Heather Beadles Photography | Edmond Oklahoma City Photography

As I was explaining in yesterday’s post, our move from Texas is forcing me to relearn some things in life that I’ve taken for granted and haven’t ever mastered (and probably never will). I always loved school, but being corrected on a personal level? Not so much. Yet, I’m thankful to have the time in life to really dig in and figure out how I’m “being schooled” and how I need/want to change. Here are five of them:

BE CONTENT.

The grass is always greener on the other side…if you’re looking for it. Over the years I have wished to move home to Oklahoma for various reasons…to be able to see the sunset, to be closer to family, to go to the farm and be in wide open spaces, to let our kids attend OSU Homecoming, to hear Gary England and the B.C. Clark Jingle on TV. But now that I’m finally home, I’ve found myself wishing I was still in Texas for various reasons…to see the pine trees sway, to be closer to friends, to have little to no wind, to be back at Central Heights Elementary, to be able to swim in many of our friends’ pools, and even to have more humidity in the air so my skin and nose weren’t constantly dry. Come winter and I guarantee I’ll be longing for warmer weather! Texas was so good to us. But Oklahoma is our story now. I must be content.

HAVE COURAGE.

Last time we moved, it was easy to abide by our motto of “Wherever you are, be all there,” because we had an instant group of people who wanted us to be there. That was a HUGE help to this introvert. This time it’s more of a choice I must make daily since I don’t have tons of people welcoming me to town. Yes, I am lonely. We are now far away from the security of friends who would be there when we needed them. I’m hoping that we will eventually have that here because it’s a bit unsettling to not have those relationships. Yet this time it’s up to me to reach out and make a friend and be a friend…I must have courage.

PURSUE MARGIN.

I’ve had time to take an inventory. Yes, I have a garage sale pile that is growing, but I also have a list of personal things that need to be purged. I’ve had time to think about my life and what needs to decrease…Facebook, Pinterest, Photoshop, Reader, checking the iPhone, shopping, staying up late, to name a few. I also know what needs to increase in my life…exercise, prayer, self-discipline, rest, patience, meal planning. I must pursue margin.

CHOOSE JOY.

It’s too easy to focus on everything that needs to be done instead of noticing the blessings that are right before me. I see boxes that need to be unpacked, pictures that need to be hung, empty areas that need furniture, bathrooms that need to be redone, walls that need paint, a photography business to rebuild…and the list goes on and on. Instead I need to choose to see and be thankful for the good things happening…friends to ride bikes with on our street, the $15 desk from Craigslist, a new refrigerator, connections being made with new & old friends, re-purposing old furniture, family that is close enough to visit, the bus the kids ride to/from school, family dinner every evening. I must choose joy.

HAVE FAITH.

Being faced with the reality of two mortgage payments and double bills along with the continued needs for food and clothing for our large family, is quite honestly a bit terrifying. It is a huge weight that easily leads to fear and worry. I’m afraid of not being able to rebuild my photography business, of having to go to work outside of our home, and of struggling to find financial margin once again. Yet, I have to remember it’s not my job to control all of the details. When I look back…how we made it through grad school and two master’s degrees without any debt, how we ended up in Nacogdoches, how the Lord led us back to Oklahoma and to a job for my husband to provide for our family, and so many other ways in 16 years…the Lord has always taken care of every one of our needs. Therefore, when I look forward…the Lord in his perfect timing will allow our house in Texas to sell, the Lord wants us to have margin in our lives, the Lord created me to serve my family before work, the Lord finds joy in caring for us and always has our best interests in mind…He is trustworthy. Always. Therefore I must have faith.

Six weeks into this, I am still in the midst of unpacking boxes and settling in. It’s easy to get bogged down. It’s easy to focus on the negative. So, since I have no current client images right now to post, my hope in the days to come is to post iPhone snaps that represent these lessons I’m learning…CONTENTMENT, COURAGE, MARGIN, JOY and FAITH…and how I’m trying to reframe what I’m looking at to really see the gifts all around me (i.e., see the positive!). You can also follow the images I post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Here is today’s:

Today’s Reframe ::

NOT, “Man, they are so expensive!” or “I could’ve bought a great piece of furniture instead of this.”

INSTEAD, “I’m blessed to have four children to care for and the ability to buy what they need.”

Maybe, just maybe, I’ll eventually respond automatically with the positive thought!