After much deliberation, we have decided on our Family Motto. I've been saying this for years, but it only recently occurred to me to use it as our family's motto. Here it is:
Love is a Verb and Happiness is a Choice.
Very simple and very true.
A Note on Love:
So many people think that Love is a feeling. It's not. It is a verb. And an action verb at that. When Christ said to "Love One Another" he did not mean for us to just feel love for everybody. We are supposed to put that love into action. You may not feel love towards everybody, but you have to show love to everyone. How do you do that?? There are many ways. Being kind, courteous, and polite shows love. Helping out, serving others, smiling, visiting, sharing, and on and on and on. There are a million ways to put LOVE into Action!
A Note on Happiness:
Again, many people think that happiness is just a feeling that you have no control over. As if it were some extraneous thing, just out of reach, unless someone brings it to you. NO!!! Happiness is an attitude; one that you have complete control over. Sure, things can come along to make it difficult to be happy. There are many trials in this life that can bring you low. But even amidst your greatest trials, you can have a good attitude. It's a choice. And it's YOUR responsibility. No one but YOU can make YOU happy. I have heard many people complain that they are not happy because this is going on or that is happening. Or they don't have this or that. When I hear comments like that, I just chuckle inside because I think of Job or the Pioneers or Miss Corrie Ten Boom's Sister. They had severe trials, yet each of them chose to have a good attitude, be grateful for those things they did have, and to Be Happy. They are great examples of choosing Happiness.
(Now this does not apply to people who have depression. That is a separate issue entirely. And deciding not to have depression...well, the idea that you can just decide to not have depression anymore is just silly!)
A Note on Punctuation:
At first, I ended the motto with an exclamation point. After thinking it over, I decided a period would be more appropriate. A period indicates that this sentence is a statement. And that is how I'd like my family to think of our motto...as a statement.
