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.

Savoring the Moment

Posted on by Wendy
Don't forget to savor the ordinary. One day we will look back and find that it was extraordinary.
Don’t forget to savor the ordinary. One day we will look back and find that it was extraordinary.

When the weather gets warmer like it has over the past few days, I feel an incredibly strong pull to get outdoors. My family and I took a walk on Sunday. I had so many things to do at my house, but I’ve become wise enough to know that when my two teens are willing to take a hike with their parents, it truly is a gift from God, and not to be taken for granted.

I have horrible allergies this time of year and have to take an antihistamine and a decongestant, but I can’t seem to stop myself from spending as much time outside as possible. The headache is worth it. Spring is so fleeting that I always try to grab hold of it with both hands. It will be ninety degrees here in the Peach State in the blink of an eye. Spring is precious.

Yesterday, when my daughter got home from school, I was sitting on the porch with a cup of tea and she and I talked about her day. I had some laundry to attend to, but she wanted to talk, so I was happy to listen. My son came in with my hubby, a little while later and my son spent some time talking about his day.

It was getting later. I needed to start dinner, but there we sat, talking and listening to each other and soaking up every drop we could of the glorious day we had been given.

Dinner ended up being a little late. No one seemed to care. I had to take some ibuprofen after clearing the dishes because my head was aching some. I was late writing my post because I spent the extra time outdoors with my family and the towels are still in the dryer.

But, as I sit here typing, I couldn’t be more thankful. I truly believe when I get to the end of my life, that I will look back on time spent on the porch with my kids as precious and as fleeting as spring.

It’s the ordinary gifts like a spring day or the time spent with our family that we so often take for granted, but in the end, we usually find that the ordinary is actually the extraordinary. And if we are truly wise, we grab hold with both hands and savor every moment, thanking God for the everyday.

Because, time is the one thing that we can never get enough of and the laundry can always wait.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Daffodil Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
Spring is coming whether we believe it or not.
Spring is coming whether we believe it or not.

We have had gorgeous weather here in Georgia over the past few days. Leap Day had the thermometer touching seventy degrees. I have never been a fan of cold weather and have been desperately searching for signs of spring even when they have been difficult to find.

The daffodils, which I consider the most optimistic of the earth’s flowers, began to spring up a few weeks ago in different places. The weather was still very dark and chilly; yet they rose anyway, promising that spring was on the way, even when I couldn’t feel it or see it any place else.

The daffodils are always a reminder of better days ahead. They remind me the weather will finally get warm again and that the barren earth is really not dead, but just sleeping. They remind me that it won’t be long before Creation in its entirety, will spring to life as if God painted each petal and leaf by hand.

They remind me that Easter is just a few weeks away and I suspect that Heaven rejoices on Easter in a display even more stunningly beautiful than those of us on earth could even begin to imagine. Yes, the citizens of Heaven and earth join together to celebrate Easter. What a glorious day.

But, sometimes I forget and I feel that I may be stuck in endless winter forever. Maybe, you too?

It’s supposed to rain tomorrow and get cold again. I won’t have the warmth or the sunshine to remind me of better days to come, yet I hold on to the promise that they are coming regardless of whether I believe it or not.

Isn’t that the definition of faith?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Thankfully, God blesses us along the way with little reminders of His promises like those perky yellow daffodils. I sometimes need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He’s in the Rain Too

Posted on by Wendy
He walks with us in the sun and rain.
He walks with us in the sun and in the rain.

Yesterday, I was able to get outside and take a walk. It was supposed to rain, but it was fairly warm, and I decided to take a chance. I pray when I walk and I feel closest to God when I’m outside. It’s hard not to be in awe of God’s creativity when I hear birds singing and see them flying around or when I see the trees beginning to bud and bloom. The lawns in my neighborhood are turning green again and there are deer everywhere.

As is usually my custom, I pray on my way to my destination and on the way back, I remain silent. I try very hard not to ask for anything or even give thanks for anything. I try to just silently drink in Creation and wait for God to show His presence somehow. He often sends me a hawk. He sent me an owl once, in broad daylight. Sometimes, I’ll catch sight of a tiny flower in the middle of a bunch of dead leaves.

His presence is often subtle, but I usually see Him or hear Him.

Yesterday, as usual, when I began my walk back, I prayed for Him to show me His presence. I walked a little ways and I heard a hawk call in the distance. I saw some blue birds and cardinals, all evidence of His creation, but I sensed that wasn’t what He was trying to show me.

I kept walking. It began to rain. Then, I got it. I could almost hear Him whisper, “I’m in the rain too.”

I smiled.because I understood.

Now, the thing about rain is that it can be refreshing. It can be life saving when there’s been drought. It can be devastating when there’s flooding. But, God is always there, in all of it.

Yesterday, I was reminded that it’s often easy to see God in the blessings. But, it’s just as important to seek Him and see Him in the hard times too. He’s there in the losses, the sicknesses, and the tragedies. He’s right there; drawing us close, if we will just lean into Him.

I found that reminder comforting. Perhaps you will too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Groundhog Day Reflections

Posted on by Wendy
While Groundhog Day has us longing for spring, we are sometimes called to wait in the winter season.
While Groundhog Day has us longing for spring, we are sometimes called to wait in the winter season.

Today is Groundhog Day. It’s the day where people anxiously gather around a groundhog’s, zoo habitat and to see whether or not it will predict an early spring or six more weeks of winter. It’s a kind of bizarre ritual that we can thank German immigrants for bringing to America in the 1700’s.

I’ll have to admit though, in the dead of winter, it’s always fun to dream of an early spring. Spring is when the earth pops back to life. Flowers and trees explode in colorful blooms at every turn. The air turns warm. Birds sing. Spring is a glimpse of paradise here on earth.

Who wouldn’t want spring to come early?

There was a movie released in 1993, called, “Groundhog Day.” It was a comedy starring Bill Murray, but it had a much deeper message than comedies often do.

Murray plays a weather man sent to cover Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He is angry and downright surly about having to go. He has better things to do and makes everyone around him miserable as he complains about the miserable little town and the rodent he is sent to cover. Different characters try to reach out to him, but he shoves them all away.

Then a blizzard comes through and he is snowed in for the night, stuck there. He finally goes to bed, thankful that the day is at last over and when the alarm goes off the next morning, it’s Groundhog Day again.

And so it goes, he is forced to relive the same monotonous day over and over. At one point, he tries killing himself. In true Murray fashion, he tries  throwing a toaster in the tub, among other things. Nothing works.

He goes to sleep and wakes up to the same day, seemingly endlessly.

At some point, though, he decides to accept where he is. There’s no great epiphany. It’s subtle. He begins returning kindnesses that are extended to him, with kindness. He stops scheming to get the female lead to fall for him and begins to simply talk to her and get to know her and wonder of all wonders, she develops feelings for him too.

And then, just when he decides it’s okay, to be where he is indefinitely, he wakes up to the next day. Life at last moves on and he’s a much better and wiser human being than before.

We’ve all been there. Haven’t we?

There are times when life seems stuck in an endless loop of winter. We long for spring and we wonder if it will ever come. We sometimes make dozens of futile attempts to change our winter season and force the spring to come.

But, sometimes, God calls us to wait and trust. Sometimes, He is extremely busy crafting a spring for us that’s beyond our wildest dreams, with beauty that will take our breath away, but we must be willing to wait. We must be willing to accept that His plan is better than anything we could conceive on our own.

So, if you find yourself stuck in your own Groundhog Day  loop, don’t be discouraged. The Bible says,”Have I not commanded you? Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Spring is coming.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Standing on the Promises

Posted on by Wendy
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31b
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31b

Yesterday’s sermon was about Jesus preaching in his hometown synagogue. The people there, didn’t like what His message was, so they tried to kill Him. He walked away from them and went on His way.

He was eventually killed because the folks in charge couldn’t deal with His message, but they learned in the end, that His message was way more powerful than death. Killing Him didn’t stop it. It simply led to the resurrection and then His message spread like wildfire.

God was always at work, even when Satan thought he was winning. He wasn’t.

The powerful people have always tried to silence messages that they don’t like. When the prophet Elijah was spreading God’s message, he often found himself on the run. He spoke truth. He spoke God’s message. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, didn’t like it, so they tried desperately to have him killed.

They failed and wound up dead themselves. And Elijah? He went up to Heaven in a whirlwind. Even in Elijah’s darkest hours, God was working. Man conspired against him; but God had a plan. Elijah got discouraged, but he stayed close to God and he kept obeying and speaking the truth.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful attributes of the Bible, is that it paints for us over and over, in great details, the struggles and triumphs of the people of God. We see over and over how evil men conspire to thwart God’s plan, but a close reading, teaches us that evil ultimately fails.

