The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Thanksgiving. It is a choice.

Have you ever felt like you were on the ropes - like you were drowning in the left hooks that can sometimes come upon our lives without warning and, seemingly, without mercy? Have you ever experienced a time in your life when all heck seemed to be breaking loose? I don’t know many who haven’t.

What do you do when you meet that moment when you have so many, different, things coming at you that you can’t even get a foothold to determine which needs dealing with first? How do you smile through this Thanksgiving in the face of disappointment, anger, sorrow, despair, confusion, frustration, helplessness, hopelessness, fear, and anxiety?

My friends, when you feel like your world has turned upside down, find the tiniest little light that you can acknowledge in the dark of your night. Choose the Truth and reject the lie. Make the choice to search your heart for opportunities to give thanks and offer praise.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

New International Version

I share with you my love and wish you peace on this beautiful, miraculous Thanksgiving weekend.

Where are you? And why?

pur·pose (pûrps)
NOUN:

1. The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal.
2. A result or effect that is intended or desired; an intention.
3. Determination; resolution: He was a man of purpose.
4. The matter at hand; the point at issue.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/

Without a clear purpose for the elements of our lives, we are sure to spend energy that we don’t have on drama we don’t want.

Imagine how much more effective you could be if you were crystal clear about your purpose in the places where you show up on a regular basis. How less often would you get sucked up into the theatrics of the moment if you had your purpose as a frame of reference to draw from when things started to get foggy?

My challenge to you today is that you get clear -  really clear -  about where you are, and why. I offer you the following as an exercise that can help you on your path to clarity and purpose:

Think about the different aspects of your life where you exert energy. Here are some examples,

• Are you someone’s wife or husband? If not, are you dating someone?
• Are you a parent to a young child or two? Do you parent a teen(s)?
• What do you do for a living? What is your role there?
• Think about your friendships.
• Reflect on where you live – the quarters, the neighborhood, the community.
• What about your finances? Where are you with those?

Now, consider the following two questions for each one of the above and/or any others that are true for your life:

1. Why am I here?
2. What is my purpose in ________________?

Give yourself the gift of time to get to a place of clarity in each area. Now, once you have that frame of reference, write it down in one simple sentence. For example, "I am in this relationship with _______ because I/to __________."  Use this documented tool to light the path to your goal for that situation, relationship, or temporary circumstance. Keep it handy and refer to it often.

I wish you peaceful purpose in all aspects of your life.

26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly;

I do not fight like a man beating the air."

1 Corinthians 9:26 (New International Version)

www.biblegateway.com

Contact me to discover how we can partner in support of your identifying and maintaining purpose in all aspects of your life.