Change is a coming...

So disappointment in the election results, but God can use Obama just as much as He could use anyone in the presidential seat. Our country needs prayer no matter who are leaders are. They still need our prayers. Now I may joke around about our country becoming communists or things like that, but I still know, at the end of the day, God is in control.

I can go on and on about politics, but I won't. I am sure everyone has read and heard enough about the topic for a while. In other news, one of my homework assignments this week was to read a book called "The On-Purpose Person" It is a really good book. The book has a few exercises to help us become on-purpose people. First it says to create a want list by category: health/phyiscal/recreational, financial/material, family, vocational/career, social/community, spiritural, mental/intellectual, and other. After you create this list you figure out which want in each category is the most important in your life. Then the most important want in each category become your core wants. Then you can figure which of those core wants is most important to you. The book then tells you to create a schedule for your on-purpose day designating time to each category. It was really cool to realize how much of a conscious effort it takes to actually make time for the things most important to you. The book then asks that you create on-purpose statements. Here are mine:
Purpose Statement: I am here to be a positive influence on others through love and encouragement
Vission Statement: To listen, love, and encourage others
Mission Statement: I perform my purpose as a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, student, peer, and church member
Philosophy Statement: To model my purpose by keeping a positive attitude, doing what is right (honest, hard-working), and loving God
Commitment: To always do my best even if I don't feel like it. To make time for friends when they need someon. To avoid things that may bring harm to my witness. To spend time with God everyday. To not allow bad situations to ruin my attitude.

Creating these statements really got me to think more about what I do and why I do it and what I should do. I just felt this was a neat thing to share, because we all know we have a purpose. Even though we do things to fulfill our purpose, we don't really think too much about it. I mean yes my list of things is of stuff I idealy would do, but how often do I bring these things to the front of my mind? Not very often. Only when I make an effort to think about these things do I actually succeed at it.

Another thing I got from reading this book was this quote, "Pain is not something to avoid, but something to enter into with hope for growth and maturity." How true is that statement? We all have to face situations that are tough and hurt. We tend to dwell on the negatives of pain. When we do, we forget that it is these tough, painful situations that help build our character. Now I am not saying we should go and look for pain and be excited about it, but that when we are faced with these situations we use them to make us into better people.

You know what I just realized? What I just wrote, I can turn into my reflection paper on the book. Lol!