The ISIS atrocities against Christians and Jews, God’s people, are just another example of evil rearing its ugly head. While it’s too horrible for decent people to even comprehend, the Bible teaches us that this is nothing new. It has a new name, but the seed of all evil comes from Satan, always has and always will.

And while we breathe a sigh of relief that our own country doesn’t have that kind of widespread violence. We have to remember that evil doesn’t always carry a sword and draw blood.

There have been coaches who have recently lost their jobs because they pray publicly. Where do you think that comes from? There have been people who have been run out of business because they stood by what they believed was Biblical truth. These are just a couple of examples.

In the West, evil has learned to go for the money instead of the physical. Not a shot gets fired. No blood is spilled, but standing by Biblical principles can lead to financial ruin.

And if we listen to the media, it sometimes appears that evil is winning.

But, the Bible tells us a different story. We are reminded from the very beginning, that God is working.

We are reminded that prayer and repentance will heal our land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

We are reminded that we fight a war that is spiritual not physical. Ephesians 6:12

We are reminded that God provides us with armor for the battles. Ephesians 6:13-18

We are reminded that Jesus is always with us as we go about doing His work. Matthew 28:19-20

We are reminded that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28

These are just a handful of the powerful reminders that God loves His children. So, if you are feeling disheartened today, anxious or discouraged, take heart, my friend.

God has been at work since the story of mankind began. He has been at work in your story and in mine. Evil sometimes looks like it’s going to win. The Bible promises us it won’t

And that, dear friend, is something worth celebrating.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

Loving Thy Neighbor

Posted on by Wendy
Where will you see God today?
Where will you see God today?

I love to share stories that show everyday people following Jesus’ example of the Good Samaritan. Jesus was an excellent storyteller and he went out of his way to share truth in a way that his audience could understand. It was very effective. Even people who have never set foot in church, can often recount the story of the Good Samaritan.

Sometimes, if we keep our eyes open, we can see people acting as Good Samaritans. I just read a couple of stories that were too good not to share.

Last week in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, a 79-year-old, disabled man called 911 because he hadn’t eaten in two days. I can’t imagine his desperation. He relied solely on social security and his caregiver had stolen his debit card. I don’t know what the dispatcher told him, but a little while later, he had  knock on his door.

Several police officers walked in with a month’s worth of groceries for him. They bought them with their own money and were so moved by the man’s situation, that they have now started a food pantry at their police department to help in other situations like this.

The woman who stole the card has been arrested. She meant nothing, but harm, but God used it for good. Not only did the man not starve, he got plenty of groceries and a system has been set up to help other people in the area.

Isn’t it awesome to see God at work?

The second story took place in New York. A twenty-three-year-old paralegal, named Joey Resto, was riding on a subway, when he saw a homeless man with no shirt on, literally freezing. He took off his own shirt and hat and walked over to the man, who said nothing, but just held his arms up. Resto gave him the shirt off of his back as well as his hat, and then got off at his stop.

Another passenger, who was watching the entire scene unfold, recorded it all.

We live in a world where people record every single negative thing you can think of, from fights, to street violence, to cops doing something wrong. I wonder what made this New Yorker video someone doing something beautiful.

He told the New York Daily News, “The guy did a good thing, so I wanted to record it. I would tell him, ‘God bless him. That was thoughtful.'”

Oh, yeah, there’s God again. That’s why.

The video has been shared a whopping thirteen million times on Facebook. Apparently, we’re all searching for more goodness in the world, or maybe I should say Godness.

Here’s my takeaway: God is alive and well and working. He works through us, when we let Him. We all have the capability of being the Good Samaritan. When we look for God, we will find Him and when we see Him, we should share it. It’s just one more way of shining the light of Christ.

Where will you see Him today?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

When the Plan is Out of Focus

Posted on by Wendy
We shouldn't necessarily hit delete because our plans are out of focus.
We shouldn’t necessarily hit delete because our plans are out of focus.

My family and I visited Callaway Gardens for New Year’s Eve. It’s a resort at the foothills of the Appalachian mountains covered with walking and biking trails. It also has a butterfly house that’s a huge solarium with all types of flowers, trees and waterfalls and they incubate all types of brilliantly colored butterflies.

It was almost otherworldly. It was cold and gray outside and we stepped into an oasis with greenery everywhere and something like 85 degree temps, and there were gorgeous, butterflies flying around all over the place.

Of course, my main aim was to capture one with my camera. I snapped dozens of pictures. I just knew God would lead me to share one of those gorgeous creatures here in this space. I mean, God and butterflies seemed like a no brainer to me. They weren’t very cooperative and wouldn’t stay in one place over a second or two, but I felt confident I got at least one good shot.

Upon returning home and browsing through all of my pictures, I learned that I didn’t get any good shots, not even one. I was really disappointed, but after hitting delete many times, I came across this one. It too, was out of focus, but as I went to delete it, I felt a nudge not to. I’ve learned to pay attention to those nudges. I suspected that God had something to teach me through that photo later, although I couldn’t imagine what it could possibly be.

Yesterday, as I was going about my business, thinking and praying about the new year, and some of the things I hope to accomplish, that out of focus butterfly came to mind along with some new thoughts.

First of all, just because the photo was out of focus, doesn’t mean the butterfly wasn’t beautiful. We often experience moments in our lives that take our breath away, but our society has led us to believe that if we don’t plaster them on social media, they weren’t special or meaningful. That’s simply not true.

Just because I am unable to prove to you with a perfect photograph that the butterfly was stunning, doesn’t make it any less stunning. Perhaps we could all learn from that blurry photo that the most important, memory making moments in our lives are often the private ones.

As I continued to think about the photo, I was also reminded that our plans are often not clear. When God plants a seed in us to do something, He often lights the path just one step at the time. More often than not, we have no idea what the end of our journey will look like. The not knowing can frustrate and frighten us, but as Christians, we are called to obey.

We are sometimes called to take Jesus’ hand and step out into the unknown, knowing that although the details may be unclear, like the butterfly in the photo, in the end, the destination will be spectacular.

Turns out, God did have something to teach me from that blurry photo. Perhaps you learned something too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Wind is Blowing

Posted on by Wendy
The wind is blowing.
The wind is blowing.

I have been reading along with an online Bible study called #shereadstruth. We are currently journeying through Genesis, which never ceases to cast forth something new and different for me to ponder, every time I read it. This time I was reading the account of Noah, when something new presented itself for me to think about.

Noah and his family and all of those animals were on the ark for around 370 days, give or take. Now I’m sure in the beginning, as the rain came pelting down and the ark began to float, they probably felt thankful and blessed.

But, the human heart is often fickle. God never told them how long they would be on the ark. He just told them to get on it. We have had a lot of rain here in Georgia over the past few months. There have been days that we wondered if it would ever stop. It rained on Noah for forty days and nights, non-stop.

I wonder how thankful they felt after 40 days. Then the rain finally stopped. Perhaps they wondered if at last they could breathe fresh air again and walk on dry land or run and jump. The rain may have stopped, but they had a long wait ahead. For over three hundred more days, they floated for a period that I suspect seemed aimless and endless.

Have you ever felt like you were drifting endlessly? Have you ever wondered if you would ever feel like your feet were on solid ground? Have you ever wondered if you would feel the warmth of the sun or the freedom to run freely again?

Well, take heart. I’m sure Noah and his family must have felt downright hopeless and forgotten at times, too. But, this story is about a man who loved and obeyed God, and God provided, as He always provides for His children.

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him on the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” Genesis 8:1

Keep in mind, that while that wind was blowing and the waters were receding that Noah and his family were still locked away in the ark. God was at work, but they couldn’t see it. I am reminded that He is at work in our lives too, in the darkness, in the hopelessness, even when we can’t see it.

Lastly, the first thing Noah did was to offer a burnt sacrifice to God. In our world of instant gratification, it’s a stunning picture of Noah’s love for God that after 370 days sealed aboard an ark with all of those animals, the first thing he did was to give thanks for their deliverance. Noah remembered to be thankful.

Noah’s story reminds me to always remember that God is always at work even if it’s like the wind and we can’t see it. His story also reminds me to give thanks for the many blessings that we have been given, even if they were what we believe to be a long time coming. God’s timing is always perfect.

Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Never Grow Weary of Doing Good

Posted on by Wendy
The record setting rain had pushed the pond waters way outside of its banks.
The record setting rain had pushed the pond waters way outside of its banks.

The great state of Georgia, got some serious rain over the Christmas holiday. There were records broken. It was warm and very soggy. Miraculously, the skies cleared on Christmas Day and the weather was absolutely gorgeous for a couple of days.

