Looking At the Pros

September 21, 2011 by 4 Comments

Have you noticed how almost every situation or circumstance in life contains both pros and cons? Sometimes when we’re battling with the cons, it can be difficult to see the pros, but it’s always possible if we try. If nothing else, we can see how the negative situation can help us grow in some way—patience, perseverance, forgiveness, trust in God, etc.

I’ve had to put this principle to work lately concerning our neighborhood. If I’m not careful, I can let a couple of cons—and I don’t mean crooks, I mean negative things—really get on my nerves and suck the joy out living where we do. And it’s nothing horrific—just a lack of consideration.

So to keep the negative thinking at bay, I try to remember the positive things—the pros. If I step outside at the right time in the morning, I can hear church bells calling children to school. And nothing says “fall” like being able to hear the high school marching band practicing a few blocks away. We also have some nice neighbors, and we’re in a convenient location for the most part. As I look at the pros, I’m reminded how good we actually have it in our neighborhood.

Are you faced with a situation where it might be helpful to balance the cons out with the pros—a situation where some time spent looking at the positive might change your outlook? I’ll fess up to another. I have an ongoing struggle with my attitude concerning our community and all the things it doesn’t have to offer. Maybe it’s time I come up with a new list. Maybe it’s time I start looking at the pros, huh?

“. . . if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8b

*Flickr photo by Wiertz Sebastien, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: challenge, neighbor, trial, vision Tagged With: , , , ,

Go Big

October 20, 2010 by 5 Comments

Are you a risk-taker? I tend to choose a safe bet over a gamble, but every now and then it’s good to take a risk. There are times we need to go big. Times we need to try to jump the sun.

In a recent blog post, Hope Clark, founder and editor of FundsforWriters.com spoke about writers remaining in their comfort zones, writing what’s easily published, and dodging the big magazines. She also spoke about being proud of writers who dare, and it reminded me that I need to try to go big sometimes.

Since I had noticed just such an opportunity in another of Hope’s blog posts a few weeks ago, I decided to give it a try. So this afternoon I submitted an essay to The Smithsonian magazine for their back page humor column.

Now, I know it’s a long shot. I know there is only one back page per month and that my seasonal piece will have an even smaller chance of acceptance than most others. I also understand that many times you have to have the right connections, and I certainly don’t have those. But I also know it will never happen if I don’t try. Things don’t get published that don’t get submitted. And who knows? Nothing is impossible.

Is it time for you to take a risk? Is there an area in your life right now where you need to try to go big? Maybe the time has come for you to take a long shot, too. Don’t find yourself regretting some day what you were afraid to try today.

And remember, we have a heavenly Father for whom nothing is impossible. So join me, won’t you? Let’s go big with God. I bet we’ll make Him proud.

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

*Flickr photo by aramolara, Creative Commons License

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is still underway. Details are in my Oct. 10 post and sign-up is to the right. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Filed Under: challenge, unplowed ground, vision, writing

Looking Ahead

January 13, 2010 by 9 Comments

Once again, I’m thinking months ahead. That’s the life of a writer for you.

Writers are always looking ahead, writing seasonal material months in advance. During the heat of summer, we’re doing our best to slip into a holiday frame of mind, trying to conjure up all kinds of Christmasy feelings and capture them on paper. Right now I’m thinking May as I work on Mother’s Day submissions for Blue Mountain Arts.

Each editor, publication, and project has its own editorial calendar with its own deadlines. As writers, we have to look ahead and stay on top of the ones we’re interested in, or we lose the opportunity to have our work considered. We’ve got to keep future dates in mind and work to be prepared.

It helps to look ahead and be prepared in our personal lives, too, doesn’t it? Each season of life has its own deadlines, so to speak. We go to college to be prepared to enter the work force and provide for our families. When our kids are born, we start college funds so we can be ready to put them through school. We try to prepare for the empty nest by investing in our marriages and pursuing personal interests. We save and plan for retirement so our kids won’t be forced to support us one day. We look ahead. We prepare. If we don’t, someone suffers the consequences.

What about in our walk with the Lord? What can we do to be spiritually prepared for life’s changes and challenges? I’ve found no better preparation than being in the Word of God day in and day out. In Colossians 3:16, Paul said, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”, and we can do that by reading and studying our Bibles, by memorizing and meditating on scripture, and then by living it out in our daily lives.

If we prepare by planting the Word of God in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will faithfully bring to mind the truths, wisdom, and encouragement we need as situations arise. Jesus said, “‘But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.'” (John 14:26)

So let’s look ahead. Let’s not only be prepared in our work and personal lives. Let’s be ready in our spiritual lives as well. If we don’t, we’ll surely suffer the consequences.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

*What suggestions do you have for being spiritually prepared for life’s challenges?

*My photo

Filed Under: preparation, vision, Word of God, writing

Dream Sharing

January 3, 2010 by 6 Comments

With the arrival of the New Year, have you allowed yourself a few minutes yet to think about your dreams for the coming months? Most folks consider what their goals may be, but I think dreams have an added dimension, a depth of emotion, that business-like goals may lack. Dreams hold a piece of our hearts.

One of my dreams this year is to give our daughter Kelli and our son-in-law-to-be Jake a wonderful wedding celebration — and memory — they will treasure for the rest of their lives. I can think of several specific goals I need to work towards in order to bring that about, but the overarching dream, the desire of my heart, is to bless them. Yes, my heart is stamped all over this dream.

I have other dreams, too, and though not all can be shared publicly, I can share them with God. And so can you. He knows us, and He knows our dreams. The psalmist David said, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar… Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.” (Psalm 139:1-2, 4)

I can think of no one better than God with whom to share our dreams. Have you talked to Him about yours lately? If not, take a few minutes for a dream sharing session with our Heavenly Father — and if you have time, leave a comment and share a dream that your heart is stamped all over. Let’s give the phrase “Dream Team” a whole new meaning!

“…pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8b

Flickr photo by Patrick Doheny, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: Above and Beyond, dream, new thing, vision

Cloudy No More — Cataract Removal

July 29, 2009 by 8 Comments

Some simply call it cataract surgery. I call it a minor miracle. The sky gets bluer, the grass turns greener. Cloudy vision is made clear again with a simple outpatient surgery.

The patient? My husband Don. Last summer during his eye check-up, the doctor discovered a cataract. Don knew his vision hadn’t been as good but certainly never expected to hear that diagnosis. As the doc told me yesterday after the surgery, Don is, in fact, too young for cataracts, but sometimes for unknown reasons, younger people develop them. Don falls into the unknown reasons category. Why am I not surprised by that? :)

By the way, did you pick up on the fact that he has waited a year to get the problem fixed? Along with getting very nervous at the thought of surgery, Don also didn’t want to take time away from classes to have it done. After all, he didn’t want his students missing out on any of his stimulating lectures or outlandish stories :)

Since the timing never seemed to work out during his shorter breaks throughout the year, Don just plugged along, living with vision that was not all that it could be. Sometimes in the evenings, he’d finally set the newspaper aside, tired of trying to focus on the crossword and sudoku puzzles he loves so much. Driving at night with him became an adventure I wanted to avoid. And why was he driving? He thinks he has to do all the driving when we’re together, but that’s another post altogether :)

I’m guessing Don will soon be wondering why he didn’t get the problem corrected sooner. Who wouldn’t want the best vision possible?

I’m also wondering if some of us are struggling along with limited vision of another sort. