Purpose {Mother's Day Week Musings}

I had a terrible, grouchy, nothing-went-right day this week. Needless to say, it was not fun. It seemed like everything that could go wrong, went wrong. The kids were naughty and grouchy, I was halfway through making a meal and realized I didn't have the ingredients, I hit my head so hard it ached all day...and on and on and on. I dropped things and hit things and ran into things and got mad at things...you get the picture. I would not wish it on anyone. I was so glad when the day was over.

When I woke up the next morning I was so horribly, awfully ashamed of myself. How could I have let a few {ok, a bunch} of things get me down? I had not chosen joy, I had not chosen God, I was grouchier than the kids and in all honesty, it was quite mortifying to me. There is so much shame in falling short of our own standards ~ let alone God's desires for us. I thought about it a lot all day and knew that I must never let a day like that happen again. I felt God showing me that it is totally possible to choose joy. And I purposed to do that all day, and every day.

And then I read a blog written by a childhood friend whom I have not seen for years and years. And although her post was not specifically about purpose, there was a paragraph that stood out to me.
She basically said she lives her life by the conviction that life is God's gift to her and her response is living a life as a gift for others. {You can read her blog here:  http://charitymaurerblog.com/uncategorized/a-big-announcement-for-cmp-introducing-new-team-member-april/ ~make sure you check out her *amazing* photography!!}

And I was like wow. What purpose!! I need that in my life! And so this is a challenge - a challenge to me and to you-: Every day, have a purpose. And cling to that purpose. And live by that purpose. And think by that purpose. Have purpose, always.

Because of the stage of life I'm in, my purpose will be a relationship with God that pours into my relationship with my husband and children. We can purpose to not have regrets down the road when our children are grown. It is so easy to get caught up in the every day mundane. To do laundry and dishes and floors and dress kids and read Bible Stories with your mind on everything but tending your little "olive plants". What if I added purpose behind each of those? The results would be amazing!

And just having purpose for a day...purpose to blow bubbles, purpose to clean a room, purpose to memorize a verse or try a new recipe or have an all day "I love you" text campaign for your husband. Baby steps in purpose...some days I think that's just what it takes!

I wrote this on my chalkboard cupboard door, because what is better than having inspiration popping out at you all day? :) My chalkboard font skills aren't that great, btw.

What is your purpose?