and reflecting on lessons learned brings a sense of peace. Remember, sometimes God calms the storms; other times he lets the storms rage and calms His child. 5. Be rather than Do. Having a daily to-do list and checking things off gives us a sense of accomplishment. But, we need to be more concerned with who we are becoming rather than what we are doing each day. Sometimes, you gotta throw the list away and listen to a friend. (But not this list. Keep this list :-D) Now, if I could only say that I’ve truly accomplished all these things, I could sign off with a flourish. However, since I’m still living, I’m still learning. As soon as I make a little progress in one area, I slip up in another. Ah well, each new day brings opportunity! I’m just sayin’… Maybe the need to read Top Ten lists comes from our need to know what is important to someone, to know them a little better, part of our need to connect. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Have a need to share a list? Please, go for it!