On my mind...Part 2

Last week I felt this nagging feeling that something was off. I tried putting it into words, or atleast writing some of the things that I couldn't stop thinking about down, but I'm still feeling this strange, uneasiness...and I don't know why.

A couple weeks ago at church, something resonated within me. The message was simple. Be more Christ-like. Not to say 'Be perfect,' but every morning when you wake up believe that you can do better, and say to yourself "Today I'm going to be a better ____." Well, I've been trying to do just that. It's not always when I first wake up, but at some point during the day I remember to say to myself...

I want to be a better mommy... or...
I want to be a better wife... or...
I want to be a better daughter...
I want to be a better sister...
I want to be a better aunt...
I want to be a better friend...
I want to be a better person...
I want to be a better child of God...

I really feel like this simple exercise has helped me to feel a little more centered, and a little more conscious of my words and actions. With that said, and with these things more often on my mind, it's led me to really dig into what they mean to me. To say it and think it is one thing, but what can I do to actually accomplish it? Well I've decided to allow my thoughts to elaborate, and this is what I've come up with...

*I don't want to be angry, or spiteful when someone hurts me.
*I don't want to be unforgiving, or unforgiven. If someone is seeking my forgiveness, and I sincerely believe that they are sorry for what they've done, then I want to be able to forgive them, even if someone else thinks I shouldn't or they don't deserve it. Jesus died for me....To forgive me of my sins...whether I deserve it or not.
*I don't want to be unavailable when someone needs me...because I know there will come a time when I will need them right back.
*I don't want to break promises or be untrustworthy. Just because I don't think something is all that important, doesn't mean that it isn't the world to someone else.
*I don't want to end up missing amazing people that are dear to my heart, just because I couldn't find time for them. If I ever truly lost one of these people, I don't want to have any regrets.
*I don't want to feel like I always have to do more than my share, just to measure up in my own mind, and I don't need to feel like I have to measure up to anyone else either...I need to remember that the most important people love me just the way that I am.
*I don't want to have such high expectations of other people that I always feel let down, or they feel like they are always letting me down. Lord knows I'm not perfect, and neither is anyone else.
*I cannot worry about things that are out of my control...I can only control my reaction.

So, I guess my point is this...we should all spend less time worrying about the little day-to-day aggrevations that in the grand scheme of things don't matter. Why waste time being angry and hurt and disappointed?

Make the best of this gift of life that we are given. Forgive and love one another.