Kids and adults alike, were all a little stir crazy and we just had to get outdoors for some sun and fresh air. My parents have a pond on their property and we went to see how far it had spilled outside of its banks. I don’t ever remember seeing it so high. On our walk back to the house, I came across this patch of baby bass who had been caught up in a current that took them outside of the safety of the banks of the pond.

Never grow weary of doing good.
At first glance, all seemed lost.

When the rain stopped, and it always does, the water receded and left them stranded. It saddened me to see these tiny fish, dead in the mud. I called my hubby and daughter over to show them. As my daughter examined them more closely, she realized that a few of them were still alive and she rescued them by putting them back safely into the pond.

She lost more than she saved, yet she was able to save some. Maybe those few would grow to adults and parent many more.

I shared our story with our other family members, so later, when my brother-in-law took my three-year-old niece on a walk, they were on the look out for more displaced fish. Apparently, little Lois had no trouble spotting some and went about returning them to the pond as quickly as possible. She got so excited in her quest that she ran and ended up tripping and falling in the mud.

Do you think she cried and gave up? Nope, she got up and apologized to the tiny misguided fish and carried it to safety.

I thought about those fish for days after I returned home. I thought about how easy it is for us to get lost when the floods of life come. We can sometimes find ourselves outside of the safety of God’s will.

I also thought about how easy it is for Christians to get discouraged when there are so many people who need help. We can began to feel that if we can’t help save everyone then it’s not worth the effort. We can get weary and overwhelmed. But, every single person matters to God.

Loving others and sharing our faith is not a numbers game. All we are called to do is the best we can with what we have. God will do the rest.

The Bible tells us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

A three-year-old reminded me of that verse. In her quest to help, she fell, but she got up and kept helping. As a new year begins, it’s a good verse to remember and carry close. Maybe you needed a reminder too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

God With Us

Posted on by Wendy
As we celebrate Advent, we remember that Immanuel means "God with us." He is with us wherever we are.
As we celebrate Advent, we remember that Immanuel means “God with us.” He is with us wherever we are.

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing particularly good happened? Have you had one of those days where nothing catastrophic happened, but as you sat down from a long day of being productive, you couldn’t think of much to be thankful for?

Yesterday was one of those days for me. I went to bed the night before with a stomach ache. I woke up with one too, yet I was scheduled to work for a teacher with a sick child, so I sucked it up and went. On my drive in, I prayed for strength to make it through the day and that I wouldn’t get sick once I got there.

My son wasn’t feeling well either. His stomach was hurting too. He texted me around 11:30 that he was feeling very sick. My hubby happened to have the day off, so he went and picked him up.

I did make it through the day. I stopped by Publix for stomach bug staples, like ginger ale, crackers, soup and Gatorade. I arrived safely home and wanted to do nothing more than crash on the couch that was already occupied by my ailing son.

I settled for the chair with a cup of ginger tea. I dozed off for a few minutes. My daughter arrived home from school all cheer and smiles which is often not the case. But, she aced a math test and exempted a final and all was right in her world.

I sat there in that chair after she bounced away, willing myself to move. What in the world could I write as words of encouragement for Wednesday’s post? I was exhausted and not feeling well. I pride myself in seeing God in daily life, in the good and the bad, but I was coming up empty. I prayed as I always do, that He would meet me at the keyboard.

I began to type and He began to whisper to my weary heart all the places He was in my not great day. I did have the strength to make it through the day. I didn’t get sick at school and I didn’t feel so drained until I got home. That means a lot when you are leading fourth graders all day. “Thank-you God.” I whispered.

I kept typing. The kids were surprisingly well-behaved all day even though we are perilously close to Christmas. I didn’t have to sign any cards or raise my voice. Even the kids who were notorious for misbehaving, were well-behaved. “Thank-you God.” I said again.

My hubby was available and willing to drive my son home. I have been blessed with a good father for my children. “Thank-you God.” I found myself repeating.

I had money to buy necessities at the grocery store. “Thank-you God.” I said a little louder.

My stressed out junior in high school got a good grade after working really hard. “Thank-you God.” I said smiling.

It seemed that the more I typed and the more I thought about my day, the more I could see Him. But, that’s the key, isn’t it? We have to look. We have to take the time to be quiet and still and open our hearts, if we want to see.

When I sought God, He reminded me He was with me every step. As we celebrate this season of Advent, may we all remember that Immanuel means in Hebrew- God with us, and so He is. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