Category: Choosing to See the Bright Side

If I have learned anything at all from my time here on this planet, it’s to expect the unexpected. My parents have two little Papillons (translate super high strung, pups). When my mom let them outside one evening, they wouldn’t come back inside and kept barking at the pear tree. When Mama finally went to investigate, look what she discovered, an opossum!

There’s nothing rare about these creatures, but she was surprised to find one in the pear tree. She was so surprised that she snapped a picture.

When you think about it, life is often like that. Things happen to us all of the time that we aren’t expecting. The big question we have to ask ourselves is how we deal with them. That depends largely on how we look at life.

If we try to control everything around us by constantly planning every moment and holding on tightly with a white knuckled grip, we are likely to be very stressed most of the time. From the amount of anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications floating around out there, I suspect that a large portion of our population survives in that way.

At some point though, we have to ask ourselves, are we content to just survive or is there something more? Is the holding on tightly and worrying about everything good enough?

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite philosophers, Mr. Jimmy Buffet, has the line, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from all this living, is that it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go.” Wise words to be sure.

I think one of the most difficult things to do as humans is to admit we are not in control and it’s probably even harder in the Western World. We get to control so much here, where we go to school, where we live, what career we want, who our spouses are, who our leaders are. We are big on choice and that’s a good thing, but it also gives us a false sense of our place in the universe.

All of the choices we have are a blessing, but they are also a weight we carry. It becomes very difficult to focus on the God who made us and who we are supposed to serve as we make so many choices to control everything around us. We don’t like surprises and walking with God is a path full of them.

When we depend on Him and not ourselves, things rarely turn out like we think they will or just like we planned. They turn out better because we are fulfilling His plan for us. The peace that we so desire that we can’t get from the pharmaceutical industry comes from letting go and letting God. It comes from placing all of our worries and our need to control at the foot of the cross. It comes from knowing that He has a plan and that it’s good and that we are loved unconditionally.

If we truly believe all of that, what more can we possibly need? What do you think about our obsessive need to control? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

As I write this, it’s another gloomy, cloudy day here in Georgia. I purposely put my desk by a window because the sun energizes me to write, but it’s been a long, dark and dreary winter here. We have been hit with two Polar Vortexes. Who had even heard that term before this year?

We were recently hit by a snow and ice event and the rain has been almost constant since, honestly, I can’t remember when we haven’t had at least one day of rain per week. I did have a little chuckle this morning as I heard a New York forecaster explaining the fact that the snow they were getting would soon mix with sleet and they would have something very dangerous called black ice.

Hmmmm, our Northern neighbors can’t drive on black ice either? Who would have thought? It’s been a rough winter all the way around for the majority of our country. Thankfully,  Georgia’s little groundhog, Beau, did not see his shadow on Sunday and so, he predicts an early spring. That little fellow is 93% accurate, so we can keep our fingers crossed.

Sometimes we get stuck in a season of life that we feel like will never end, (like this winter). Sometimes a season can be particularly brutal and long, (like this winter). When we experience periods like this, it can be particularly hard to see a bright side.

But, I also think when we have long periods of darkness, we really appreciate the light when it comes. Perseverance and patience are two of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Maybe we can use this season to really sharpen those skills. Truthfully, we really don’t have much choice, so maybe we should embrace this season knowing it will eventually end.

God told Noah in Genesis 8:22 after the flood, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

In other words, the sun will always rise and summer will eventually come.

I do know this, when we are sitting on our porches in the summer and sipping sweet tea, there should be much less mosquitoes to bite us and less fleas to bite our dogs. We might look back in June and decide that the Polar Vortex wasn’t so bad after all.

What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Do you remember when we used to take pictures that involved something called film? Do you remember when you returned from a wonderful vacation and you couldn’t wait to “get the pictures back” from the lab? We used to make albums with all of our photographs and they were a way to document our family history.

They told the story of births and birthdays, and weddings, and of holidays and family trips. They were special. Film was expensive, so photographs were for special occasions. Now, thanks to our smart phones and digital cameras, we take pictures constantly. Someone always has a camera out and photos are sent instantly via Instagram and Facebook.

While it’s really neat technology that we can share our moments with so many people so quickly, how often do we actually print those fabulous pictures? Do any of them ever make it into albums or frames. I love to frame pictures of happy times or of beautiful scenery that I have been blessed to see and display them in my home for me and my family to remember and enjoy.

I mean, it’s fantastic that a hundred Facebook friends can look at them for ten seconds, but who do I really take pictures for? I take them for me. Sometimes, life can get tough. Times can appear bleak. There’s nothing like looking around my house at pictures of better times, that bring back happy memories and make me smile. Sometimes I need to remember.

