five adjectives // the vending machine post

imagine that at the end of your life, your family, friends and loved ones, people all standing around celebrating you, and someone stands up to give a toast, and that someone describes you- your character- using five adjectives.

(maybe this person is very thorough, and organized, and short for time, i don't know. just imagine with me.)

five adjectives. what would they be? 

selfish?
hoarder?
victim?
defensive?
weak?
forgetful?
lazy?
grouchy?
irritable? 
complainer?
gossiper?
emotional?
stubborn?
pessimist? 
crass?
sickly?
two-faced?
unstable?
tired?
dishonest?
cold-hearted?
judgmental?
manipulative?
prideful?
downer?
unlovable?
impulsive?

are you cringing yet? i totally am.


at the Mom Heart Conference, Sally Clarkson challenged us to think about the 5 adjectives we'd want people to say about us after we're gone. she might have meant "gone" as in "left the room" but i took it as "gone" - "left this earth." either way, though-provoking.

i know this for a fact- i don't want any of the 5 adjectives that describe me to be anything remotely close to those i listed above. the legacy i want to leave, whether it's when i leave a room or leave this earth, is one of grace, humility, compassion, strength, and love.

i also know this for a fact- no one intentionally leaves behind a legacy of grumpiness. no one intentionally says "i want them to remember me as always the victim."

no one wants that. and yet, they let that be the theme of their life. they let the yucky adjectives characterize them day after day, ultimately making a mark on their life. these adjectives don't get attached to us overnight. and they don't attach themselves to us on their own. it's a choice we make every day, by our reactions, our decisions, our behaviors, and the words that come out of our mouth.

we create our legacy. we have a choice in the adjectives that are used to describe us.

loving.
compassionate.
forgiving.
strong.
faithful.
sweet.
fun.
nurturing. 
friend.
patient.
peaceful.
honest.
inspiring.
humble.
hard-worker.
optimist.
graceful.
loyal.
healthy.
positive.
giving.
wise.
even-tempered.
encouraging.
fabulous.
light-hearted.
passionate.
willing.
joyful.
sincere.
genuine.
gentle.
merciful.

now...imagine there's a vending machine before you each day when you wake up. instead of snacks and sweets, the vending machine is full of adjectives. all the character adjectives listed above in both lists, and millions of others. so many choices! you have exact change for 5 adjectives, and you have to pick 5. but the 5 adjectives you choose, you have to wear them all day long. no matter what.

what will you choose today? what will you choose tomorrow? and the next day?

it's up to you to be the person you want to be, and to be the person God created you to be. i promise He didn't create you to be any of the nasty adjectives in the first list. 

not sure of your choice of adjectives? turn to the Word of God...His promises are good and they are for us.

"People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test." 
1 John 3:9 The Message

"So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus." 
2 Peter 1:5-9 The Message

"But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." 
Galatians 5:22-23 The Message

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pour yourself a cup of tea {or coffee} and read more messages inspired by Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference at SomeGirlsWebsite and I Take Joy.


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