“People are often unreasonable and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.  If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.  If you are honest, people may cheat you.  Be honest anyway.  If you find happiness, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.  The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.  Do good.  Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.  Give your best anyway.  For you see, in the end it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.”
– Attributed to Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I wish I was always mindful of these words.  Too often, I find my identity in what others think.  Too often, my actions are based on fear of how I think others see me or judge me.  Too often, I think the way the world thinks, or encourages me to think, instead of listening for God’s wisdom.

I am on a journey that has a lot of bumps in the road, many twists and turns and obstacles that tempt me to change course.  Just yesterday, while thinking things were going my way, something negative happens and it challenges me to put a damper on how I see everything.

Today is a new day with many challenges.  I wish I knew I would see them all for what they are and keep moving forward.  Maybe I will.  If I can simply remind this journey is between God and me I will keep moving forward, maybe slower at times, but always forward.

I remember the story of Job and it reminds me that endurance and perseverance are not without wounds and losses.  This world is hard.  I’m ready for the next but know I must keep going, persevering, until the end.  There is a reward waiting AND there are good things along the journey.  My focus and my heart have much to do with how I see the journey and accept it’s joys and it’s challenges.

I wish I was able to see it all as Mother Teresa writes.  Maybe I will soon.

Grace and peace.