So It’s Been Said

I have been working on revamping my resume. It is not an easy task. I enjoy creating documents. I do not enjoy writing about myself. I just don’t. I have created great resumes for other people but when it comes to me, I just don’t know what to put it seems. Formatting and wording escapes me. What is too much information? What is not enough information? Well, I really want them to know this. What if I forget that? What if they need to know this point? I guess in the end, we can play what if all day, can’t we? I’ve done copious amounts of research. Like that has really helped. Everyone has an opinion. I finally consulted a friend who is an HR Specialist. He provided valuable insights and I churned out a resume that was clear and concise. Not only that, it is one I can update based on the job I am applying for. I am comfortable with that.

One of the “hip” new things to add to a resume is “Life Philosophy.” Did you know this? I have seen countless resumes with this on it in various forms. I guess it boils down to in this phrase or quote or whatever one puts here, the reader can glean or allegedly get a feel for the applicants — what is the word I am looking for? Not sure. But I dare say it says a lot about a person what they choose to place here.

Being one who knows copious amounts of quotes, this is great! I can think of a million things to put here. In fact, If I could do an entire resume of nothing but quotes, I’d be a happy camper. The possibilities are endless. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized, I could not just put anything there. Crap! There is always a catch.

I was going to put some of my favorite scripture there. I have several and to be honest, my true life philosophy is based in scripture. I decided not to. Not because it is not what I believe but because some of my greatest beliefs told me not to:

“I do not wish, I pray because I have a God not a genie.” “The Bible is not a bag of trail mix, You can’t pick what you like and leave the rest.” “You can know and quote all the scripture in the Bible but it is worthless if you don’t understand it or live it.” “9 out of 10 people read the Christian not the Bible.” “I’m not the perfect Christian; I’m the one who knows I need Jesus.” “Not everyone believes in her and not everyone supports her, but her God goes with her and that’s what sustains her.” And “Accept the fact that you’re never gonna be someone/something else and embrace the fact that the world needs you as God made you to be.”

I have these and many more such quotes pinned and in my phone. Several have served as wallpaper for my phone, ipads and computer. All serve as a reminder to me of the inevitable truth of what I know. They also helped me as I chose what I felt should be placed as “life philosophy” on my resume.

Before I list my top 10 choices (yes, there is a list – one does have to tailor their resume and should always have a back up. Plus when you read them you will see an underlying theme…) here are a few I truly love but did NOT make the cut.

• “Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a row Boat and taking the tarter sauce with you.” Let’s be honest – that could possibly be the best definition of confidence ever. Sometimes, you just have to do it.
• “The same crowd that applauds your coronation is the same crowd that will applaud your beheading. People like a show.” Don’t get too big for your britches; stay humble. Loyalty is a dying trait.
• “Mother Teresa didn’t complain about her thighs; she had shit to do.” I’ve read a lot about Mother Teresa and even read things she wrote. Not once do I recall her complaining about her appearance, how fat or thin she was, her clothes. In fact, I do not recall her complaining about much if anything. It’s kinda like that saying, don’t sweat the small stuff. That always stuck with me.
• “Never push a loyal person to the point they no longer give a damn.” People are by far our greatest asset in a company, church, relationships. We need to cultivate these not destroy them or use them for personal gain or solely for the benefits of the organization. If you take care of the employees, they will inevitably take care of customers and the company.
• “People may forget what you said, they may forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel.” It is true. Even if the outcome is not necessarily what they wanted, they will remember how you made them feel during the process. You can deliver less than positive news and the truth in a manner that is respectful without a negative connotation. By the same token, you can give them a million dollars and still make them feel like a worthless piece of trash.

With all that being said, here are my top 10 life philosophies:

10. “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” This can have so many connotations; its all in how you interpret it. In life, if one does not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior the eternity they face is hell. As a Christian, my choices determine eternity. Remember James? Faith without works is dead. The greatest commandment? We are called to be bold. We must do what is right, not what is easy, even if it means standing alone. For a warrior, the same stand true.

9. “How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great.” To me, broken is a subjective term and can mean different things to different people. One can be broken in spirit, broken financially, broken in body/health, broken in mind, broken in relationships, etc. For some reason people are fascinated with people of power, title or perceived importance. What defines that importance? Everyone wants to ride in the limo with you but a true friend will ride the bus with you when the limo breaks down. I was taught to treat the janitor with the same amount of respect as the CEO. I think that is why I am not hung up on titles. My worth is not defined by a title.

8. “People who shine from within don’t need the spotlight.” We live in a me, me, me, me society. That is one of the challenges I am having in job hunting. I have never really seen it about me. In my work, when I created a report or event or project, I never put my name on it. It was about the team/organization. I was the behind the scenes person. To this day so many know me by my first name only. They would not recognize me by sight. I never looked for the attention or credit, I looked for getting it done in a superior, seamless, flawless way. Everyone knew who did it; no one talked about it. I have learned a few things I need to adjust with this mindset. But the point was I didn’t and I won’t seek the spotlight. I don’t need to.

7. “In the end, it is always between us and God not between us and them.” I have a sign hanging in my bathroom (yes my bathroom – a room that you spend a lot of time in so it only makes since to hang a sign where you are sure to get a lot of reads out of it) that explains this quote. No matter what you do, no matter how you act, no matter what you say, there will always be someone who will accuse you of something else. Keep doing what you are doing. You see, it isn’t between you and them. It’s between you and God. If you are kind, people will question your motives – be kind anyway. If you forgive, people will not accept your apology – forgive them anyway. If you extend grace, people will call you a fraud – extend grace anyway. The list goes on. The point being, it’s between you and God not you and them.

