Category: Choosing to See the Bright Side

Optimism is a discipline that can be learned. Choosing to see the best in all situations makes us happier and healthier in the long run. Optimists live longer than pessimists.

Faith in the Messy

Posted on by Wendy
When we yield to God, it's amazing where He shows up.
When we yield to God, it’s amazing where He shows up.

I was driving down the road yesterday after dropping my son off at marching band practice. I was annoyed that the band director didn’t cancel it. I mean seriously, the skies were dark. The thunder was rumbling and the radar showed storms heading our way. But, no, practice was on. Sigh.

I was on the way to the pharmacy to pick up a couple of prescriptions, stuck in our ever worsening traffic situation in our little Mayberryesque town, wondering what I would write about for today’s post, when a rainbow caught my attention.

It was faint, but definitely there. All of a sudden, sitting through two cycles at the same stop light, wasn’t annoying. Being stopped, gave me the opportunity to snap a photo. I figured I could edit it when I got home.

Computers make it easy to crop out all the not so pretty stuff, we don’t like. With the help of the right software, we can make any picture look perfect.

I said a prayer of thanks on my ride home. I thanked God for showing Himself in the monotony of the traffic, in the tedious times like doing errands, and in the times when the skies look positively frightening.

I worked out in my mind how I would write encouraging words about how that rainbow reminded me God is always with us, in times that are mundane, and in times that are exciting, when skies are blue and life is grand, and when times are dark and scary.

And I planned to produce the perfect rainbow picture that I snapped while stuck in traffic. But, like they say, a picture is sometimes worth a thousand words.

When I reviewed the pictures, the yield sign caught my eye. The yield sign reminded me that the true path to the peace that passeth understanding is to yield our hearts to Jesus. I felt like that ugly, ordinary, yield sign, spoke God’s truth as much as the rainbow did.

And the power lines and the building, represented the busy life that most of us lead. It’s not always picture perfect. It’s sometimes messy and unattractive, yet through it all, just like the rainbow in the distance, God’s love for us still shines through.

If I would have cropped out the unappealing parts of the picture, I would have cut out an important part of the story and it’s probably a part someone needed to read.

Everyone’s life is a struggle sometimes despite what people would like for you to believe on social media. No one has the perfect family, or marriage, or job, or friends, or house. I know this because I know that perfection does not exist on this side of heaven.

The rainbow right there in the middle of the messy, reminded me that Jesus came to earth to become one of us and He walks with us through the good and the bad. His death and resurrection mean we will one day live in perfection, and that truth makes life beautiful no matter where we may find ourselves at any particular moment.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

More Faith Lessons from Walmart

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes what we think were poor decisions, turn out not to be.
Sometimes what we think were poor decisions, turn out not to be.

Last weekend, my family and I did a supplies run at Walmart. As I have noted here before, I really dislike going there. It’s always so crowded, and you can’t find a parking space, and the people who shop there are rude, and it takes forever to check out, and since we live next to a college town, when thirty thousand people move back into town, everything is picked over. Sigh.

Interestingly enough, I have had quite a few occasions while shopping there, where I had the opportunity and the nudge, to extend a kindness to someone who seemed to really needed it. I have a dear friend who says she has often had Christian kindness extended to her when she’s there.

My daily prayer is always to watch for God in the world around me, but it’s also for me to be the face of Jesus in a world that desperately needs to see Him. I’ll admit I sometimes struggle with the second part. I’m sure the Good Lord knows that Walmart in a prime place for a little light shining, whether or not I may grumble about that particular mission field.

Upon arrival, hubby and I went one way and the teens went another and we divided and conquered in the hopes of getting out of there quickly. Hubby even found a line with only one person in it. We jetted over to it, patting ourselves on the back. A short line at Walmart on a Saturday, is like winning the lotto.

But, alas, we chose poorly, or so we thought.

The gentleman ahead of us was on some sort of public assistance. He had a pre-printed check. He had to separate his groceries into separate stacks. He was arguing with the cashier. A manager came over. Now, my tendency would have been to get super annoyed.

But, I said a prayer of thanks that we had money to buy groceries. Who knew what his story was? Maybe he had just lost his job. Did I really have anywhere I needed to be? Was it that big a deal for me to have to wait? I found that I was infused with a brand new wave of patience. Isn’t it funny how gratitude and prayer work together?

When our turn finally came, we were making small talk with the cashier when she blurted out how mean the man had been to her. I looked her in the eyes and told her I was really sorry about that. She proceeded to tell us the story and to scan our groceries very slowly and my hubby and I listened intently and offered her some encouragement.

She only had thirteen minutes before her shift ended and we assured her she would make it.

Who hasn’t been there? Who hasn’t been in the position where you felt like if you had to spend one more minute at work, or if one more person was rude to you, you might scream?

She was smiling when we left.

When we started on our way home, we talked to our kids about how we were supposed to be in that check out line with that cashier. That woman really needed a little kindness and we were able to offer it.

Kindness is such a small thing; it costs us nothing, but it can have such a huge impact. It’s one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and I sometimes miss it.

I often find myself desperately seeking the face of Christ, but I easily forget to be His face.

Whether I like it or not, God often reminds me at Walmart. As it turned out, we didn’t choose poorly. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Being the Ears

Posted on by Wendy
There are many ways to serve God, some more active than others, but all are important.
There are many ways to serve God, some more active than others, but all are important.

Last week, my family attended a mission work camp in South Carolina. This was my second year. I was no longer a rookie. I went in with skills and confidence that I didn’t have the year before. When we visited the two houses we would be working on, only one needed a roof. That was the once I chose.

I had learned a fair amount about roofing the previous year and I was ready to go. Monday, I got up on the roof and got busy and we got a lot done, so much so, that it was decided to rotate some newbies to the roof on Tuesday.

Our crew was a little larger than we actually needed and all of the grown ups, me included, believed it was better for the youth to be busy at work on the roof, than the adults.

I was grounded and a little bummed. I had been waiting for an entire year to serve as the hands and feet of Christ and now I wasn’t even on the roof.

But, God had other plans for me this year.

Our homeowner was named Miss Annie. She was disabled from years of seizures. Her body was week and she had to use arm crutches, but her spirit was strong. Everyday, she had one of the teens staying in her house to escort her with her wheelchair, outside to our work trailer. She would then sit down and visit for a couple of hours.

She had a heartbreaking story to tell and she really wanted to share it. She told of a family riddled with mental illness. She told of the death of a disabled grandchild, right there in the house we were roofing. She told of the death of her mother, also in that house and of the stroke that left her daughter disabled.

She talked about poverty and the inability to afford physical therapy, but she also talked of hope.

She said that when her roof began to leak, she bought buckets and she sought help. She said for three years, she had been passed over; and the rains kept coming, so she bought more buckets and kept praying.

She told me that she hoped to get stronger so that she could volunteer at the hospital to visit with people who were up there for days on end like she had been with her granddaughter. She said that people who took the time to visit with her had been the only bright spot some days.

She told me that our group was an answer to her prayers.

Miss Annie made me laugh and she made me want to cry. Some of her stories were hard to hear, but she needed to tell them. She needed for someone to sit with her and listen. She needed for someone to care about her journey.

God used Miss Annie last week to teach me that the ears are just as important to the Body of Christ as the hands and feet are. He taught me that sometimes we can do just as much good planted firmly on the ground as we can high in the air. He taught me that attentively listening to someone can sometimes accomplish the same amount of repair as a hammer can.

We all have a part to play. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you did too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Letting the Creator Create

Posted on by Wendy
Something that many would have considered ugly and useless had become unique and beautiful.
Something that many would have considered ugly and useless has become unique and beautiful.

On a recent trip to Jekyll Island on the Georgia coast, my family visited a place called Driftwood Beach. For the most part, it isn’t really driftwood. It’s actually huge oak trees and some pines that have either been eroded by the ocean or have blown in from storms.

So, it’s a beach littered with many dead trees. There’s nothing exciting or beautiful about dead trees. Right?

But, in this case, the trees have been left alone, untouched by man, and nature has done its work. The wood has been bleached white and dried out by years of sun and salt and the results are stunning.

The surreal landscape makes you want to explore.
The surreal landscape makes you want to explore.

I had never seen anything like it and I couldn’t put my camera down. Every step and turn produced something else that had me mesmerized. Tiny beach creatures had made their homes among the trees. The living readily embraced the tree skeletons.

People get married on that beach around those trees. I am told that photographers from around the world come to photograph them. The light is supposed to be particularly stunning at sunrise.

It amazed me how art had been created by simply letting nature take its course. When man stepped out and let nature step in, uncommon beauty reigned.

I don't think man could ever create art like this.
I don’t think man could ever create art like this.

I thought about Driftwood Beach, long after our trip and I have looked through my pictures dozens of times. They don’t even begin to capture the spirituality of the place. I thought about how our lives often seem littered with a bunch of dead and useless, driftwood type baggage.

I thought about how we often hate that baggage or are ashamed of it and try to do anything to get rid of it on our own. We often fail miserably creating even a bigger mess in the process.

But, what if we gave all of that driftwood, that baggage, to God and let Him do something beautiful with it? What if we placed it at the foot of the cross and asked Him to redeem it? What kind of beautiful things could He create if we only trusted Him?

What if we truly believed that we are loved and treasured and when we repent and ask for forgiveness, not only are we truly forgiven, but our past mistakes can become canvases for God’s grace?

What if we let go of our desire to try to fix things and let the Creator of the universe create beauty among our ashes?

Driftwood Beach is a reminder that He’s a master craftsman. We simply need to surrender and get out of His way.

Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Faith Lessons from Running Shoes

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes we are called out of our comfort zones.
Sometimes we are called out of our comfort zones.

I recently purchased a new pair of tennis shoes. I always put off this task as long as possible for a couple of reasons. First of all, there’s nothing more comfortable than a pair of running shoes that I have worn long enough to feel like they are custom-made for my feet.

The second reason is that there is no way of knowing that the bright, new, shiny pair of shoes that feel great on my feet in the store, will feel the same way, once I take them out for a walk, with some running thrown in for good measure.

My neighborhood is made up of many hills. The kids always affectionately called it the roller coaster neighborhood when they were growing up.

Due to the topography, a new pair of running shoes has a high likelihood of causing a blister on my feet the first time out. The problem is, there’s no way of knowing until I’m actually wearing them, a mile away from my house.

But, I had waited as long as I could and I was getting some smooth spots on the bottoms of my current shoes. I reluctantly purchased a new pair. The following morning, I laced them up and headed out, hoping for the best.

I did okay for the first mile, but on the way back home, my right heel started to burn. I was getting a blister and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried running more than walking, to get home faster, but it was growing downright painful.

Then I tried something different.

I always pray when I walk. I began to thank God for a laundry list of blessings in my life, the first being that I could afford to buy new shoes. Many people can’t. The second was that I actually had feeling in my feet. Some people don’t. My list went on until I arrived home.

My foot still hurt, but I wasn’t so focused on my pain, when I was giving thanks for so many other things.

I was grumbling a couple of days later, to my daughter, as I was putting band aids on my heel, before my walk, about how I had made a poor decision on my new shoes and how my other ones were just perfect.

She reminded my that when my old shoes were new, that they too, had rubbed a blister on my heel. How had I forgotten?

I learned two valuable lessons from those new shoes. First of all, when we “give thanks in all circumstances,” like the Bible tells us to, the tough times in life become more bearable, not magically fixed, but bearable.

The second is that it’s really easy to stay with what we find comfortable and never venture outside that safety zone. It’s easy to forget that what is now comfortable for us, probably wasn’t always. It’s also easy to want to give up on something new before we give it much of a chance, if it makes us uncomfortable.

But, the greatest experiences in life rarely come to us from sitting on the front porch in our rocking chairs. God rarely calls us to sit around and do nothing for longer than a season.

Walking with Jesus is not always comfortable, but always worth it. Sometimes we need to apply a few band aids, but we always need to keep moving forward. Getting more comfortable requires times and perseverance.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

He Still Parts the Waters

Posted on by Wendy
He still parts troubled waters.
He still parts troubled waters.

As I was reading through Exodus and the account of God parting the Red Sea, I was reminded that God would again part the waters, some forty years later. This time He parted the waters of the Jordan River and this time it wasn’t for Moses, but for Joshua.

Joshua was a slave in Egypt like the rest of the Israelites. Joshua witnessed all of the plagues that were unleashed by God on Egypt. He would have participated in the very first Passover. He had to flee from the Egyptians who pursued them and then he got to walk through the Red Sea on dry ground. He got to eat manna from heaven.

When he went with the other spies to check out the Promised Land, only he and one other man, Caleb, brought back a good report. Joshua did everything he was supposed to, yet when God pronounced judgement on Israel for not believing that the Promised Land was good and that He would continue to protect and provide, Joshua had to remain in the wilderness for 40 more years with everyone else.

It doesn’t seem quite fair when we read it. Why should Joshua have to suffer? But, God was building him up. God had big plans for His faithful servant Joshua.

When Moses died, Joshua was put in charge. Joshua was the man who actually led the Israelites into the Promised Land and God, who had parted the Red Sea to lead them to freedom from the Egyptians, once again parted the waters to lead them into the land He had promised them.

Joshua, by most accounts would have been somewhere around 60. Let that sink in for a moment.

His life must have seemed hopeless as a child born into slavery and then when God intervened and parted the Red Sea, he must have at last felt like his life was going to become something great. He must have had hope. But, after trusting God and giving a good report on the new land, he was rewarded with more hardship due to the behavior of others, or so it may have seemed at the time.

In those 40 years, I wonder if he got discouraged. I wonder if he felt like God had abandoned him. I wonder if he ever thought he would actually get to live in the land of milk and honey. The scripture doesn’t say. It would have been very difficult to not to cave into the feelings that plague humanity.

Yet, he continued to obey and trust God and at the ripe age of 60, God fulfilled His promise to His people and using Joshua, led them home.

Joshua reminds us that God still parts troubled waters of all kinds. Whatever we are struggling with, God is still in control and He can still perform wonders for those who love, trust, and obey Him. Joshua reminds us God never abandons us; He’s always at work and it’s never too late to get to the Promised Land.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Soul Wellness

Posted on by Wendy
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My kids just had a week off from school for spring break and being a mama who wants to soak up every minute possible of these fleeting years of them at home, I happily took the week off with them.

The first part of the week was fabulous. We went down to visit the grandparents. My hubby and I visited a college with my daughter. My daddy took my son fishing. On Sunday, my mama joined us for a long hike along the river, followed by ice cream downtown.

We spent a couple of days out by their pool  basking in the warm, beautiful spring weather.

My hard to please sixteen-year-old, even commented about how relaxing her spring break was and how much she was enjoying it. I was feeling incredibly thankful and blessed. In my mind, there’s nothing more precious than time spent with family in the beautiful outdoors.

Then, Tuesday night, I started feeling bad. By Wednesday, I had a full-blown cough and a pounding headache. To top it off, the weather turned cold. After driving home, I didn’t want to do much more than sit in a chair and nap.

Even so, I still felt thankful for the first part of the week. My family really needed that break.

But, as I got ready for bed Saturday night still feeling crummy, a little voice reminded me to be thankful for the second half too.

While on the surface there didn’t seem much to be thankful for when I felt so bad, I was reminded that I normally feel great, wasn’t I thankful for my normal state of health? What about the little wonders of ibuprofen and cough medicine? Wasn’t I thankful for some relief of my symptoms? What about the fact, that the best thing to do when you are sick, is to drink and rest? Did I have any idea how fortunate I was to be able to simply walk to the sink and fill a glass with clean water? Over half of the world can’t. I also had definitely had the luxury of resting.

And what about my hubby who happily made dinner when I was not feeling up to it?

By the time I actually climbed into bed, I felt an incredible amount of peace and believe it or not, joy. Although, I still felt physically unwell, I was reminded that all was well with my soul.

And that’s a truth that I often lose sight of in this ever turbulent world. Our circumstances, things like health, and finances, and relationships, can change in the blink of an eye. But, when we build our foundation on Jesus and our hearts belong to Him, then no matter what, all is well with our souls.

And that is always worth giving thanks for. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

No Small Parts in Kingdom Building

Posted on by Wendy
It takes many small things coming together, to make a flower grow and bloom.
It takes many small things coming together, to make a flower grow and bloom.

My daughter was recently asked to be the stage manager in her high school’s production of “High School Musical.” She is really interested in the behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, so she enthusiastically agreed.

When I told her that her daddy and I wanted to come and see the show, she couldn’t understand why. She asked me if I understood that she would be backstage at all times and that we wouldn’t see her. I told her that I understood, but that I also knew that her doing her part in the play would help to make it a success even if I couldn’t see her.

She still couldn’t understand why we would want to come. When I told my mama about the production, she wanted to come too. My daughter once again, couldn’t understand why. But, my mama knew just as I did, that the behind the scenes stuff can make or break a production and that my daughter’s part mattered.

The activities that go on behind the scenes can help make a performance flawless or complete chaos.

The Bible is full of those nameless characters that did their seemingly small part, but made a huge difference in the outcome. We have no idea the name of the innkeeper who offered Mary and Joseph his stable, to shelter the Baby Jesus. We have no idea who the shepherds were who just happened to be doing their jobs when angels visited them to tell them the news of Jesus’s birth. We have no idea who the man was who willingly gave his donkey for Jesus to ride on, thus fulfilling prophecy.

What about the servants at the wedding at Cana who did exactly what Jesus instructed and got to witness His first miracle? What about the friends who cut open a roof and lowered their paralyzed friend down to see Jesus, who then healed him because of their faith?

There are countless, nameless people who played what must have seemed a small, insignificant part in the life of Jesus, that actually made a big difference. Some of them unknowingly fulfilled prophecy. Some of them helped others grow their faith. All of them had a part to play whether big or small and all of them mattered to God.

And so it is with us today. Every part we play in helping others to know Jesus, matters. It can be a prayer, an invitation to church, teaching a class, sharing a pin on Pinterest, or a blog post that touched our hearts somehow. Our actions and efforts to love our neighbor matter.

