A small success is better than no success at all

My 6 year old helps hold his fish.

I started worrying about something today.  I started worrying that you (my readers) may think I perceive myself as a perfect person, or that I may appear something I'm not.  Of course, I could tell you how I spent the last 24 hours with family-- How my 6 year old caught the biggest cod fish out of everyone this morning, or how I slept miserably on the hard floor last night, or even how we had Spaghetti and brocoli for lunch.... and as fascinating as that is ;)  it's not the point of this blog.

My husband and daughters playing cards with the cousins.

For this blog I have chosen to focus on spiritual things.  Yes, things with a more serious nature than  the daily grind of laundry, dishes, meals, and messes.  I also don't feel I need to share woodworking tips,or makeup tips, or even recipes.  My blog is not intended to be a "Do It Yourself" Tutorial to all things we find interesting in life.  Besides, I'm sure you all hear and see and read enough of how you supposedly need to be thinner, or prettier, or smarter, how to wear you make up, do your hair, have the coolest car, or the best electronic gadgets, or the best toys, etc. etc.


What I don't think you or I hear enough of is that you and I have the potential to be happier.  That we can expect to be around people who treat us good, and love us genuinely (not because they want something from us).  I want you to have HOPE.  Hope in realizing that you don't need to keep living as you have been, with no hope of change or no hope of a better life. (Like I used to believe my life couldn't become something really worthwhile.)


I also want you to know you are beautiful or handsome--even if it's not perfectly 
reflected on your face or body.  I want you to feel that real joy comes from improving your heart and spiritual desires, and in focusing on how God can make more of you and I that we ever thought possible.  I want you to know that none of those things can happen unless you really really want it.  Unless you really want to change and are willing to put in some initial effort and increase from there.

So hopefully now that you understand a little bit more of what I see for the vision of my blog, So, if it interests you to get spiritual encouragement in such troubled time, then I hope you'll stay around.  I hope to improve my writing style and clarity with time.  But most of all, I hope you find hope to not just keep living, but to thrive wherever God has placed you.

Here's a story from my day which is regarding my post: ye-also-ought-to-wash-one-anothers-feet.html. (Saturday June 8, 2013...LOL. I fell asleep while I was writing up this post...so I didn't get it posted last night last night....and now it's Sunday  night, June 9.  Sorry, I'll try to do this earlier tomorrow night!:)

When we went to stay the night at my husband's family's house.  I wanted to work  on my blog and some other projects I have going on.  But as I sat there working on my trusty laptop,  I had that nagging reminder of my post from the other night on how we need to serve others (wash each others feet).  Yet here I was in the home of my young widowed sister in law's house, who has four young boys, and many needs, but I was thinking only of my wants. 

I decided to clean up the front entry and front guest room.  I went around picking up trash, moving
shoes, returning things to to the correct spot in the house... I really wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, or even exceptional.  But I was DOING.  Sometimes life is just about that "doing."  Not thinking, planning, or daydreaming.    Often life is just about putting down our own interests in order to stand up and DO, and in return you will not only feel satisfied, others will receive the blessings.  Do something that will make even just a small difference to someone.

I'd also add, without expectation of compliment or praise...which for me is something I'm still working on.  I like to be acknowledged.  I like to hear that I was noticed by a friend or family member.  I like flowery praise of thanks (well, I'm just being honest :) We artists like feedback!)  Really though,  I knew that my intent isn't for a compliment, but to brighten the lives of others, even if only in a small way.  I want to be good and do good things, because I love God...and especially because I love Him a lot more than the most well-thought out compliment.  I felt good about that small effort to "wash" someone else's feet, because it took much more personal effort than initially I'd wanted to spend. 
A small success is better than no success at all! (Hey did I just come up with a Christine-ism.... or has someone already coined those Profound words! :))

Christine