It's all about Attitude...

Some time back my daughter had some friends over and one of them spilled some soda. I proceeded to clean it up while she apologized profusely. I assured her it was just an accident, to which she replied that her dad would have gotten all upset. I told her that all getting upset does is to drain me emotionally, and an accident isn't worth that. My daughter then commented, "Dad wasn't always like that. He's pretty cool that way now". I was surprised and somewhat flattered that she'd paid attention...

Yesterday was a real test to my philosophy that accidents aren't worth getting upset over. I am doing a little painting around the house and while painting the trim around my deck door I tripped over the almost full paint can and fell, also knocking the paint can over- on my expensive oriental rug... I almost got upset, but decided my time was better suited to getting up the paint and trying to save the rug. After about an hour's work, in which I pretty much covered myself in ultra-white trim paint, I was satisfied that the rug was okay and I was too. I returned to my painting and climbed my little step-stool to paint above the door- forgetting a very important fact- and promptly stuck my head into the twirling ceiling fan. A couple of sharp blows to my temple and back of the head sent me tumbling off the stool to the floor once again... Not a good night by anyone's standards. But I didn't get upset. I just decided the house looked good enough for now and put in a movie and sat back in the recliner...

So this morning I came in and found I had little smudges of paint to clean off the recliner. I guess I should have thought and changed out of my paint-covered painting clothes before getting comfy. Okay, if this day continues like yesterday I may give in to those baser desires and really get upset! I hope not, 'cause I believe the quality of life is so dependent on attitude, and the better our attitude the better life looks. Our situation is often defined by the attitude we approach it with. It's all about attitude...

Tough Love...

Tonight I was reflecting on my children, now grown, and the challenges they presented me as a parent as they grew up. There were times that they totally frustrated me, times I wanted to throw my hands up and quit, but through it all I never stopped loving them. Sometimes I didn't want to show it, sometimes I didn't feel like it, but in my heart it was there. My thoughts went to my Father, my Heavenly Father, and I marvel at His love and mercy toward me. I've had so many more years to screw up, to disappoint, and understanding my frustrations as a parent made my appreciation so much greater for the boundless love and mercy God constantly shows us, shows me. Mercy is just undeserved forgivness, Wow.

As I thought of God and His love and mercy I remembered questions people asked like, "Why does God allow bad things to happen?, and, "Didn't God destroy people, especially in the Old Testament? How does a loving God do that?" The second question first- Yes, God did destroy people, but never did He destroy anyone with a repentent heart, with a desire to seek Him out. Peoples that He destroyed, or allowed the Children of Israel to destroy were people who had turned from Him, with hardened hearts, Those that did seek Him he spared, those that repented he heaped his love and mercy upon, just as He does me. Sometimes it takes tough love to get the attention of your children, even to the point of destruction...

As for God allowing bad things to happen, well that's a bit tougher. You see, bad things are not something God desires or orchestrates. They are a result of choice, and a direct result of bad choices we have made. Way back in the beginning God gave Adam and Eve free will, or choice. The choice was simple: obey Him and live in perfect harmony forever with our Creator, or choose to disobey and reap the rewards. Adam made a foolish choice and all mankind pays the price for it. You see, for Adam to choose good the posibility of evil had to exist. For him to choose God the choice to walk away from Him had to exist. And with his choice Adam condemned mankind to a life seperated from a Holy and perfect God. And God, in His mercy, allowed man to die a physical death, so that he might be reborn in heaven a perfect creature once again. God gave us the avenue to undo the wrong Adam did, but it takes death to do it. Tough love, but overwhelming and endless love. Death to gain life. A repentent heart that desires to follow Him again...

Not eveyone believes in Eternal life, or a life after death, but I do. In fact, everyone will experience eternal life- some in Heaven and others in hell. Those who don't make Heaven fall short because they chose to disobey, or ignore, or walk away from God. God doesn't want anyone to go to hell, and I'm sure it breaks His heart every time it happens, but again, that's choice. He desires community with us, but only if we desire it with Him, Free will, choice, unending mercy, and tough love. They're all bundled up together...
Food for thought...

Chicago Bears lose- But I Win!

My Chicago Bears lost today, to their arch-rivals the Green Bay Packers. I watched the game with a friend, and we cheered, and groaned, and lived vicariously through our fallen heroes. I couldn't help but remember the week of hype we went through- the news stories in the newspaper, the nightly TV reports, the stories of fan loyalty and even some violence as people defended "their" teams.

You know, when I stop and remember that these teams are grown men, paid millions of dollars, to play a kid's game a lot of the importance seems to wither and fade in light of things in life that really matter. It really makes all the hoopla seem pretty silly, and feeling bad over a loss by one team or another is pretty ridiculous. I didn't make millions of dollars, nor did I win or lose a game. I'm merely a spectator, cheering and hoping for a winning result, but when the game is over my life carries on, win or lose. My life isn't dramatically affected with a win or a loss.


So tonight I reflect on my Chicago Bears. You lost my friends, and I wish you had won, but I don't feel badly, like I may have in the past. Your loss is part of your life, and you are living the fantasy; being obscenely paid to play a kid's game, your finacial life secure. Win or lose you will go on and play another day. You won't have to get up every day and work like hundreds of millions of others just to make ends meet, you won't have to worry about how the economy will affect your livelihood, for your country is filled with suckers who continue to pay their hard-earned dollars to watch you play. We work, you play. I don't feel bad anymore. So guess what? I think that means whether you win or lose, I've grown up, I've grown past allowing your success or failure to help define my happiness. So I win!


Food for thought...

No Shortcuts...

I was reading Henri Nouwen today and he wrote, "he who has the day will gain the night as well." In essence he's saying that if we spend our time, our days purposefully we it will follow that we will be blessed with a good night's rest as well. Good seed produces good fruit.

Our life is like a seed too. We need to nurture it, to allow it to grow, just likw a tree. And like a tree it takes time to grow, to mature. And yet today we demand results, rather than desire the process, and we aren't willing to put in the time, or the effort, that good character, good fruit demands. Fruit takes time and maturity.

I've written in the past that we are an "instant gratification" society, that we haven't learned to wait for the right timing, but I'm coming to realize that perhaps more than a characteristic of modern society it is a characteristic of the human condition. I read in Acts, chapter 8, the story of Simon the Sorcerer, and how he believed the preaching of Phillip, and later Peter and John, but wasn't willing to take the time to allow his faith to grow. Instead, he offered the disciples money for the power of the Holy Spirit... Faith takes time, the power of the Holy Spirit is magnified with maturity... From the early days we've sought instant gratification.

We too often desire the mature fruit with little regard or focus on the process it takes to produce that fruit. We want the results without the pain, without the demands of walking that road of obedience that produces that fruit. We desire well-being but don't care for our bodies; we desire inner peace but refuse to be honest and transparent that inner peace demands. We want the results without the work. I planted fruit trees when my kids were small; it was at least five years before we saw any fruit, yet every year we pruned and watered and cared for our trees. Now, many years later, every summer we are blessed with the fruit of our early labors- (or the deer, squirrels, and racoon are anyway!). Anything worthwhile is worth waiting and nuturing...

Food for thought...