One of the characteristics of a godly, truly humble person is to be continually teachable. I’ve often said I admired this trait in my mother more than any other. She died some years ago, at the age of 94, but up to the end, she was seeking to learn and grow.
One day I was visiting her, just shortly before she died, and we were listening to a Christian program on the radio. The speaker was talking about not complaining and being joyful. My mom looked at me and said, “Mary, do I complain?” I said what was totally true, “Mom, you never complain.” She said, “I don’t want to complain: God has been so good to me.”
At this point in her life some dementia had set in, and she wasn’t able to take care of herself any longer. Most of the people around her complained all the time, but not my mom. I’m so grateful she role-modeled for me what it means to be teachable, truly humble, and ever willing to learn, grow, and change. How blessed I was to have a mom like her.
All of us can have that same attitude if we just pay attention and learn our lessons along the way. Last time I gave you five life lessons, and now I share five more.
Life Lesson No. 6: Make every day a special occasion: burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the new shoes.
How many things do you have tucked away, saving them for a special occasion? I was doing some cleaning recently and found some beautiful soap someone had given me, probably two or three years ago. I had put it away for a “special occasion,” and now it was so old and hard, it isn’t really useful, so I had to throw it away.
I think my mother taught me to “save things for special occasions.” She was raised during the depression, and when she got something nice, she tended to squirrel it away rather than use and enjoy it.
You’ve heard people say, “Life’s short: eat dessert first.” Life is short, and while we need to be frugal and saving, we also need to celebrate life and enjoy the good things God has given us. We need to make our everyday lives special and teach this to our children as well.
My good friend, Fran, was really good at this. She used the “good stuff” for any excuse, and she could make a very ordinary occasion seem special just by setting a nice table or somehow creating a special atmosphere. I remember learning this lesson from her, as she taught a monthly Bible class at our church. I watched her go to so much extra trouble to make the room look nice, get cute decorations, and she simply said, “This is how I show love to the women who come.” I’ve never forgotten that, and I’ve tried to follow in her steps. The little extras show love, and they’re worth the effort.
Paul wrote to Timothy: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).
Make today special. Do something a little unusual—on your job, in your home, at church—that just says, “Today is special, and so are you.” The effort it takes reaps wonderful rewards.
Life Lesson No. 7: Believe it or not, you’re not indispensable. Life will go on without you.
Now we all know in our heads that nobody is indispensable, but too often we behave as though everything depends on us and if we don’t keep running and doing and going, everything will stop!
I remember some years ago when I was directing the handbell choir at our church. Actually, I had started the choir, and it was my baby. I loved it, and the church seemed to really love hearing the handbells. Then after I began this ministry my life became so busy I realized I had to give up the choir.
I thought, “Oh dear, the handbell choir will be no more because they won’t have me as their leader.” Wrong! The handbell choir is much bigger now, much better, and t
