Staying Positive in a Negative World

In our Nextdoor app, one of my neighbors posted this: “Happy Heart. With all the turmoil in the world, a wonderful thing happened yesterday. As my husband and I were pulling into our drive, a man in a red truck pointed to our neighbor's house and asked if she were home. He had found her purse in the basket corral at Walmart and was personally returning it to her. He was a fireman named Robert. He went out of his way to drive it all the way to her house with everything intact. There are beautiful people in this world and we need to remember this. What a terrific thing for someone to do. This could’ve ended in a totally different way with much inconvenience. We appreciate people like you, Robert! Stay safe!!”

Aw! A story worthy of sharing because it was refreshing considering the Nextdoor app is often used by cranky folks who are "ticked" about something or someone.

It was so uplifting to be with gals from my church on Monday night after being apart for so many months. The little whining we did was only because we couldn't hug each other -- especially for us huggers.

Being on purpose to stay in a positive frame of mind is as simple as looking for the good everywhere – like that fireman helping a neighbor. Here’s a few of the ways I keep myself energized by focusing on the blessings in my life on a daily basis:

1. I protect myself from negative news. While I want to keep up with current events, sometimes a headline is sufficient to grasp new developments. I limit the time I spend with mainstream media. Truthfully, if that’s where we get our daily “feeding” from instead of God’s Word, then we can only blame ourselves if we’re discouraged.

2. I control the number of negative people in my life. Other than when I am encouraging someone who is going through real challenges, I carefully select how much time I spend with those who are intent on just being negative. My frame of mind and my attitude is dependent on what I allow into my mind.

3. I listen to uplifting Christian music and be transported to a place of joy, peace, and thanksgiving.

4. I practice gratitude. Appreciating life and its many blessings puts me in a good mood. That gratitude makes me want to encourage others – calling or messaging them with an encouraging word. And, random acts of kindness goes a long way in turning a negative world into a positive one.

5. I pray randomly all day: "Thank you, God, for that green light. Thank you, God, for that parking space." And whether it's in traffic or a line at the store, I call on His name as a reminder to have a little conversation with THE ONE who isn't surprised by the delays. No doubt, it's a part of His Master Plan.

There's blessings and beauty everywhere. It's possible to stay positive in a negative world when we look for it.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8

Thank God for His Amazing Grace

As I sit at my computer for hours editing the final manuscript of a soon-to-be-released book, I start to think “Thank You, God, for your amazing grace!" The author, young wife and mom of two young children, not only survived breast cancer but is knocking the ball out of the park with her story of overcoming faith in the worst season of her life. At the beginning of her journey, when the dreaded words came, "You have breast cancer”, her world came to a screeching halt and she wondered how she could make it through. That’s what we all think when we’re hit with a mind-blowing, earth-shattering, shaken-to-the-core, unwelcomed surprise of mammoth proportions. If I only read the first couple of chapters of her book and put it down, I’d be left with concern and disappointment for this young woman. Oh, but, hold on! The story didn’t stop at Chapter 2. It went on to Chapter 40 and continues on today. Thank God for His amazing grace.

As I read her story, I remembered times when I could hardly take a deep breath because of the utter pain and fear of what tomorrow would hold – never mind even making it through this day when time stood still. I have seen and endured things I would have never expected, and at the time, I wondered how I would make it. But, thank God for His amazing grace.

There is so much uncertainty in this world. So much heartache. So much disappointment. So many struggles. But thank God for His amazing grace. We know He is with us and is Who helps us hold it all together. "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

We don’t have to know or understand everything at the starting gate of our life journey. It is certainly not easy not knowing, but it is a part of our story that God will use. What gets us through, is knowing we don’t go it alone or carry the weight of it all on our own. Thank God, Who gives us the strength to carry on. When we feel we can no longer stand, He carries us. We have all we need in Him and He is faithful.

This young woman is cancer-free today. Thanks be to God. But if you knew how God brought her through it all to today, you would understand the reasons why she is so grateful and loves Him so much. The same is true for me, and I suspect, it's probably true for you, too. We've come a long way, Baby! And, it's because of God's amazing grace. Our fears don't stand a chance when we stand in God's love. Our doubts don't stand a chance when we stand in God's grace. Our concerns don't stand a chance when we stand in God's faithfulness. Whatever you're facing today, it's just temporary. God makes sure of that so stay close to Him. Rest in Him. Trust Him. In His hands, all things are possible. So let's introduce our fears, doubts, and concerns to our Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness. "Nothing is impossible with our God!"

Being Thankful When It Isn't Easy

In my post, yesterday, I welcomed this week of Thanksgiving. One day just isn’t enough for us to express our gratitude for God’s goodness and mercy for so many blessings. I know, however, Thanksgiving isn't always a joyous and thankful time for everyone. I know that life is going terribly wrong for some people who can’t think of even one thing for which to be thankful. They are hurting way too much. Oh, believe me, I have been in a wallow of self-pity before, and I know those feelings. Of course, we ALWAYS have something to be thankful for, but when we’re in a season of distress, it’s enough to get out of bed in the morning and to put one foot in front of the other.

