Promises

You know when you are younger and all you want to do is "grow up," but it seems so far off? I used to pretend I was a working Mom, married to my prince charming, and cooking dinner for my family (two kids, a boy and a girl, 4 years apart-seriously!!).
At 8, that was my vision, and I promised myself I would make that happen... Someday!

As I watched my daughter tonight, she was pretending to be grown up too. She worked at Einstein Bagels as a nurse and mother of 5 kids. She cooked me and Jack "dinner" and "coffee." It's hard to believe that she is growing up (she will start kindergarten in the fall of 2011), but it's also cool to witness the realization of my childhood dreams coming true. I have a daughter and son 4 years apart, am a working Mom, and married to the love of my life. But even better--he cooks! I am now "grown up," and really love my life. I do not want to go back in time and re-live my childhood. The reason being is I have no regrets, I don't want to really change anything (maybe the bad perm--just kidding).I learned something at each stage, and grew from the great stuff and the hard stuff.

I made a promise to myself at 13 to live in the moment and enjoy each step of life. Also I wanted to treat people the way I wanted to be treated.

At 19 I changed that last promise into "treat people as Jesus would treat them." At that moment I gave my life over to God completely. I trusted in His perfect plan. My interest and devotion to nursing was ignited and mission so clear. My faith and belief in a higher power was realized. It was a beautiful moment.

As I turn 30 at the end of this year, I am going to renew these promises to myself and also make a promise to teach E and Jack to live in each moment of their lives and trust in His amazingly perfect plan for them.

What is your plan and vision for yourself right now? What do you promise yourself and God? I think truly understanding the answers to those questions brings such clarity and direction for life. May you live in each moment and have no regrets!