I came across this quote by Chuck Swindoll
“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
That tells me that before I act…Think. If reaction is 90% of what happens to me then I need to pay a lot of attention toward what I do or say in any given situation.
Something to think about.
Peace
Jim
So if our attitude is important to how we get through life with wits intact, then we need something to measure attitude by. The picture yesterday was such a gauge…an Artificial Horizon.
I don’t like calling Jesus an artificial anything, so I’ll call him the Ultimate Horizon. That means that if we watch Jesus, measure our attitude by his attitude, we can keep our head up and our path straight. How do we watch Jesus? For starters try Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and then branch out from there. Even us old folks need to read and reread timeless material. Seasoned pilots need a horizon to keep their attitude in check, seasoned Christians are no different.
Headed out for White House for a meeting, then back through Nashville to a funeral for my friend Beth Luton.
Peace
Jim
I am thinking about attitude. Usually when I hear the word attitude I have negative thoughts. Years ago in the factory if anyone raised any issue about something that wasn’t right management would say, “You have a bad attitude. ”Consequently, when I hear the word I get a little defensive. I know others who feel the same way so I will risk a comment about attitude.
From hearing about flying airplanes, attitude is about how the plane flys. If the plane keeps its wings even with the horizon the plane is flying level. Likewise the nose of the plane must be parallel to the ground if it is to keep flying at the same altitude. In other words the attitude of the plane is the position of the plane in relation to the horizon.
Whatever winds or weather the plane flys in will cause the attitude of the plane to change, or need to change.
So when I think about attitude I think not just about attitudes that are bad, but I think about attitudes that must constantly be monitored in order to maintain what is necessary to get through whatever adverse conditions people encounter.
If we are not careful , and we don’t keep our heads up, the winds of whateverwill drive us into the ground. If we are not careful, and we don’t adjust our attitude to coincide with the crosswinds of whatever we will be blown so far off course that its hard to get back on course.
This may sound some confusing, but what it means is that our attitude is how we handle situations. Attitude is about how we live. Attitude is what keeps us from getting so depressed that we crash and burn. Attitude is something that needs to be adjusted - day to day sometimes - to allow us to keep our nose up and our wings level with the horizon.
Peace
Jim
Out too late this morning and missed most of the critters. Pretty morning though.
Almost looks like frost
looking for a snack
Nobody home
Headed home shortly. Ask God to give you peace today.
Jim
I went back this evening to check out the critters. It was like a different place, no animals, birds or reptiles. Only kids playing in the water.
I’m going to go back in the morning and see what I can find before heading back out North toward home. That ought to let the traffic thin out a bit. Should be home by noon.
In Atlanta visiting kin folks today. Went walking this morning and found the animal breakfast table. With my phone camera I took a picture of a snake eating minnows under this bridge, but after I got back to the house I couldn’t find it. I must have deleted it instead of saving.
Then on the way back through I saw this big water bird catching his (or her) breakfast. Wish the picture was better but I didn’t have the camera with me. There were ducks and other critters hanging around under the bridge too.
Animal breakfast table
...a light in the darkness...
Sometimes we feel pretty much as alone as the light of one small candle. Those are some of the times when we need to come together with others so that our lights can shine together.
Go to church today. Gather with other people who are letting their light shine. Together spirits are lifted.
Peace
Jim
At Franklin today…
Malinda and Noah
Under the trees
Noah
Malinda and Billy Jean
Pickin and Fiddlin
Good music
Adam
Good friends having a good time.
I went out walking this morning just after daylight. Everything looked fresh and ready for a new day.
I read in the Psalms this morning and in particular I noticed Psalm 26:2 where David asked:
“Put me on trial Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.” (NLT)
That brings to mind how many times I have reminded God, and myself, that God knows my heart, that God knows my motives, that God knows exactly why I am in the position that I am. Usually when I do that it is a questioning thing for me. It makes me search my heart for Godly motives and reject selfish ideas.
After searching his heart, David went to the altar of the Lord to offer praise and thanksgiving for all of the wonders that God had shown him. David was seeking God’s driection in the bigger things of his life like being the leader of the Nation Israel. But it was David’s day to day life being attentive to God’s direction that made David the leader that he was. …Think about that…
Peace
Jim
I just finished reading the book Same Kind Of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. That book will affect me for a long time.
As a church are we about empowering …or are we about maintaining? This is not a kick in the pants to anybody, just some reflection on ministry.
When I think about empowering people I think about how the church has the responsibility of teaching and encouraging people to reach out to other people with love. I picture in my mind people scurrying about, looking in all directions and always thinking about new ways to reach out from home base. An empowering church is one where people encourage each other and seek to find ways “to be Christ in the world by sharing God’s love and serving others” (our church mission statement)
When I think about maintaining I think about sitting back either waiting on something to break or performing some routine maintenance to keep something from breaking, or, a little tinkering here and there to stay up with what we think is the best we can do (I picture the Maytag repairman here) Thoughts of improving and getting better are foreign thoughts because when we’re maintaining we are generally doing the best we think we can and we don’t think about moving ahead until we’re so far behind that we don’t know what to do.
Whatever church we belong to, where do we see ourselves? The answer to that may require some thought. Don’ t be overly critical of your church until you take into account what ministries are taking place. There may be more than you think. Make a list of where your church is empowering others (reaching out) and share it with your pastor. It may be the shot in the arm that he/she needs for encouragement. Likewise, if you come up with nothing…talk about that too.
Peace
Jim
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