I received a card the other day (yes, an actual piece of paper mail!) and enclosed was such a pleasant surprise – several pictures of a trip to the lake we had with friends last summer. And the shots were gorgeous!
But I also had a brief mental double-take, because my first memory was not the beautiful vistas presented in the photos, but the loud whining of the hoards of mosquitoes that plagued our every move. I’m sure that many of you may have had a similar kind of “disconnect,” and my thought for today is brief: choose to focus on the good part of life.
Deciding to frame our life experiences in a positive light is certainly not new or revolutionary. Many have espoused it, from the famous Norman Vincent Peale to my dear mother, a rather “famous” person in my own life. And the advice is even ancient: “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honourable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Phil. 4:8 NLT) So when the bread falls jelly-side-down, remember how great it is that you have bread.
When the snow piles up, once again calling for the shovel, be grateful that you have arms to help with the job.
And when your “in” box overwhelms the “out” box at work, consider those who have no box at all. Of course, framing everything in a positive light will not actually make problems go away, but our management of them becomes easier. And who wouldn’t rather remember the view instead of the sting?
Peggy Corbett is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Quesnel.