Rules to Live By

Years ago when I was a teenager struggling through some pretty serious depression, my mother wrote me a letter of encouragement. Included in the envelope was a page entitled, "Some Rules to Live By." It looks like this:
1) To be happy I don't have to be successful at everything I try
2)I do not have to be liked and accepted by all people at all times.
3) If I make a mistake, it's okay.
4) If someone disagrees with me it doesn't mean they don't like me.
5) My value as a person does not depend on what others think of me. I am a child of God. The worth of my soul is great in his eyes.
6) I cannot make people love me but I can love myself
7) Good people sometimes get angry and can have negative feelings too
8) Bad things do happen to great people.

I believe the list was longer but somehow the pages have been separated over the years and it's this one page I have tucked inside my journal. I've been doing a lot of soul searching, praying and pondering to find even more "rules to live by." So far, my list has expanded just slightly:

9) Perfection is not what God requires in order to bless us. It is our thoughts and desires that God is interested in (Revelation 2:23). If our thoughts and desires are in tune with God's Will then we will be blessed.
10) Keep your promises, be truthful, be fair
11) Always be willing to serve. Seek for ways to serve your family, your neighbors
12) Use common sense. Have the heart of a child, the mind of an adult. Be simple, affectionate and teachable.
13) Moderation in all things
14) Choose the right for the right reasons.
15) Be patient, have faith. There will be many times in life when you won't understand why things are happening or why you're being inspired to follow a certain path. With patience and faith the day will come when you'll see.

I try my hardest everyday to remember these rules. Life can be overwhelming at times. Too often I overthink things. I demand perfection from myself even when I know it's not possible. I know that if I'm doing everything I can to be a good person, to have compassion and concern for those around me, it will please God and He will contiue to bless me. I do not need to hold myself to anyone else's standards. (The standards I set for myself are high enough!!) As I tarry on this journey we call life, I'm certain I will keep adding to this list of "rules to live by." Perhaps you will see future blog posts inspired by a few more rules that I will discover and want to share. In the meantime I will do my best to remember one more important rule: Follow your heart, always.