I made a board of pictures that inspire me and I hung it over the desk where I work. I think it’s easier to create when you are surrounded by quotes and photos that inspire you.

So, here’s my question of the day for you: What inspires you? It’s a brand new year. We have lots of work to do.  We have the opportunity to make a difference.The best way to get it done is to choose to serve in ways that inspire you. I challenge you to take sometime today or this weekend and think about what really inspires you. Try to get some pictures and actually print them. Put them where you can see them and then get going.

2014 will be fabulous. I can feel it! I’d love to hear about what inspires you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

I have a dog that gets so excited to see me when I come home, that he stands by the door on his back legs and scratches the wall until I get through the door. While I have scolded him repeatedly, he won’t stop. He can’t seem to control his enthusiasm for me. So every couple of months, I sand the spot and re-paint. It doesn’t take long for him to scratch up the wall again, but truthfully, it doesn’t take that long for me to repaint the spot either.

Now, let me give you some background on this dog. He followed my kids home from the neighbor’s house one day. He was a stray, covered in fleas. He looked just like the dog from the movie Annie, so my daughter named him Sandy. Keep in mind, we weren’t looking for another dog. We already had two. When we took him to the vet, they found a chip in him. He had an owner and we had to leave him. My kids were crushed, but when we checked in with our vet the next day, we found out that his owners didn’t want him and we were free to take him home. Talk about jubilation, my kids were thrilled.He was even featured on my daughter’s birthday cake that year.

Whenever I find myself getting aggravated by the hairballs or scratches on the door, I try to ask myself, “Will this issue matter twenty years from now?” The answer is usually, “no”. Life is messy. Pets are messy. Kids are messy. They leave toys all over the place or their school work or their art supplies. My son is like Pigpen from the Peanuts. Remember how he used to walk around in a cloud of dust? Matthew leaves something behind him in every room he walks into. While it may frustrate me from time to time, in the end does it really matter? In just a few short years he will be off to college and I can have my perfectly orderly house and sadly, Sandy won’t be here forever either. The heartbreaking truth about dogs is that they never live long enough.

But, that brings me to my next question. Do any of us ever live long enough? Wouldn’t just about everybody ask for more time with loved ones if they could get it. The Bible says, “Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

I think these are very wise words. Paint chips and messy houses will certainly fade, but the love of family or of the family dog, well, that’s forever. So, I’ll sand and paint from time-to-time and treasure the moments with the people and pets I hold dear, remembering they truly are a gift. How about you? Are you treasuring the things that matter most?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

I have always been a glass half full kind of girl. I don’t know why. It’s just my nature. My hubby is not someone who I would consider optimistic. He claims to be a realist. Which one of us is right? Research has shown that people who are optimistic  have better levels of cholesterol, stronger immune systems, lower risk of heart attack and stroke and they live longer. Conversely, Harvard research has shown that ongoing negative states like anxiety, depression, anger and hostility are bad for cardiovascular health.

What does the Bible say about optimism? While it doesn’t use the word specifically, I think God shows his optimism for humanity over and over in the Bible. Take a look at David. The fate of all of Israel rested on a teenage boy and his ability to use a slingshot. Check out Jonah. Yes, we all remember he was swallowed by a giant fish because he wouldn’t do what God told him to do, but do you remember why he didn’t want to go? It wasn’t because of fear for his personal safety like we might expect. In Jonah 4:2, he says: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.” Jonah ran because he was fearful that the people of Ninevah would repent and be saved when they heard God’s message. God’s optimism for the wicked people of a Ninevah had him send a prophet. God’s optimism paid off. All of the people repented and were saved.

What about Joshua and Caleb? They were the only two out of twelve who were sent to explore the Promised Land who came back with a good report. Ten of the men caused the Israelites to believe them instead of Joshua and Caleb and rebel against God and it cost them 40 years in the dessert. But, did God strike down everyone? No, he was optimistic that Joshua could lead the people in the future and lead he did. He proved to be a fabulous leader for the people of Israel and he was instrumental in claiming the land God had promised.

Then of course, there is Jesus. Would Jesus have willingly died for us a horrible death on the cross if he wasn’t optimistic that we would someday accept him for who he is and love him? Grace in itself is optimistic. I think I get to win this round with my sweet hubby. I believe God has set the stage for us to be optimistic. Will we accept his challenge? Check out the glass again at the top of the page. Is it half full or half empty? What can you do today that is optimistic?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Today is cleaning day at my house. Good times! Believe it or not, I have some of my best conversations with God when I’m doing household chores. Weird right? A few years ago, when I was scrubbing the toilet, (one of my least favorite jobs), it struck me that I really should be thankful that I had a toilet to clean. Not everyone has toilets or even running water.

