Monday, March 4, 2013

The" LIST"

Making your LIST and checking it twice...

   When I think of lists, I first remember the all important Santa’s List of naughty and nice children – I always wanted to be on the nice list, didn’t you?

   Are you a list maker? I have been known to write something down on my “to do” list that I’ve already done, just for the joy of crossing it off! Silly, but what a good feeling to cross it off the list; it makes me feel like I’ve really accomplished something. Have you ever done that?

 Lists can be very helpful in visualizing what’s on our plate for the day, week, month, or life. I see homebuyers who come in with their clipboard and list, ready to check off their “must haves” for a new home. I highly recommend it, because otherwise you can get carried away with those optional levels of granite countertops and forget you must have a dedicated study area for your kids or extra storage space for Grandma’s furniture. But how does a list apply to finding your soul mate – the frosting for your Sweet Cake Life? Let’s see...

 Several years ago, I was watching a standup comedienne and during her monologue she talked about her woes in dating and how she kept picking loser type guys. She complained to her best friend about it. The friend suggested she make a list of qualities she definitely wanted in a man and then not date anyone who didn’t posses those qualities. Sounds like a good plan, right? So she proceeded to make her list. With the sky as her limit, she held nothing back.

Her fantasy date would have it all! She added the following:

 1. Extremely good looking;
 2. Muscular build and physically very fit;
 3. Well educated; smart;
 4. Drives a great car;
 5. Makes a lot of money;
 She studied the list and kept adding – Might as well create a really amazing date, she thought...so the list continued...
 6. Well spoken and articulate, maybe speaks another language;
 7. Charming and charismatic;
 8. Loyal and faithful;
 9. Good sense of humor;
 10. Spiritual;
 11. And lastly she added: Single!

 Her girlfriend asked her how everything was going and she replied, “Well, I got to reading through this list of must-haves for my future husband and it dawned on me… This man is way too good for me!” Of course, the audience laughed. But as with all humor, there’s a bit of truth to be learned from her list-making.

There’s also the danger of missing out on a great partner because he doesn’t have one of those qualities. I cannot tell you how that little story changed my views on the whole relationship thing and how Like Attracts Like. As funny as it was, it rang true deep inside me. Then the following became my new motto:

 Become the person you would want to spend the rest of your life with. 

 Have you ever pondered just what the scripture in the Bible means about God giving us the desires of our hearts? What does that mean, anyway? I have heard many things when discussing this topic with the latest being, why be so detailed with this list? Why not let God choose for you? Hmm… Just as I’ve taken the lid off my thinking, I have removed the limits from my God. I know the desires of my heart and I have been around the block a few times, enough to know what I want out of my life as well as a unique bond with that special someone. Why limit my options? Why limit God?

 As you know, I have thrown many wishes (prayers) out into the Universe and many times the wish is granted in a matter of moments! Why is finding the love of our lives such a challenge? I have a theory: Yes! Sherry has a theory. Shocking, I know! Here is what I think: Being the best we can be will only serve to make the best of experiences for us. Yes, we will always have our challenges with everything we are not strong enough to endure. However, the victory comes when we take the limits off what we want and trust God to deliver not just what we desire, but what He knows is best.

 I attend Lakewood Church on a regular basis and I love the way pastor Joel Osteen teaches on this very subject. When I attended the first live service (as opposed to watching it on television), he said something that I have never forgotten. He asked, “Why pray for a ‘C’ when you can pray for an ‘A’? Why settle for ordinary when you can have the extraordinary? Think back to that comedienne’s wish list; she was aiming for the moon!

 Those words rang true to me as I took them to heart. The list I am referring to is the list of qualities you want for your future mate, however the same principle can ring true in all areas of life. I often call it my ingredient list that I use for my Cake Life Recipe, and a separate special ingredient list that I am creating for my frosting. Remember, the cake can stand alone, so the frosting is a separate thing – it is optional and should only be added when the cake is ready.

As I look at this list for my life, I am reminded of the qualities I wish to posses. This keeps me focused on being the best I can be and not beating myself up when I get off track. It’s not getting off track that matters; it is your persistence in getting back on that counts.  Keep believing in your dreams and creating the greatest life imaginable... for one day you will be sharing your amazing life with someone truly amazing...

Start making your lists and don’t hold back...  Make it fun!  Enjoy the idea of the right flavor for you!!!

Bon appetite for now!

your Cake Life friend,
Sherry 

You can now visit my newly designed Cake page...
www.SherryWilsher.com