Saturday, January 16, 2010

Living a life you love


   I don't know about you but I come across people now and then who just don't seem to be happy. They are living but they aren't really enjoying life. In their eyes the cup is half empty. This always bothers me a bit.

   I think we can all can live a life that we truly love. God blesses each one of us abundantly and I also think we can make choices that will help us to enjoy life more.

  A while back I had been thinking on this (I think it was after talking to some university students who were getting degrees in fields where they would hopefully make lots of money but didn't enjoy) and I wrote out this list of ways to have a life you love. This is my understanding and thoughts, I would love to hear you opinions!

  1. Follow God. God will give you purpose and direction for your life. He gives us love and hope. In His word are the directions we need for life. If we get this one right we can have a wonderful life no matter what our other circumstances are.
  2. Be Thankful. When you start to count your blessings, life looks pretty good!
  3. Follow your Dreams/Passions. I am totally confused by people that work at some job for years and years and never enjoy it. I would challange them to be a little bit brave and daring, step out of their comfort zone and find out what you really enjoy and find a way to do that!
  4. Surround yourself with People you Love (and learn to truly love the people you are around).  Speaking personally, we have made the choices so that I can stay home every day with my children and homeschool them. We have to live on a little less this way but it is totally worth it to us. In doing this I get to be with the people that mean the most to me every single day!
  5. Surround yourself with Beauty. God created so many beautiful things and I truly think it was for a reason. He created us to enjoy beauty too. I think it is worth it to take the extra time to plant a flower garden, grow a houseplant, find ways to decorate your home nicely (it doesn't have to cost much) and dress in colors that you like.
  6. Be Curious. Stay young and always learning. Life is much more interesting and fun that way!
  7. Be Content. Sometimes we don't get to chose our situations in life. When we learn to be content where ever we are we can still love life!
  8. Think about others. Don't focus on your wants and needs. Thinks about how you can help others instead.

These were just some quick thoughts of mine. I would love to hear what you think!

   
   "Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.
 For, “He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it." 1 Peter 3:8-11

6 comments:

Jackie said...

This is a great list, Abbi! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing. It is a great list. I know it all works too. Thanks.

Greg and Donna said...

Amen and well said! There are so many grumpy, unsatisfied people in the world and they are the ones missing out on life. Enjoy what you have, love your husband & your children, smell the roses! I think us homeschoolers are more atuned to that than some others.

Abigail Jasmine said...

This is great! Thank you for sharing!!
You seem like such a cool/wonderful woman of God!!
Praise to Him!!
<3

Nola said...

Very well said, and a huge encouragement to me. Thank you.

I have always struggled with being "one of those people" who struggle with being negative. Thankfully God saved me and has been showing me how to have joy. He's brought me to places I never would have imagined.

Thank you for this encouragement today. I am going to print this list off.

Abbi said...

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts too.
I appreciate your kind words. Only by God's grace and help can we be who he wants us to be. It is my hope that God can be gloried in my life.

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