Monday November 7 2016  HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CIRCUMSTANCES?

My plans changed today when I received one telephone call.  I had a window of time and my good intention was to go to the gym.  The call was from a long-time friend and we talked for almost two hours!  And I don’t regret it.  My friend has been going through a long arduous journey of cancer treatments.  Lately she hasn’t had many “good days”, as far as feeling well, due to the weeks and months of chemo.  Today was a good day and I was so happy to hear from her.  She sounded stronger and her voice was vibrant.  We had such a great conversation.  Moments such as these are precious as well as priceless.  Every day of our lives is a gift and there is no better reminder than beating cancer!  She still has more treatments to go and then a mastectomy.  And we have faith that she will be a survivor.

Never take a day for granted.  We are so privileged living in this country.  We are so fortunate to have food available to us that is abundant as well as food that is nutritious.  How awesome it is that we can pick up a phone and hear a friend’s voice hundreds of miles away on the phone line talking to us.  So many things that we take for granted that so many other people don’t even have available.  When I flush the toilet I think of all the fresh water it takes to flush it and I think of those that don’t even have fresh safe drinking water.  Look around you, open your eyes to what is available to you every single day and remember to be grateful.  When things don’t go as you planned and you may want to grumble and complain, stop and really take a look at your life.  Are you healthy?  Can you see?  Can you walk, Can you hear?  Do you have food to eat?  Do you have a toilet to flush and a roof over your head?  Do you have a good friend who calls you on the telephone?

I look at my life and give thanks to God over and over throughout the day for all the amenities which are available to me.  I thank him for my health and for the medical treatments available to my friend to fight the killer cells that are trying to take away her life.  I thank God for every bite of food that I eat.  I thank God that I can see and feel and hear and taste and walk and so on and so on…  When life tries to get you down, check your attitude, choose to respond positively to both people and circumstances that would try to undermine you.  Regardless your circumstances find something for which you can be thankful and then find another and another.  You may be surprised how your circumstances may even begin to change or how people will begin to treat you differently.  You may not have control over your circumstances but you do have control as to how you respond to those circumstances.

My friend is so full of life and hope and dreams (yes, even we older people love life and have hope and dreams) and every day is so precious.  She shared with me that before these treatments began that she was going to go forward with a positive attitude, giving thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES and determined to finish the treatments even before they began.  Her attitude is what has kept her going and now she is seeing positive results.

Stop for a moment and give yourself an appraisal.  Do you believe your hours and days are precious?  If not, take a closer look.  Look around you and open your eyes to the value of this day.  So…I have not accomplished today what I had planned to do.  In the scheme of my life how important is that?  Sometimes we have to roll with the punches; like going through months of cancer treatment, or something as simple as not going to the gym.  I’m not trivializing, I’m just saying that primarily it is our attitude that will best help us do what we must do, regardless of how difficult, inconvenient, or uncomfortable it may be.  We cannot walk in another’s shoes so we should never be condemning or be judgmental of how another may respond to pain, sorrow, disappointment, or illness, but rather we may choose to walk along beside them, lending an listening ear, encouraging them, praying with and for them, rejoicing when they rejoice and crying with them when they cry.  And the best part of the journey for me is knowing God and having a deep and abiding relationship with Him; knowing that I am doing my best to walk on His righteous path regardless the circumstances.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTITUDE

Kathleen Martens

November 7, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

An attitude of gratitude

Is a nice rhyming phrase,

But what does it really mean

As we walk through our days.

 

There is always so much

For which to give thanks

Through both the happy times

And even during angst.

 

When we have trouble

And don’t know what to do,

Sometimes how we take it

Will help our journey through.

 

When problems come along

We must decide how to act,

And what we speak is important

As its best to speak with tact.

 

Be aware of your manner

As well as your approach.

Lean on God and listen,

He is the wisest coach.

 

Let a bit of sunshine

Shine from your heart each day.

When your attitude is positive

It will light another’s way.

 

It matters not what happens.

What matters is how you respond.

When your stance is positive

It can help right lots of wrongs.

 

It’s not necessary to just be right,

But to react with gentle grace.

An optimistic mind-set

May help another to save face.

 

Thank You God for this day.

Thank You God for friends.

Thank You God that I can see.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU