What's Your Life Thesis?
Yes or No.
That's about it.
These are the answers we have to work with in the big decisions in life. I'm talking the kind of decisions that add or change A LOT to our plate, for a longer period of time. Can I take on this extra responsibility at work? Can I take this job? Can I be the president of the PTA this year? Can I become a foster parent? Can I write a book?
How do we make decisions? How do we choose Yes or No?
Since hearing Annie Downs and her ideas on having a thesis for our life, we have a practical grid to use. We can ask: Will this fit into my thesis statement? Will this decision fit into a paragraph of my life?
And, as a married woman: Does this decision work with my thesis AND my husband's thesis? Which is quite a big bite to chew. Two callings under one roof is always a lovely and pull your-hair-out-kind of dance. I say this with all due affection.
My thesis is something like: I am a communicator who inspires growth and beauty. (I see writing, teaching, mothering, creating, etc fall into this). So I want my time, resources, and energy to be working under that, as best as it can in our broken world. All the while knowing we can't live life always soaring in our strengths. There are very hard things we are called to, especially when we follow Jesus. His mantra was deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me.
But when we are presented with choices in our lives we can remember that He has made us and He has a plan for our good (suffering included) and He gave us beautiful gifts to use. In the opportunities in front of us, a life thesis could be quite helpful.
May Annie speak to you as she did to me....