Bandwagon girl

So yes, I got my book – the book. And yes, I am on that bandwagon – the Glennon Melton/Momastery bandwagon. I think it’s a pretty good bandwagon to be on though. This woman changed my life – just by writing her story. A woman I have never met speaks to me in so many ways. We aren’t that much alike except that I think our core values, our deep down beliefs are the same and that is why she speaks to me.

Her struggles are far greater than mine ever were, but her lessons have definitely helped me view my life events differently. For example, I wasn’t the nicest girl growing up. I had a hard time with friends and wasn’t really a good friend – not because of my friends, but because I was looking for someone to match me exactly and that wasn’t/isn’t going to happen ever, but as a silly, young girl I went through friends and often dropped friends because of some simple thing they did that hurt me and I didn’t forgive – I just moved on. Not fair or nice. I don’t have friends now and the one good friend that I did have – I hurt; not on purpose, but hurt her still the same. I have often thought that was karma. I deserved to lose that friend for something stupid I did that she couldn’t forgive. I have run from making friends because I feel like karma will just whack me in the butt again and it will be well deserved – so instead I shy away in fear of getting hurt. Through Glennon, I have realized that the past is past, move forward and most of all – we are all in this together. So basically, I can’t hide any more – I have to be wide open and deal with what comes, because there is going to be good that comes, too and hiding from that isn’t living. This message changed my life because I am starting to make a friend, a friend I think will be a great friend; someone two years ago I shied away from because of fear and then thank goodness God plopped her back down in front of me again. I will try not to mess this one up this time.

Glennon also helped me see that being normal is enough; just being a plane, old regular run of the mill Jane is all it is cracked up to be; in fact it is better than that. Through junior high, high school, and college my nightly prayer always ended with “please God, let me help just one person and my life will be worth something.” I felt that would make me valuable, but I also thought that it would have to be on some grand scale – like Oprah style with fan fare and all. I think that in this day and age with everyone being on talk shows or reality shows with access to FB and all that social media we think we all have to be famous. But through reading Glennon’s book, through taking up running, my thoughts on this have become a bit more clear. I used to think I was meant for something great; and that, that meant I would be doing things on a grand more “famous” type scale. However, I have discovered that I already do things on a grand scale. God gave me 4 – that is right 4 people to help make their lives better. My babies are my gift. Why he thought I was capable of this; I am not sure. They are my grand scale, though. I have to shape and help these four beautiful, crazy, entertaining little beings become a productive part of the world. This is what I am supposed to do – prayer answered.

I think for the majority of us, that are just regular every day people who go through life trying to do the right thing are way more famous than we think. Everyone is watching; and this is what we forget. What we do every day means something to others and we are most the time not even aware of that impact. This happens with our children of course, but also with outsiders. There is a mom that I met through soccer – our boys played together. We are not friends, just knew each other because the boys were on the same soccer team. Yet, this woman inspired me, still inspires me. She is a runner, always running. I was in awe that she fit in this ritual multiple times a week – a mom of two boys, who works outside the home, and was always driving kids to and from activities. Yet, she ran 5 miles multiple times a week. She is one of the people who inspired me to get up off the couch and run. When I run, I think about her and I can run a bit further. She doesn’t know this, but how she conducted herself every day changed my life. This past year I have taken more chances to do GOOD. Each day is an opportunity to live like everyone is watching; that isn’t such a bad thing. Be the best you, you can be every day and that is ENOUGH – YOU ARE ENOUGH. Maybe it is paying for the coffee for the person behind you, maybe it is picking up the phone and calling someone to ask how they are today and listening, just listening. Maybe that means that you make a mistake and forgive yourself for making it.

I try to live my life each day like I am setting an example, and that doesn’t mean that I don’t make mistakes or do stupid things – in fact I think that means it is okay to be imperfect. Being imperfect is good – it is how we handle our mistakes that makes us great. So in Glennon style – just live wide open, mistakes and all – it is what we are meant to do. Get up each day and move forward doing the best we can. The other great thing about this bandwagon – the thing I probably LOVE THE MOSTEST OF ALL – ANYONE CAN BE ON THE BANDWAGON!! How wonderfully beautiful. So I am proud to be on the bandwagon and maybe you will join that bandwagon, too.

Sincerely,

The girl on a bandwagon

**I know there were a lot of shouty capitals in this post – I found they were necessary and in no way was I yelling in a negative way – they were shouts of joy.**