Choices

Can I be real with you?

Sometimes being human is hard. Sometimes being an adult is even harder. 

Now if we add to it like a sandwich: "being married, being single, being unemployed, having kids, being an empty nester..." the list is endless for the things that make life hard! 

I find that hardest of all, are the decisions. How do you decide something when you've never been faced with it before? How do you know that the advice you receive is sound? When does it become easy? 

I know of one decision that I will always been glad I made (1), and one that I want to make over and over (2). 

1. To be a Christian.

"Oh Elisabeth," you say "don't do this, I don't want to read about this."

But that's the thing about decisions. You can decide to read the rest or not, but you've already read this far, and as a logical person surely you want to see if what I have to say has value. 

I was quite young when I decided to be a Christian. Some people would say that at that age, I couldn't have possibly known "what I was doing", but there will be naysayers for anything. I was raised by parents who believed in God, and took me to church. The church part wasn't a choice, it was just the way things were done. Every Sunday and Wednesday I heard how to be saved and it's pretty simple, it goes like this:

Heaven is a place of perfection. No sin is allowed in heaven. Unfortunately, all humans have sinned, and this means we fall short of perfection (think about a target, if you miss the bulls eye you have missed no matter how close).

Jesus died on the cross and paid the cost for our imperfection. We simply have to admit that we fall short/have done wrong, accept his payment, and ask Him to forgive us, and we go to heaven. 

To me, separation from God forever--the one who made every beautiful thing in this universe-seemed like a horrible thing. So one night, when I should have been sleeping, at seven years of age, I decided to go tell my mom that I wanted to accept Jesus in my heart. It was a defining moment for me. My daily walk/relationship with Him isn't a requirement; it's a choice that I happily made. 

Now, on to the other...which in many ways is related to this I guess. 

2. To be happy

I sometimes struggle with this one. Life was meant to be enjoyed, and I mean that in the most non-cliche way! I find pleasure in so many little things, but I'm also an easily stressed person. Finding out I have health problems only added to my stress levels, and the expectations of others have always been an extreme burden on me. I want to daily choose to be happy.

"Finally...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8