Have you ever noticed how much a single attitude can change the course of a day? The surroundings may be perfectly in place-sun is shining, birds are chirping, coffee is steaming straight from your cup-but there's a boulder-sized chunk of the "life sucks and then you die" attitude right inside your heart. What a way to ruin a day, huh?
For most people, your day starts in the morning. (Yes, there are people I know who don't start their day until well into the afternoon...but that's beside the point.) But, have you ever noticed that the attitude you wake up in tends to be the one that determines your day?
When you wake up in a cheery mood, you get out of bed quickly, hit up the shower, down coffee in two solid gulps, smile your way through morning traffic or teeth-brushing, and start work/school/etc with a really spiffy whistle. Before you know it, the day is done, everything has gone surprisingly pretty well, and even the little problems and worries ironed themselves out.
But, when you wake up with a "arggghhhhhhhhhhh" type of attitude, you wish you could just stay in bed, never face a day again, drink your coffee solely for the zing it provides, honk your way through traffic and forget to brush your teeth, and start whatever demand you must so you can survive another miserable, God-forsaken day. Eventually, it's finally time to go to bed, and all you can think about is how horribly everything is going and how long you get to sleep before you have to do it all over again.
Now, I know none of us are perfect. The above doesn't sound very Christian-like at all. I mean, come on... "Jesus died for you. Smile!" And seriously, "God's in control. Lighten up." But we all know that there are days when we just want to be miserable, Christian or not. We could pep-talk ourselves up with the "Jesus Loves you, Smile!" quote all morning and it's not gonna change a thing.
To tell you the truth, I woke up this morning with such an attitude. Okay, it wasn't as bad as "life sucks and then you die" but it was just about there. When you wake up and you're trying to solve life-sized trigonometry problems while taking a shower, blow-drying your hair, making the bed, eating Berry Krunch, drinking coffee, and reading your Bible... you know you've got a problem.
And then I picked up Max Lucado's "Every Day Deserves a Chance" and it got me to thinking. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." For most of us, today isn't out last day...for some, it could be, and one day, today will be your last day too.
But, even if today isn't your last day... doesn't it deserve a chance? How many times have I started my day off with the "I'm-so-stressed, things-aren't-working out, blah blah blah" syndrome and totally missed a great day?
The sun is shining today (for the fourth day in a row) and the temperatures are spring-like... which, for March in upstate, NY, is particularly astonishing. I don't have to start work until 9 this morning. I've had my coffee, my Bible time, and my vitamins. The circumstances haven't gotten any better or worse. Either way, this day will be beautiful.... whether I choose to give the day a chance or not. The outcome of the day will largely depend on my attitude towards it.
Have you ever noticed that those naturally perky-people seem to be the people who never get flat tires, broken legs, or lay-off notices? And those down-cast, solemn people are the ones who get all of life's flak?
THAT'S not true!!!
The fact of the matter is that life still happens to the perky-people... sometimes, they get a little too perky, and that's when they run, slip on ice, and break their leg. But, they accept the :/ kind of stuff with a smile and a song, and it seems less like heartache... less like scars... and more like a really fun story to tell later on.
Rejoicing changes a life.
A smile makes a whole world of a difference.
A song makes everything ten times better.
"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it."
And even if you do get the lay-off papers.
Or a close friend passes away.
Or a plan really doesn't work out the way you want....
Standing up and not giving in to the "arggggggggg" kind of attitude day after day will make a HUGE difference day after day....
Whatever happens, wherever you are, resolve to give this day a chance. Resolve to give it a worthy try. Resolve to give God a chance with this day that He made.
And read Max's book. :)
For most people, your day starts in the morning. (Yes, there are people I know who don't start their day until well into the afternoon...but that's beside the point.) But, have you ever noticed that the attitude you wake up in tends to be the one that determines your day?
When you wake up in a cheery mood, you get out of bed quickly, hit up the shower, down coffee in two solid gulps, smile your way through morning traffic or teeth-brushing, and start work/school/etc with a really spiffy whistle. Before you know it, the day is done, everything has gone surprisingly pretty well, and even the little problems and worries ironed themselves out.
But, when you wake up with a "arggghhhhhhhhhhh" type of attitude, you wish you could just stay in bed, never face a day again, drink your coffee solely for the zing it provides, honk your way through traffic and forget to brush your teeth, and start whatever demand you must so you can survive another miserable, God-forsaken day. Eventually, it's finally time to go to bed, and all you can think about is how horribly everything is going and how long you get to sleep before you have to do it all over again.
Now, I know none of us are perfect. The above doesn't sound very Christian-like at all. I mean, come on... "Jesus died for you. Smile!" And seriously, "God's in control. Lighten up." But we all know that there are days when we just want to be miserable, Christian or not. We could pep-talk ourselves up with the "Jesus Loves you, Smile!" quote all morning and it's not gonna change a thing.
To tell you the truth, I woke up this morning with such an attitude. Okay, it wasn't as bad as "life sucks and then you die" but it was just about there. When you wake up and you're trying to solve life-sized trigonometry problems while taking a shower, blow-drying your hair, making the bed, eating Berry Krunch, drinking coffee, and reading your Bible... you know you've got a problem.
And then I picked up Max Lucado's "Every Day Deserves a Chance" and it got me to thinking. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." For most of us, today isn't out last day...for some, it could be, and one day, today will be your last day too.
But, even if today isn't your last day... doesn't it deserve a chance? How many times have I started my day off with the "I'm-so-stressed, things-aren't-working out, blah blah blah" syndrome and totally missed a great day?
The sun is shining today (for the fourth day in a row) and the temperatures are spring-like... which, for March in upstate, NY, is particularly astonishing. I don't have to start work until 9 this morning. I've had my coffee, my Bible time, and my vitamins. The circumstances haven't gotten any better or worse. Either way, this day will be beautiful.... whether I choose to give the day a chance or not. The outcome of the day will largely depend on my attitude towards it.
Have you ever noticed that those naturally perky-people seem to be the people who never get flat tires, broken legs, or lay-off notices? And those down-cast, solemn people are the ones who get all of life's flak?
THAT'S not true!!!
The fact of the matter is that life still happens to the perky-people... sometimes, they get a little too perky, and that's when they run, slip on ice, and break their leg. But, they accept the :/ kind of stuff with a smile and a song, and it seems less like heartache... less like scars... and more like a really fun story to tell later on.
Rejoicing changes a life.
A smile makes a whole world of a difference.
A song makes everything ten times better.
"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it."
And even if you do get the lay-off papers.
Or a close friend passes away.
Or a plan really doesn't work out the way you want....
Standing up and not giving in to the "arggggggggg" kind of attitude day after day will make a HUGE difference day after day....
Whatever happens, wherever you are, resolve to give this day a chance. Resolve to give it a worthy try. Resolve to give God a chance with this day that He made.
And read Max's book. :)
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