Pleasing People

Pleasing people is not only something that I constantly struggle with as an idol in my life (yes, idol), but it is also the title of a great new book that is helping me with that struggle. Lou Priolo has written a great book titled, Pleasing people: How not to be an “approval junkie”.
He begins by characterizing the approval junkie, and showing me that my “people pleasing” is idolatrous, especially when I am desiring the approval of man above the approval of God. One of the signs of an approval junkie would be the oversensitivity to correction, reproof or the disapproval of others.
I definitely fit the bill of a people pleaser. I was the child who really wanted to please my parents, and as I have built my own home now with my husband, I struggle with making sure I please God first as I submit to my husband. I also struggle daily with things as seemingly important as caring what people think about the behavior of my children to something as silly as who might feel felt out if I didn’t invite them to a party. Instead of praying that God would direct my actions, I tend to worry what other people think. Instead of praying for my children and having a peace knowing that we are trying to follow God’s instruction in raising and disciplining them, I am often worried about the impression they are making upon others. All these desires, Priolo points out, are idolatrous. Yikes. I have a lot of work to do.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “You can please some of the people some of the time, and all of the people none of the time, but you can please God most of the time.”
Very good book. I am almost done, but it is one that I will need to be reminded of time and time again.

New York

The highlight of our year was visiting New York with the purpose of attending my husband's cousin Blake Petersen's graduation from West Point. As part of our trip we were able to take a day in the city just the two of us to explore some. We took a sight seeing cruise around Manhattan, sailing by the Statue of Liberty, under the Brooklyn Bridge, and by the entire Manhattan skyline. We walked a ton. Were able to walk by the New York city library, Grand Central Station (where we stopped to eat pizza), and Times Square. Braving our fears, we took a ride on the subway, making our way to Rockefeller Center. Then we went to the Empire State Building and took the ride to the top where we enjoyed the amazing view of the city. I really was amazed by it all, and would go back to see more in a heartbeat. Some say that they find the city crowded, dirty, and unpleasant, but I was just enjoying it all. Talk about the ultimate in people watching! We were also able to make another trip back into the city a few days later to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway......very exciting.

Then, the stop I recommend most highly on our trip, was the visit to West Point Military Academy. We were able to watch Blake in the traditional graduation parades and ceremonies. I was really not expecting this time to affect me as it did. As I watched Blake and our Pastor's son, Dave Meador, march in the parades with hundreds of other cadets on the massive lawn in the middle of a campus with more historical depth than any other, I was touched. I saw just a glimpse of how hard it must be for the moms (and dads) of those cadets to turn them over to such a lonely place so far away. I also saw and appeciated the traditions of our military that have been around since the start of our country's defensive history. I was reminded of how grateful I need to be for the men and women protecting our country and the sacrifice they and their parents are making.

All in all, I would VERY highly recommend visiting the West Point campus if ever given the opportunity. At the very least, read a book on the history of what has happened on that beautiful campus on the Hudson river in New York, and remember to pray for those young men and women serving our country.