6. “If you are going to pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud, too.” This is one of my favorites. So often we ask for something and when we get it, we still complain. It wasn’t exactly what we envisioned or we were not prepared to receive what we expected. The drought was bad; we begged for rain. It rained. Yet, we forgot with the rain comes mud. We got exactly what we asked for but didn’t plan on what came with it. Doesn’t this happen a lot in life? We get exactly what we want but don’t want all that comes with it? How often do you catch yourself or someone else saying, “I didn’t think of that” or “I didn’t expect that to happen.” I think that is why we are commanded “IN all things” not for all things give thanks. Mud dries up. Shoot if we remember, we can make mud pies and even enjoy the mud if we are truly grateful enough.

5. “If you are going to rattle my cage, you best be sure I am padlocked in.” I am the nicest, sweetest person you will ever meet. I will go out of my way to help you. I am also a realist. I know I can be a tad bit vindictive. Let me rephrase that, I have those tendencies. As I have grown, I have learned to control those urges. I can be very mean, sarcastic and have the worst sense of humor on the planet. My moods are horrific. As I age, they get worse. I would not harm an animal. I also have no doubts what so ever that if pushed to the limit I would stand firm, feet planted and defend that which I hold dear to the death… of me or whatever threatens them. I would not blink or hesitate. I would not seek out, follow or look for such. I firmly believe vengeance is the Lord’s. However, if you bring it to me, to mine, what I consider mine and if there is no option, the switch will flip. I do not fear death, pain for what is right or just. I may be small, I may be underestimated, I may appear weak and meek but I promise you, you will be met with an undeniable strength, resolve and courage that comes from only one place and a level of crazy you did not know existed. My advice, when passing my cage, wave.

4. “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world and there is still going to be someone who does not like peaches.” Simply put, you can’t please everyone all the time. Not everyone is going to like me. Some won’t like me for different reasons and some will not like for no reason other than the fact that I breathe air. Know what? That is okay. I need to learn to accept this. I was not born to please the world; I was born to serve God; to shine the light of grace and mercy of an invisible God into a lost world. I was not born to conform or fit in. I was given a particular set of talents and gifts and I am to use them. That is the hardest part of being human. Realizing that and accepting it as the truth.

3. “When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.” As a writer, I know it is no good when someone else actually does all the writing. If I am going to write, then it needs to be my work, my words, my thoughts; if it isn’t then it isn’t my work is it? Same with life. If someone else is dictating to you every facet of your life, determining your worth, what you can and cannot do, etc., is it really your life? When someone else tells you your purpose, your value, your limits, your thoughts, your beliefs, your dreams – what do you expect? My name is written in the Book of Life. Jesus knows my name, God knows my heart. I was created with a purpose and the only guide I need is the Holy Spirit. Sure, I need feedback from folks. But no one gets to hold the pen. I do not surrender that authority to anyone. I never write without first seeking guidance from the one who gave me the pen to begin with; the one who keeps the ink flowing. He knows how my story will end so I am pretty sure, that is the best way to plot my story.

2. For #2, I actually have a tie. “You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it” and “We are all a little broken but the last time I checked, broken crayons still color.” Where is it written that life was supposed to be easy? I have actually researched this. I have yet to find it. No where in the Bible does it say this. Great philosophers don’t say it. Life is also not a competition. We are all given a life to be lived to the fullest. We should never judge a life of another by how it appears on the outside or by the chapter we walked in on. We do not know the entire story. I also believe God does not give us anything we cannot handle (apparently at times He thinks I am a badass but that is besides the point.) Easier does not equate better. Easier is also relative. What does broken actually mean? No one of us are perfect. Everyone has imperfections. Sometimes imperfections can be seen and sometimes they cannot and sometimes we have both. Sometimes, we are worn down, parts are missing, chips have been taken out of us, paper has been peeled off, we have been broken in half, we have been melted back together, worn to a nub… but all of these things, as crayons, we still color. As children, you remember saving every last crayon until it was ground into the carpet (and sometimes we were the ones who ground it into the carpet.) Be proud. Scars, wrinkles and gray hair mean you have lived.

1. “I do not pray for a lighter load; I pray for a stronger back.” I know that whatever comes my way there is a reason. There is a lesson. I can grow through it. I am not facing it alone. I do not pray that God makes it disappear. I pray He gives me the strength I need to see it through. I pray that He allows me to have the strength and the courage to help others carry theirs. Tho there are days when I have no physical or emotional strength, I do not stop. I ask God to allow me to lay it down but never do I abandon it. It is in those moments of weakness that true strength is found. When I cannot see the light, when I cannot muster the strength to lift my voice, when tears flow like a river and my mind is a whirlwind, my God is there. My back is reinforced like steel and the refuge I have is undeniable.

What does all of this mean? I learned something about myself in this process. God spoke to me loudly and clearly. I think if you read all 10 of the quotes (even the ones I didn’t chose) the pattern is clear. I went around singing the rest of the afternoon. Just as I sing now (trust me, me singing out loud is NOT a great thing.) Even being depressed cannot stop the undeniable power of God.

“Get busy livin’ or get busy dyin” or so it’s been said.