I think about negative people. They are always complaining and wishing things were different for themselves. But negative begets negative, people! I will never forget my sissy, Katie, asking me if I thought she was an Eeyore. I didn't quite understand at first. She explained that an Eeyore is one who is always complaining and feeling sorry for themselves. These are the people that usually, pardon my French, have SUCKY lives due to their own pity parties. They are people who are so caught up in negativity that they cannot see the blessings and beauty that God has put right in front of their eyes.
You may wonder why I chose to write this now. Well, after careful Facebook observation (during grad class- Ahhhhh, I miss the days of playing Snood instead of listening at Franciscan) I have seen that negative people are all around and their disease is contagious. I get that we have to vent about our misfortunes, but PUBLICLY? Come on, peeps! We are better than that.
I must say, to the outsider, my life looks like a steaming pile of rancid you-know-what. BUT I AM HAPPY.... I am not only satisfied but I think I have the best husband, best kids, best job, best sisters and brothers, best parents, best nieces and nephews, best EVERYTHING! My life is chaotic (not the Britney version) but there is beauty in the breakdown (Ahhh, Garden State). BE PRESENT in your own life. My sister bought me a thankful journal back when I found out I was preggo with Kolbe (my darkest time, thus far) and Matthew and I religiously fill out a couple things we are grateful for. We never go more than a couple weeks without being thankful (usually every other day) and it is on the counter for frequent use.
This is not to say that I don't have days where I should stay in bed all day so I don't infect others with negativity. Believe you me, there are times when I hide in the bathroom/closet/room/behind the couch. The only difference between myself and an Eeyore is that I chose not to write about it on Facebook (unless it is a funny story) and I even chose not to tell my family about it.
Car repairs, home repairs, losing things, kids doing dumb things, spouses being STUPID (never mine, lol), siblings being mean, etc. WILL HAPPEN. I chose to move past that stuff rather quickly. I chose to not wallow in my own self pity. I chose to move on to the amazing things that God wants me to focus on so I don't lose focus of Him as number one. I think of a sweet friend from college, Shelly, who has a child that has significant struggles and she seems so positive. Or another friend from college, Lindsey, who just had MAJOR complications during childbirth and is EXTREMELY positive.
It is no surprise that when I miss mass (yes, I admit occasionally I make excuses to not go because toddlers are just SO wonderful in mass) or when I need to wash my soul clean of mortal or venial sins through confesh, I am cranky. I am a lesser wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, teacher. When I am not praying the way I should, not living out my vocation of love the way I should, or not remembering that a thankful heart is a happy heart (Thanks, VeggieTales) I am broken and need to quick tune up.
Moral of the story: Choose your own adventure (Just don't open the door or you will fall to your imminent death----- that is a 80's/90's reference to the book series in case you didn't get it) Write positive things on your facebook/blog DAILY. Get over bad things quick and revel in good things for longer periods of time. Watch TED talks and start writing in a Thankful Journal (Thanks, Katie).
Lots of Love, Home Slicies! God is good all the time, all the time God is good!