We all get to play a part in building the Kingdom.

My stage manager reminded me of that. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Giving Thanks Always

Posted on by Wendy
Keeping an attitude of thanks and praise keeps our eyes focused on God and not ourselves.
Keeping an attitude of thanks and praise keeps our eyes focused on God and not ourselves.

A couple of days ago, a little orange light with a wrench on it, popped up on my dashboard. I panicked of course. What did it mean? Was it bad? As soon as I could park, I flipped through my owner’s manual until I found it. It simply meant that I needed to get my car serviced. What a relief.

The next morning, I took it to my mechanic around 9:00. They are always super backed up. There were like six people in the waiting area. I told them I was leaving it, but coming back in about an hour. I did come back and the car wasn’t ready. I had to wait and I waited until a short time after noon. I was very annoyed.

I was fuming on my drive home. I told them I wasn’t leaving it all day. Why did I actually have to be sitting there for the car to go to the front of the line? I had so much I needed to get done that wouldn’t.

Then I heard a little voice in my head that seemed to whisper, “These are first world problems.”

I was reminded of a report that I had heard on the radio the day before about children in Haiti literally eating sand so their stomachs wouldn’t hurt from hunger pains. I had been so moved that I unsuccessfully fought back tears. Life is so unfair sometimes.

Was I really going to be angry about having to wait on my car?

I asked God to forgive my selfishness and then I began to give thanks. I gave thanks that I had a car to begin with; many people don’t have one. I gave thanks that I had the money to get it serviced; many people don’t. I gave thanks for an honest mechanic. Many of them aren’t. I gave thanks that it wasn’t a huge repair needed.

It’s difficult to remain angry when I am thanking God for His many blessings in my life.

I also had to remind myself that my to-do list really wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s not like I was going to be late for performing a heart transplant. But, sometimes it’s easy for me to get totally self-focused on what I want and then to get frustrated or angry when my plans get knocked off course. Maybe that’s the case for you too?

The Bible tells us to give thanks in all circumstances. Sometimes that’s really easy and sometimes it seems nearly impossible, yet it’s what we are called to do. I’ve really been working on having a thankful heart. I’ve really been working on prayers of praise, instead of always praying with my hand out.

Prayers of praise and thankfulness take the focus off of me and put it on God, where it is supposed to be. When I get it right, which is certainly not always, my entire attitude changes and I find there is little room for anger and frustration.

A little orange wrench reminded me of that. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Dealing with Nuisance Birds

Posted on by Wendy
Focusing on what frustrates us, makes us miss out on a lot of beauty.
Focusing on what frustrates us, makes us miss out on a lot of beauty.

Yesterday, some movement in my garage, caught my eye. She was back. I guess it was a she. Every year around this time, I have an ongoing battle with a bird who insists on trying to build a nest in my garage. Surely after all of this time, it isn’t the same bird, but it’s the same struggle.

I will shoo her out and she comes back. She will get a pile of leaves and sticks going and I remove them. It’s not like my yard isn’t covered with trees where she could easily build a nest. Every year, I feel like she targets me, which of course, isn’t the case.

Well, yesterday as soon as I saw what she was up to, I closed the garage. My kitchen got awfully dark all of a sudden because it was a beautiful day and I had blocked the sunlight from coming in, but I was willing to make the sacrifice.

Some time went by and I decided to sweep out my garage. When I clicked to open the garage door, I was stunned by both the brilliant light that came pouring in and the symphony of birdsong. I mean, it was like a concert out there. I smiled at their songs as well at how beautiful and warm the light was.

The garage had been dark and chilly with the door closed. Sure, there was no nuisance bird, but I was missing out on a lot of the beauty that I so enjoy this time of year.

I thought about that light and music for the rest of the day. I thought about how we can allow anything that is a nuisance to us, deprive us of something special.

I thought about how especially true that is with churches. Anyone who has spent a lot of time in a church will tell you that churches are far from perfect. They are made up of people and people are broken. There will be conflict from time to time.

Christians have a common enemy who thrives on conflict.

And quite often, there will be that one person, who drives us insane, so much so, that we allow ourselves to become focused on the negatives of that person. We can allow that person to become our nuisance bird, so to speak, and avoid all situations where he or she is involved. We become willing to shut out any contact with that person.

In so doing, we miss out on so much of the community that is the heart of the church. We miss the aggravation, but we sacrifice the light and the music.

My little nuisance bird reminded me that I should spend some time in prayer about those who frustrate me and then give it to God. In the end, keeping the door closed, makes me give up too much and in a world that is often dark, I don’t want to miss a minute of the light or the music.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