Keep It Simple

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 1 Corinthians 1:12

Keep it simple.That sounds real easy doesn’t it? It has been the hardest thing for me to do, but through God’s grace and mercy, I am sure to get there. I am a very sensitive person and I get my feelings hurt…a lot…by a lot of people (family members, my kid’s principal, the garbage man, the checkout clerk in Kroger). One thing that I am learning is that I am the common denominator. Not them. I have the ability to change getting my feelings hurt by taking on a different approach.

I cannot stand to feel like I have wronged someone. Instead of letting it go and giving it to God, I harp on it and I allow it to worry the snot (yes I said snot) out of me. I will dream about it and I will call everyone that I can think of to talk about it. I realize that people are going to do whatever they want no matter who you are or what you feel.  I must govern myself accordingly.

Keeping it simple is quite simple. LET IT GO. I am learning that I have to let go of the things that I have no control over (sometimes I have a problem discerning what those things are). I bring a lot more on myself that isn’t even necessary or turns out to be nothing the next day. After I have worried myself in a conundrum about nothing, I then start to worry about the stress that I put on myself and what effects will result from that! UGH!

Monica, one of my dear friends, told me when I first started teaching to read the Serenity Prayer every morning. It hangs on my classroom wall and has become a part of my morning routine. Reinhold Niebuhr crafted a beautiful poem that all of us could benefit from….moment by moment, and it is actually a good tool to use in not getting your feelings hurt!

Keep it Simple.

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him,and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6