Inspiration–Ice Skating, Barbara Bush and Jesus

January 2, 2009 queenmom

A few years ago we rented a small cabin in the Smokey Mountains. Since the log cabin was built into the side of the mountain there was no place to hike around. Our cabin was like an island on the lake of evergreen trees. The cabin had a spacious wrap-around porch which served as my personal retreat. Hubby and the girls were enthralled with the cable TV since we didn’t yet have cable at home.

The owners of the cabin provided an interesting library. The first book that caught my attention was my entertainment for the week. It was Barbara Bush’s Memoirs. I loved Barbara’s writing style. She told her stories of meeting heads of state with the same candor that she used when telling stories of family and friends.

One of the main themes from Mrs. Bush’s life that inspired me was her love of life. She lived to the fullest every day, every experience. She is the first to say she has lived a life of privelege. But she had this attitude towards life when she and President Bush were newlyweds living in a basement apartment. Even then she made the best of the their living arrangements by inviting friends over for simple suppers.

Since it is highly unlikely I will ever live in the White House or even meet a President of the United States, I am challenged to adapt Mrs. Bush’s attitude in my middle-class, midwestern town. Even though I too feel like a live a life of privelege, it is easy to let the daily grind steal the joys and pleasures of every day.

However, today was a day I followed Mrs. Bush’s example. Princess still had one more Christmas celebration with her fiance’s family. So this morning she still had gifts to finish–pj pants, pies, bread, and all the wrapping. It was crazy in our small kitchen–sewing on the table, and the kitchen counter dusted with flour, cinnamon, and sugar. The conversation was fun as the girls shared about the New Year’s Eve parties they attended the night before.

Finally, all the gifts were done, cooled, and wrapped with Princess on her way to the Christmas celebration. But no time to rest. Perfect Middle Child and Little Miss were patiently waiting for me to ice skate with them on the pond behind our house. On go the skates and off we go with hopes of not falling on the bumpy ice.

I am tired and sore tonight, but I loved every minute of the day. I love living my life “to the full.” Jesus, my Savior, promised me life to the full in John 10:10. He gave His life so I could have a rich life here and in eternity. Some days it is full of family and fun. Some days it is full of writing or laundry. Some days it is full of dealing with difficult people. But now matter what the day brings I know I am God’s child living the life He designed for me. It is up to me embrace it, experience it, and see what God has for me in it.

Mrs. Bush, thank you for inspiring me to life the life God planned for me.

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Entry Filed under: Barbara Bush,Christian women,Christianity,Family,God,Kids,Life Goals,Mothering,mothers,obedience to God,Personal growth,Relationships,spiritual growth,Trusting God

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One Comment Add your own

1. spinnakerjksc | January 2, 2009 at 2:08 am

That’s really amazing! I had no idea that Barbara Bush had such a sense of Living on Purpose. I agree. We could all use an attitude adjustment, and stop living like zombies! When we begin living with consciousness, and Loving with Abandon- That’s when God’s design for our life starts to reveal itself.

Jordan
http://www.theriverjordan.net