- Philippians 4:8 “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
- Proverbs 3:1-5 “My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake (abandon, desert, leave) you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart… Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.”
- The tapestry of our life is woven by every decision we make
- The experience borne out of our decisions is affected by our attitude
- "We have a stolen car and we can be upset about it, or, we have a stolen car and we can be OK about it. Either way, we have a stolen car and I choose to be OK about it"
- “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” (Hugh Downs)
For those who would like to read the entire text:
"I’d like to offer you two pieces of Scripture:
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, beloved, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Proverbs 3:1-5 “My child, do not forget my teaching, but let
your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and
abundant welfare they will give you. Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake
(abandon, desert, leave) you; bind them around your neck, write them on the
tablet of your heart… Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.”
There is a thought-provoking scene in Lewis Carroll’s
classic children’s tale, Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland. Young Alice comes to a fork in the road and asks the
Cheshire Cat which direction she should take. “‘That depends a good deal on
where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where –" said Alice.
Life is filled with decisions, many of which never even
reach our conscious level. In which cup from the cupboard will I have my coffee
or tea? Should I tuck my t-shirt in or leave it out? Which side of the couch
should I plop down on when I’m going to watch TV? Most of these decisions are
made out of habit.
On the other hand, there are some decisions that you spend
time thinking about. What sounds good for lunch? Which voicemail needs to be
answered first? Can the haircut wait until next week? These decisions may seem
small and insignificant, but woven together, they form the tapestry of our
daily lives.
Then there are life-altering decisions with which we may
well struggle: Which career path is most in line with my unique skill-set and
calling? Should I marry or remain single? Which church will allow me the best
opportunity to grow and minister to others? These are often hard choices that
deserve a great amount of thought.
Regardless of which of these "decision sets" you are in… there
is yet another decision to make… a decision that surrounds and clothes all
others; you have to decide what your attitude will be about what’s going on in
your life.
Here’s a story, Attitude – One of Life’s Choices,
from A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, (P/185-187) story by Bob
Harris.
- (synopsis for readers of this blog-
Bob and his wife Tere return home to California from a trip (in their brand new car) to visit family in Houston, Texas. They are so tired from driving straight through that they don’t
unpack their car when they return home. In the morning they awaken to
find their new car and its contents have been stolen. Not only have they lost
their car but all their luggage, clothing, cameras, wedding album, family
heirlooms they brought home with them, Bob’s wallet, and both their checkbooks.
Their car is found five days later. In the interim, though, Tere becomes more and more distressed while Bob remains calm. Tere asks Bob why he is not upset. Bob replies, “We have a stolen car and we can be upset or we have a stolen car and we can be happy. Either way, we have a stolen car and I choose to be happy.”
There is more to the story and an amusing twist at the end but Bob’s reply is the point of telling the story)
Last week I suggested that all we need is one move and to
use that move in the face of trials, tribulations, troubles and tests.
You know that I often have the opportunity to apply the
teachings we share (aka – practice what I preach) in the week following
any given lesson. This past week has
been a great opportunity... or, actually, plural. There have been a number of
opportunities to practice principle and to choose my attitude.
- Wednesday: Accident in new truck
I have a dented up new truck and I
could be upset, or I have a dented up my new truck and I can be happy. Either way… I have a dented up new truck and
my attitude is a matter of choice.
- Thursday: ran over and killed a cat
I ran over someone’s pet and I
could be all upset, or I have a run over someone’s pet and I can be OK with it (accepting it and not spiraling down deeply into pain and suffering). Either way… the cat is dead… and my attitude
is a matter of choice. (I can extend love to the deceased cat and its owners
and still feel the sting of running over the cat, but I choose not to
let it push me into a funk)
It’s so important to be in the best attitude possible when
we make decisions. Our attitude affects
our decisions (not the reverse). Our attitude
affects our:
- health
- happiness
- whether we feel like a victim or see an opportunity for spiritual expression/growth
- view of the world
- perspective on whether or not we can handle such and such (or not)
- how we feel about ourselves (see our value)
- whether we project, bury, or offer our feelings for transformation
“Let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and
years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.”
Lastly, if the bible writer of Proverbs isn’t compelling
enough, then let’s go to Hugh Downs (TV newsman, host of the Today show and the
game show, Concentration) for our final word this morning, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but
rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.”"
Bless everything,
Rev. Brad
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