Smile

On my way in this morning I was listening to a Christian radio station on Sirus - The Message.  I heard a song by Steven Curtis Chapman.  I don't know the name of the song - but it hit home.  I am always wondering how I am living up as a Christian and is what I do enough, worth anything, etc.  This song talked about no matter what you do as long as you make the man upstairs smile you are doing good. 

I thought about that on my drive in this morning.. is all the things in my life making Him smile.

1) I can really see that I may only be a "Assistant to the Dean" at my job - but as long as I do my work with grace and show others around me like what it is like to be a good Christian through my actions I know He is smiling down at me.
2) I may be the Mom who can't make it to everything b/c I work, but as long as my kids know that I am proud of them and teach them that it is OKAY to not be at every function - that does not mean I love them any less. I prove to them every night at bedtime with a prayer that I love them unconditionally.  I know they are on loan to me from Him and I will do the best I can to teach them about His word,love and sacrifice and for that I know He is smiling down on me.
3) I may be the wife who doesn't cook every night - but my husband knows that I love him unconditionally and walk everyday with him in our marriage and in our Faith.  Sometimes he needs me to follow and sometimes he needs to follow me - but in those moments when we are helping and praying for each other is when I know HE is smiling at me.
4)  I may not be the first person to remember a family members bday but my family knows I love them - I tell them all the time but most importantly I pray for them and I know this makes Him Smile!
5)  I may lose my temper and yell when I should hold my tongue (especially to my kids) and I know at those times He is not happy - but I know when I show the kids that saying "I am sorry" and apologizing for my actions and explaining that is NOT how you handle things and teaching them to say I am sorry and ask for forgiveness makes Him happy.

I know I could keep going on with this list - but I am not sure I would have anyone who would want to read that much - but that is b.c I am human and that is how God made me.  But, most importantly He made me to make mistakes, to learn from them and to always turn to Him.  So I know no matter what I may think I only do - as long as I keep Him first and take each day to make Him smile then I am doing okay.  I feel that my job as a Mom is not only to teach them manners, how to read, share, clean up etc - but it is to teach them the word of our Lord.  It is hard for my kids to sit in church for an hour and try to understand the mass - but eventually they will and they will learn to enjoy it as I have.  I love telling them they don't have to go to church they "GET" to go to church - now they just laugh when they start whining b/c they beat me to the saying - "yes Mom we know we "GET" to go" at those moments I know my Lord is smiling down on me.

Until Next Time.....