During my Sunday School lesson, we came up with three words that describe Naomi and Ruth. These words were Loyal, Loving and Selfless.
What words describe you now? What words would you want to have describe you?
Here is the list of words I would like…
1) SELFLESS
2) CARING
3) SUPPORTIVE
4) HONEST
5) PASSIONATE
6) FAITHFUL
Unfortunately I think people would use only two, maybe three of those words to describe me at this stage of my life.
Here is what each word means to me and some examples of people that I would use the words to describe…
When I think of someone being SELFLESS, I think about giving when it requires a sacrifice on your part. Sure, I would love to be described as GIVING but I think SELFLESS means so much more. One of the men in my class shared a story of how his father worked 3 jobs in order to support his sons’ sports and tournaments. A woman in the glass shared how she was struggling in college to make ends meet and her sweet aunt bought her a bed so that she didn’t have to sleep on the floor. Those are examples that can inspire us and help us see what it truly means to be SELFLESS.
CARING requires sacrifice, just as being selfless does. CARING means giving of yourself to provide for the needs of another. It means providing a safe place and nourishment, but it also means so much more. It means taking care of the extra things that they need. One man in my class shared how he takes care of his widow mother. He said that he visits her and runs her around on errands but what she really needs is time to visit with her family and friends. As a mother, I hope I am not only CARING for my girls, but CARING for my husband, our parents, our siblings and cousins. I want to be able to CARE for others in need as well – and to reach beyond the walls of my home requires some effort.
Being SUPPORTIVE means being there for your family, friends and community whenever you are called upon to do so. As a parent, it means standing next to your child in ever trial they face as well as every success. I do not believe that SUPPORTIVE means that we remove the opportunities for our children to learn valuable lessons through their trials, but it does mean being there to help them if and when they need us. I think it is easy to show up and appear SUPPORTIVE, but being truly SUPPORTIVE is very exhausting because it means more than attendance. It means sharing in the stress and the challenge and the glory. I think that this is one of the words that people would use to describe me. I may not sit through every lesson of the girls, and I may not be the one giving Jade every practice spelling test, but I am there for them whenever they need me and I share their stresses, joys and sorrows. So, I guess I hope this is one of the words that people would use to describe me.
I would hope that people see me as HONEST. Last week, I was lucky enough to meet a blogger that I really admire. I admire her because she is so HONEST in her blog. She shares who she is and the pain as well as the joy in her life. I have read her blog for quite some time, and I’m not sure even how I came upon it, but I fell in love with it the first post I read. I truly want to be more like her. I want to share more of who I am. I may not had to go through some of the trials I view as the hardest: the death of a child, the loss of a pregnancy, the impossibility of getting pregnant, the break-up of a marriage, or the loss of a parent. In many ways, my life has been very easy. I know that that is because I am not strong enough to handle any “real” trials. In fact, I have brought on many of my trials by my own actions and blindness. But, I hope that the lessons I have learned can be shared as HONESTLY and openly as this friend has shared hers. To me, being HONEST is being who you really are no matter the setting. It means your children see the real you and your friends see the same you. No matter your situation, you are HONEST about your beliefs and values.
It is easy to find PASSION in many places, it is not as easy to be PASSIONATE in all things that matter. I want to be PASSIONATE about my husband, my daughters, my family, my faith, my hobbies, my joys. The perfect example of this is my cousin, Cass. She is truly PASSIONATE in all that she does. She is a mom, a wife, an artist, a blogger, a gardener, a photographer, a friend, a runner, a belly dancer, a biker and a queen of crafts. Absolutely everything she does, she embraces with an amazing zest. We took a belly dancing class together. She ended up making an amazing belt, she bought music, she practiced it home and she got her daughter to take it with us. I never feel like Cass is doing just enough to get by. She even makes us amazing gifts for Christmas that are personalized. Cass is PASSIONATE and I want to be like her.
The last word I want to have describe me is FAITHFUL. I mean FAITHFUL in every sense of the word. FAITHFUL in the gospel. FAITHFUL by leaning on the Lord at times of trials. FAITHFUL to my husband in word, thought and deed. I want my husband to know that he is the light of my life (as are our two beautiful girls). He is the strength that keeps me getting up each morning to tackle the day. He is my joy and my balance- without him, I would forget about playing and would forget to seize the moment. I want to be FAITHFUL in my marriage and not speak ill of any frustrations I may have. So, basically, I want to FAITHFUL in my heart, mind and actions. FAITH without works is dead, and works without FAITH will only go so far.
This week, I’m going to work on the last one on my list. I’m going to lean on the Lord and have FAITH that He will lead me and guide me. I will turn to Him in prayer each morning and night.
Now your turn, what words do you want to describe you? Which one of those words will you work on this week?
