1. Don’t commit to too many things. You will not do your best and will end up disappointing someone.
2. School is not the end all/be all. Kids can have mental health days, too.
3. My body is the shape it is. I can constantly try to change it or I can love it no matter the shape.
4. You don’t have to parent like your parents did.
5. I will take a gift of “experience” over a material item any day.
6. Blood is thicker than water, but water is way more fun to be around than blood.
7. Clutter is suffocating.
8. If your spouse and kids aren’t the highest priority next to God, fix the situation.
9. Always apologize to your kids when you are wrong. Then ask for forgiveness.
10. Therapy is the best gift I’ve given myself and the best gift Edd and I have given to our marriage.
11. I have no time for high maintenance friendships. I don’t say this to be rude. It’s just a fact I’ve learned.
12. True friends can go months without talking and pick up as if no time went missing. These are the friendships I cherish.
13. God’s Word (Bible) does not change, but our interpretations do.
14. Facebook can be life giving if you choose to follow the right people.
15. Twitter just sucks.
16. Middle age is not too late to start a new career.
17. I will “walk forward and trust.” (God speaking to me through Ken Wytsma)
18. You can be a parent to your kid instead of a “friend” and they will still love you – and even tell their friends they love you.
19. Other than a house, no non-emergency item is worth going into debt. (And I only excuse the house because I know we can sell if necessary.)
20. I will not listen to advice about child raising from those who have not raised children.
21. I became a better teacher after I had children.
22. God has the strangest sense of humor.
23. I know when you’re lying. I may act like I don’t. But I do.
24. I have no time in my life for the passive aggressive behavior by others. If you can’t tell me what you need, I’m not going to spend time trying to figure it out.
25. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. How much sweeter then, when good things happen to good people?
26. Our government lies, no matter the political party. So sad.
27. Being in a Disney Park will always make me happy.
28. I’m glad all of my prayers aren’t answered with “Yes”.
29. Every person I’ve ever met has something to teach me.
30. God is in our schools. You don’t have to keep asking to “bring Him back”.
31. Life is too short to read boring books. If after “50 + your age” pages are read (95 for me) and you still don’t like what you’re reading, hand it off to someone else.
32. I am not Donald Miller, Michael Hyatt, Leo Babauta or “Flylady”. No matter how much they advice me on how to do things the easier way, my life will never look the same as theirs. I have to find a system that works for me.
33. If I feel the need to make my house spotless before you visit, we are not close enough friends.
34. In the Bible, Paul and John Mark had VERY different ideas about ministry. (Acts 15) They argued. They separated. Yet, both brought glory to Jesus in their work.
35. Homosexuality isn’t a choice any more than heterosexuality is.
36. You will never know what is going on inside another family dynamic unless you are part of that family.
37. I will not go to Disneyland in the summer. Too much money, too many people.
38. My idea of a diet is not eating cheap ice cream.
39. It doesn’t matter who denies it, there is still racial prejudice in our “land of the free.”
40. The internet sucks me away. I haven’t actually remedied this yet, but it is a fact I’ve learned.
41. I only have 24 hours each day. I cannot blog, radio, read, work on book, chauffer kids, be a mom, be a wife, be a friend, exercise, complete domestic duties and have quiet time with God in that period of time. Something has to give. I think I’ll start by giving up domestic duties.
42. God didn’t say “Keep the Sabbath” to be mean – He gave it as a gift.
43. We all have disabilities. Some you can see, some you can’t. Some are physical, some are psychological.
44. Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (James 1:19) Still trying to master this.
45. There is only one of me. I can make the most of that opportunity or trash it – but ultimately the decision is mine.
I’ve repeatedly but the notion I could even be middle-aged. But then, same as you :-), I doubled my age and realized I am as well. Such a beautiful post I’m 46 next month and may endeavor to do the same…
If you do write a “46 things” post, I can’t wait to read it!
LOVE this list Andee! You rock! You are so down to earth and real and these are great varied thoughts! I agree with so much of these-about friendships (can’t do high maintenance either!) and saying you are sorry to your kids and you don’t have to parent like your parents.
Cornelia Becker Seigneur recently posted…Day 20: Pray for your kids and let them know