Values

I was at a conference last weekend where one of the speakers asked us what our values were? What do we want them to be?

immediately I had my husband forward me my typed out framed family values we have on our front table and I started thinking about my personal list in my journal and everything else but as thought out as I had been on this I realized that I still felt like I was missing something in the “Value’s”department.

In our world there are so many things you can value. it is almost overwhelming. Simpler times and places in history it was easier. People valued family, and staying alive. Period. there wasn’t much else. Now the list is exhaustive and it can be hard to pin point what you want to brand yourself as valuing.

This is a list I got from just google searching: Abundance, Acceptance, Accessibility, Accomplishment, Accountability, Accuracy, Achievement, Acknowledgement, Activeness, Adoration, Advancement, Adventure, Affection, Affluence, Alertness,Amazement,Ambition, Amusement, Anticipation,Appreciation, Approachability, Approval, Art, , Artistry, Assertiveness, Assurance, Attentiveness, Attractiveness, Audacity, Availability, Awareness, Awe, Balance, Beauty,Being the best,Belonging,Bliss, Boldness, Bravery, Brilliance, Calmness, Camaraderie, Candor, Capability, Car, Carefulness, Certainty, Change, Charm, Chastity, Cheerfulness, Clarity, Cleanliness, Clear-mindedness, Closeness, Comfort, Community, Compassion, Competence, Composure, Confidence, Connection, Consciousness, Conservation, Consistency, Contentment, Control, Conviction, Coolness, Cooperation, Cordiality, Correctness, Country, Courage, Courtesy, Creativity, Credibility, Curiosity, Daring, Decisiveness, Decorum, Deference, Delight, Dependability, Depth, Desire, Determination, Devotion, Dignity, Diligence, Directness, Discipline, Discovery, Dreaming, Drive, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Elegance, Empathy, Encouragement, Endurance, Energy, Enjoyment, Entertainment, Enthusiasm, Ethics, Euphoria, Excellence, Exhilaration, Expertise, Extravagance, Exuberance, Fairness, Faith, Fame, Family, Fascination, Fashion, Fierceness, Financial independence, Fitness, Focus, Fortitude, Freedom, Friendliness, Friendship, Fun, Gallantry, Grace, Growth, Guidance, Happiness, Health, Hopefulness, Hospitality, Humility, Humor,Imagination,Impact,Investing, Involvement, Joy, Judiciousness, Justice, Keenness, Kindness, Knowledge, Leadership, Learning, Liberation, Liberty, Lightness, Liveliness, Logic, Love, Making a difference, Marriage, Mastery, Maturity, Meaning, Meekness, Meticulousness, Mindfulness, Modesty, Motivation, Mysteriousness, Nature, Nerve, Noncomformity, Obedience, Open-mindedness, Openness, Optimism, Order, Organization, Originality, Outdoors, Outlandishness, Outrageousness, Partnership, Patience, Passion, Peace, Perceptiveness, Perfection, Perkiness, Perseverance, Persistence, Persuasiveness, Philanthropy, Piety, Playfulness, Pleasantness, Pleasure, Poise, Polish, Popularity, Potency, Power, Practicality, Precision, Presence, Professionalism, Prosperity, Prudence, Punctuality, Purity, Rationality, Realism, Recognition, Recreation, Refinement, Reflection, Relaxation, Reliability, Relief, Religiousness, Reputation, Resilience, Resolve, Resourcefulness, Respect, Responsibility, Rest, Reverence, Rigor, Sacredness, Sagacity, Saintliness, Satisfaction, Security, Self-control, Selflessness, Self-reliance, Self-respect, Serenity, Service, Sexiness, Sharing, Shrewdness, Significance, Silence, Silliness, Simplicity, Sophistication, Soundness, Spirit, Spirituality, Spontaneity, Spunk, Stability, Status, Stillness, Strength, Structure, Success, Support,Supremacy, Synergy, Teaching, Temperance, Thankfulness, Thoroughness, Thoughtfulness, Tidiness, Timeliness, Traditionalism, Tranquility,Trustworthiness, Truth, Understanding, Uniqueness, Unity,Valor, Variety, Victory, Vigor, Virtue, Vision, Vitality, Vivacity, Volunteering, Warmheartedness, Warmth, Watchfulness, Willingness, Winning, Wisdom, Wittiness, Wonder, Worthiness, Youthfulness, Zeal

Whew!!  Becoming clear with what is truly important to you is key. It can help keep you focused with your time and energy of what really matters, for you. Your able to get closer and closer to the exceptional life God has for you.

So As I looked at all of this I realized I wanted the ultimate Value. What is the over arching theme to my life? What do I want people to see and say about me.

Its Faithfulness to Zeal.

I have done multiple personality tests and this seems to show up often.(Zeal)  Just in case anyone does not know what zeal is, the definition says: great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.

Life can make me tired, exhausted, want to sleep more, veg more, and become self-absorbed. In order to be impactful, to be a Reflection of Christ, to have order, or generosity, or hospitality, or a strong marriage, I have to be energetic and full of persisting enthusiasm. I have to be faithful to this.

Faithfulness. That is the key. That’s THE value. The big one. If I can allow the world to interrupt my values with “stuff”,  I’ll miss what I’m called for uniquely. Most of us are easily distracted, and I am not an exception to this.

Faithfulness will keep me targeted. Faithfulness and Zeal will act as my compass to draw me back to all those things that are on my list of important and not just urgent.

So what’s your list of values and why?