Five Things Friday: Remember Me

Okay, truth. Today is Saturday. But let’s play pretend. Let’s pretend I actually did write this down when I thought about it.

The other night driving home, I was catching up on podcasts and listening to The Simple Show. Tsh’s guest was a woman who took the blog of her late friend and turned it into a book. She reorganized a few posts, added some context, and basically let her friend write her own book about her life motto – choose joy. It was a beautiful interview that’s totally worth checking out, and it got me thinking. What would a book about this blog say about me? Does my blog explain my life motto? Obviously, not everyone publishes drafts of chapters every time we click ‘new post,’ not everyone has been blessed that way or chosen to have that kind of message. But we all ARE leaving footprints. Where do mine lead?

Perhaps the more important question is where do I want them to lead? What do I want people one day to run across this site and take away about me? It’s all about perspective, right?

Five Footprints I Want to Leave Here:

1. I adore my husband.
We fight over dumb stuff (but only dumb stuff) and we get agitated sometimes but this man is my best friend. I’ll never stop trying to impress him, to support him, to help him, to feed him. You don’t get to badmouth him, you don’t get to question his morals, you don’t get to sabotage him. We’re a team, even if we may have trouble getting in sync, that’s our problem, not yours.

2. I believe in God, Our Father, and I believe He works things out in the end.
He sent His son to live with us and teach us by example and die for us, because humans are never going to be perfect. His love is perfect and that’s enough for me. You can’t believe in that and accept His offering without accepting the responsibility that comes with it – to follow His rules. That’s where we (as humans) have trouble, but when your heart is in the right place, you’ll get better. But things that happen to us aren’t because of us, they’re for us. Collectively. What happens to you might be a lesson for me. He’s giving us lessons always, even if it feels wrong or unfair or hurts, the lessons always work out for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

3. I’m not perfect and some of these flaws are here to stay. And I can accept that.
I’m lazy by nature. I will always find ways to procrastinate work until tomorrow. Sometimes I still work, just on other junk, and sometimes I just watch My Diet is Better Than Yours and Biggest Loser and Shark Tank all day. I have an insane tolerance for clutter and dog hair. I feel like the people around me need to know my every thought (maybe that’s why my blog is stream of consciousness-personal opinion-word vomit). I hold other people to a higher standard than I hold myself. I do feel guilt over a lot of things I do, but some aren’t going away. I’ll always want someone else to decide where we eat. I’ll always go the extra mile and then complain about it. I keep striving to improve, but I don’t hate myself for being a work in progress.

4. Never stop learning and asking questions and getting new perspectives.
I read, I find podcasts, I read Wikipedia to inspire more ideas, I want to know why this is the best way before I make a decision. My 101 in 1001 is full of things I want to see for the first time or make myself do a second time or discover things I didn’t even know I wanted to do. I love my job because although I’ve been in the same area for five years, I’m still learning new stuff.

5. Do things that bring you happiness whenever you can, especially if it involves making someone else happy too.
Do you like cheesy old movies? Watch them. Do you enjoy working out? Pump it. Do you like singing or writing or dancing for others? Perform your heart out. Life is too short for just the “have-to-do” list and your soul needs to play on the “get-to-do” list every now and then. Laughter is so beautiful. I never pass up a chance for a pun or some wit (okay, okay, or “that’s what she said.” I find it hilarious,  no matter what my husband says) because I think there is always a light side.

I’m sure more things – better lasting impressions – will come to me. Layers of legacies, if you will. But if I can leave at least this much, I think I’d be content. This is how I want you to remember me.