I'm thinking about the California fires and those precious people who no longer have a home to go to; for those family members who lost their loved ones in the fires. Then there is the medical test that comes back positive. A spouse wants a divorce. A child is wayward. The mortgage company calls in the loan. God seems so far away, and thanksgiving and praise is the last thing to bubble up from our hearts. We can't see His goodness, and circumstances scream that He has forgotten us.

To praise and thank God in those times requires personal sacrifice. It takes an act of our will to let go of it all before a God we sometimes don't understand. When we bring a "sacrifice of praise," we choose to believe that, even though life is not going as we think it should, God is still good and He's up to something good and can be trusted. When we choose to praise God in spite of the storms, He is honored, and our faith grows deeper.

The Apostle Paul set such a good example for us. He wrote, “In everything give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. How could he be thankful in everything, in imprisonments, in beatings, in, really, all kinds of adversity that most people would find tragic and unbearable? It is because Paul was a “pilgrim” of a different sort, one who trusted God to take care of him in the very best way. He didn’t say “Give thanks FOR all things”, but “give thanks IN all things”. “In spite of all this painful stuff, I give YOU thanks, Almighty God!" Today, I offer this prayer for all of us, no matter where we are in our heart and soul:

Lord, teach us to offer you a heart of thanksgiving and praise in all our daily experiences of life. You promised that you would be near to the brokenhearted. Please be near to us today, so much so, that we feel Your closeness and your warm embrace. St. Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always." Lord, there are times when it's so hard to rejoice, but help us to be joyful always, to pray continually and to give thanks IN all our circumstances. Help us to ALWAYS be able to find the good in whatever we're going through. May the power of the enemy be defeated in our lives through our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Please change our outlook and attitude into one of joyful thanksgiving for your goodness and mercy. We choose to continually offer You a sacrifice of praise. Teach us the power of a thankful heart. May this be our song every day: “I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens” (Psalm 7:17-18:1). In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Savor Life and the Blessings

It's quiet in my home tonight.  The "gang" have all left for their homes in Texas and Seattle.  I'm savoring the sweet times we were able to cram into such a short span of time. I'm archiving so many things that I'll remember for a lifetime.

My not-so-big home handled all eleven of us.  My big concerns about how we'd make it, were for naught.  We were together -- and that's what mattered. Laughter, sweet stories of the past, playing pickleball, and getting our family photos taken at such a fun place and fun is what we had.  The sweetest memory I'll carry with me is Alexia and her little buddy-cousin, Bryson, with their blow-up mattresses in my closet, turned out to be their favorite adventure.

Alexia built a box movie theater that held her iPad for their movie. When I went in to check on them, they shused me out -- they didn't want to be disturbed. LOL!

Then today, the doorbell rang, and there was a big box sitting on my porch.  It was a beautiful new HD TV.  My 14-year old Payton (the entrepreneur and technological whiz-kid) went to Best Buy and negotiated the best deal he could for his Nana.  My family has been patient with me in my reluctance to get rid of the "dinosaur" TVs in my home.  Why would I want to get rid of something that works just fine for me?  But I think the big football games they didn't see in high definition (HD), gave Payton the desire to bless his Nana.  And that he did today.

I was overwhelmed by his precious love for me. He spent so much time investigating to get just the right one -- speaking to the Team Manager, then the Master Team Manager, then the Store Manager.  He got the best deal.

Just before the Wallace's headed out for home, they had to have a final pickleball match, while my sweet Alexia sang on the clubhouse speaker system.  And the finale of the day, was hide-n-go-seek in the clubhouse.  We all laughed and ran around trying to keep from being caught.  Precious times!

Now, Christmas music is playing in the background as I'm putting up Christmas decorations.  It's quiet and peaceful here, but I'm already missing the sweet sound of laughter, the sibling tiffs, the life that my precious family brings.

And here's what I want to leave with you on this Friday night of Thanksgiving weekend.  I refuse to call this day "Black Friday" and to get caught up in the buying frenzy of this day.  Every Friday, is Good Friday, and here is what I wish for you as we approach the most beautiful time of the year:  That you STOP to FEEL and SMELL and SAVOR  and ACKNOWLEDGE  the precious gifts that God provides for you every single day.  That  you fully appreciate the blessings in your life and not miss a moment.  That you take them in and savor them in your senses as if you might lose them tomorrow.

Savor your life and blessings. And thank our God for the gift of it all.  And, to know that my life taught you something about your own, would truly be your gift to me.  I hope you embrace the moments, the season, the joys and the hopes that this beautiful season of Christmas brings.