'Life is what we choose to make of it'

In the end of the book 'A Little House of Their Own' (by Celia Wilkins), Caroline Quiner is trying to decide whether or not to marry Charles Ingalls. He wants to go out west, and she doesn't. In the end she decides that she will marry him anyway because she loves him, and decides that 'life is what you choose to make of it'. They marry and eventually become the parents of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the Little House series.

Now I'm not writing a blog post about the fact that I'm getting married and going out west, so you can calm yourselves down and stop freaking out, okay. :P :)

I was thinking about the conclusion Caroline reaches at the end of the book, though. The conclusion that life is what you choose to make of it.

I reckon there's a lot of truth to that statement.

Of course, life can't be completely what we choose to make of it, because obviously there are circumstances outside of our control a lot of the time!

But it's the circumstances that are inside our control that we can choose to make of what we want. It's those circumstances and decisions that make life what we choose to make of it.

And I think that that statement, life is what we choose to make of it, sums things up beautifully. Don't you? Because it shows us that we have responsibility for the choices and actions we make and take in life. And the things we do have impact. It also shows us that clouds do indeed have silver linings, and we can choose to make the best of a bad situation and smile anyway, through whatever our circumstances may be.

To a certain extent life isn't what we choose to make of it. That's the extent to which our situation is governed by a bunch of things outside of our control. Things like our families, our workplaces, the society we live in, the people around us, a God above us who knows best.... the list could continue for a very long time! :)

But for the rest of the time, life is what we choose to make of it. Our decisions matter. The choices that we make influence what happens to us. 

Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

You are responsible for your actions and your decisions.

If you choose to make bad choices, you will have to face the consequences for your actions. Often it's not just you that will have to face consequences - your family end up with a bad reputation through your choices. Others around you that you care about may suffer because of your choices.

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

If you choose to make good choices, you will also face the consequences for your actions. However, this time, you will reap good consequences.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live...

The choices that we make are of lasting significance.

Don't make choices lightly!

Life is what we choose to make of it.