PrayerThere is nothing on this whole entire planet that can take the place of an intimate relationship with God. Prayer is your direct line to the Father. And He likes for you to call Him everyday to check in and see how things are going. If things are good, He wants to know about it. Tell Him all about your days. And when things are crummy, tell Him about it. He wants to help you out. He truly does. I would go so far to say never stop praying. Always be talking to Him. Never shut up. You might think He gets sick of listening to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. Babble. Ramble. Talk til your lungs give out (they won't). He enjoys it. And we should enjoy it, too.
PatienceWait. Pause. Hold your horses. However you want to label it, ya gotta be patient. A lot of times, when we want something, we just go for it. When we don't get it, we're left disappointed and wondering why it's not ours and what we did wrong in the process. The key might not be WHAT we did but WHEN we did it. I know life is short and you can't just sit around and hope for blessings but I do believe that occasionally, some things are worth waiting for. Important things. Really important things. I think back on the biggest elements of my past...the things/people/events that have shaped me the most as a person. Those things did not happen overnight. Those things didn't happen in the blink of an eye. They took time. They took patience. But once I got them/got through them, I was never the same. And in the present, it's all good.
PersistenceWhy be patient if you don't plan on being persistent? Part of patience is keeping a firm grasp on things. Knowing what your heart is set on and not letting go of it. When you have to wait and then you do and things are taking a little longer than you thought they would, are you just going to let go and forget it? Doesn't that seem like a waste of time? True belief in "getting" comes from getting a grip on your wants and needs and understanding what's worth holding on to. Don't let it go if it's really on your heart. Have faith.
PerspectiveOpen your mind. See all sides, the big picture. Travel. Talk to people. Read. Write. Do whatever you have to do to understand that the world does not revolve around you. We each have our own personal little "universe." There are lots of people in our universe. We know them. They are our friends. Our family. Our peers. Our co-workers. our enemies even. Our universe has a setting, a plot, characters. Now zoom out. Your universe is actually just a cog in the giant machine of the REAL universe. Essential? Yes. But center? Not by a long shot. In getting perspective, we are humbled. We are small. But we are also important and loved. Don't forget that part.
PracticeWe all screw up. A lot. If at first you don't succeed...give up (as my theatre friends so ironically said the other day). But my friends were totally wrong (and joking) on this occasion. TRY, TRY AGAIN. If we didn't we'd all end up homeless, jobless, spouseless, friendless, old people. I don't know about you but I don't want that life. Ever. That life sounds God-awful. I want to keep trying. I want to keep putting myself out there. What kind of story will you tell about yourself when you really are old? "Oh yes, I encountered trials in my day as a youngster but I just gave up...ta-da!" ...Don't end up telling that story. Just...don't. K?
PerseveranceSometimes in going through the rest of these "p's", it gets pretty tough. We try to be patient but we end up waiting around forever. With persistence, we end up trying too hard. With practice, we get easily frustrating with ourselves and our personal failures. So through all these seemingly impossible "p's" remember that you are gaining a TON of perseverance. And this "p" is pretty cool. Once we go through a tough experience, we come out of it with a little more wisdom than what we had when we went into it. That's also where perspective comes in here. When the bad stuff happens, yes it sucks and you're totally allowed to be pissed off at the world for a little while. Go right ahead. But don't be bitter for too long. Enjoy the perseverance. You're way stronger than you think you are. You can learn from everything that happens to you. And this strength cannot be gained any other way.
PrioritiesSort 'em out. Know what's number one. And number two. And three. And so on. Write it down if you need to. If superficial things reside at the top of your list, my friend, you need to reprioritize. Put the irreplaceable things at the top. Put the things that you absolutely can't live without at the top. Put the things you truly love at the top. Not the things you want. Not the things you think you need. Get real, honestly and sincerely. Once you have this "p" all sorted out and organized from top to bottom, it will change your attitude and your goals. And although they are not "p's", attitude and goals are two very important elements of life.
PeopleThey'll bug you. They'll disappoint you. They'll piss you off. They'll hurt you. They can be so incredibly horrible sometimes, you wish you were on a deserted island, just so you can get away from everyone and all they're crap they bring with them. But...alas...people are important. Extremely. We need each other. Family. Friends. People are crucial to the human experience. Don't build walls. Let them in. Yes, there is a chance you'll get hurt there. So what? Let people in, gain some of the rest of these "p's." And maybe you'll gain some other nice things. Like love, trust, friendship, companionship, kindred spirits, humor, kindness, and help. People can help. Sometimes people help you the most when they don't even know it. And you know, you help other people when you don't realize it. You really do. People need you, too. So stick around for them. Be the kind of person that you know others can rely on, despite how others treat you. Be the kind of person that YOU would be friends with and trust completely. Don't run from company. You need it whether you like that or not.
PraiseWe all crave the pat on the back. Good job, slugger. Way to go. You're awesome. But sometimes those pats on the back just...don't come. Is it always because we've done something "wrong"? No. But if we sit around all our lives expecting praise for what we do, how can we ever be humble? How can we ever do God's work? We can't. If people want to praise us, that's wonderful. But don't get hooked. Don't get addicted. Enjoy it when it happens, by all means. But what we must always do...no matter what...good times or bad...praise the Lord. He gives us all things. His love and mercy never stop. He created us. Give God the pat on the back! Tell Him how awesome you think He is. Bring that to your prayers! Don't leave it out. We are commanded. But it shouldn't be an obligation. It's a good feeling to praise God. It just gets harder to do when bad things happen. I know. It's really hard. But we have to rise above it. See Him through everything. He's there. And He's still just as awesome as He was when the good stuff was happening. Praise. Praise. Praise.
Power/Popularity/Politics/Pleasure/Peer PressureNo. Just no. Don't go near any of them. They suck. No. No. No. That is all.
Lastly...PeaceWhen peace like a river attendeth my way/ When sorrow like sea billows roll/ Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say/ It is well, it is well with my soul
Find peace. I can't tell you how to find it. It's a different journey for every person and every situation. Each discovery of peace, I think, is a totally unique experience. But when you find it, try to hold on to it. It's a true gift from God.
You know, "preaching" also begins with a "p." ...Maybe that's not a coincidence.