The World Health Organization reports that 1.1 billion people have inadequate access to water, (ie: no toilets, showers, sinks, not to mention modern luxuries like washing machines and dishwashers). That’s a lot of people. It kind of makes me want to hang my head for complaining about cleaning a toilet. If these people don’t have water, you know they don’t have electricity. I remind myself of this fact when I’m vacuuming or ironing.

Most of us take our modern conveniences and luxuries for granted and to be fair, we really don’t know any differently, but it wasn’t that long ago that the majority of people didn’t have dishwashers and washing machines not to mention coffee makers and computers. My dad remembers his family’s first light bulb and my mom (if pressed), will admit to having used an outhouse. We’ve come a really long way in a relatively short amount of time and living in western culture gives us even more luxuries. We should be a very thankful people. But are we?

Thankfulness is definitely learned. How many times have you heard a mother tell a child when they are given something, “What do you say?” I still remind my twelve year old to thank the parents of whichever friend he has spent the day with. Being thankful doesn’t seem to be a natural state for us. In the Bible, when the Israelites had seen all of those plagues and the Red Sea parted, they still complained about nothing to eat and then they complained about lack of water. Although God generously  provided these things , the scripture never says they were thankful.

Paul tells us that we should be thankful in all circumstances in Thessalonians 5:18. Does this mean I should be thankful when I’m scrubbing tubs and toilets. Yes, I think it does. I read a book recently called the 4:8 Principle, by Tommy Newberry.  The book is based on Philippians 4:8 and it was life changing for me. When you really start to list all you have to be thankful for, you find there are usually way more pluses than minuses. God is a genius with accounting. I’m glad I get to work for him.

Thankfulness is a state of mind and one we can all learn. I remind myself of this when I’m cleaning dinner dishes. If there were dinner dishes, then there was dinner. I give thanks for food to eat. Try to make a list of your many blessings. You will be surprised and the next time you have to do something unpleasant like cutting the grass, make a mental list of what you have to be thankful for like: that you have a mower, that you have a yard, that you have arms and legs to push a mower (or enough money to have bought your riding one), that we are out of drought… This is another one of those endless lists, yet another reason to be thankful because God is so generous. So let’s all say thanks and watch for all of the blessings that surround us.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Someone pulled out in front of me while I was driving my kids to school this morning. I mean like I had to slam on brakes to miss them. “Blow your horn!” my teenager said. I didn’t. I wanted to, but I didn’t. There was a time when I would have. I mean, the nerve of someone to pull out in front of me. How dare they! Didn’t they know I had children in the car with me? (They probably didn’t.) Didn’t they think about the consequences? There could have been an accident. Were they trying to kill me? (They probably weren’t.)

They most likely weren’t giving me or my kids a second thought. Their thoughtless act most likely had nothing to do with me. It had to do with their own self-focus. Huh? What I’m saying is, I believe that the vast majority of times when someone cuts me off in traffic or is rude to me at Wal-Mart, it is not personal. They aren’t being rude to me; they are just being rude. You are probably agreeing with me at this point. It’s perfectly logical. Right? But, here’s the catch.

If  I know that people who act rudely are doing so because of their own issues not mine, why should I give up my peace and get angry? I mean if I’m driving along in my car, minding my own business, singing along with the radio (oh yeah, I’m that girl :)) and someone cuts me off and makes me slam on brakes, should I give up my happy, give into anger, give them the finger and be angry the rest of the day? If  someone steals the parking spot at the mall that I was patiently waiting for with my blinker on, should I take it as a personal insult, seethe inside and ruin my trip? I say no. Happiness is a choice and anger is too.

I believe that the key here is to be less focused on myself. I need to remember to let the person who has offended me own their act and they can keep the negativity that comes from it. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to “Always be joyful.” If I get angry over inconsequential acts, then I am choosing to let someone steal my joy. Why would I want to do that? When we are walking around angry all of the time, we can’t let our light shine.

I’m working hard on this concept. I like to be treated the way I treat others and it sometimes just doesn’t work out that way. Still, I think holding on to joy is worth the struggle. Light is always better than dark. There seem to be a lot of angry people out there right now and the world is awfully dark. Let’s hold onto our personal peace and joy and not give into anger without a fight. Are you with me? How do you do with anger?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy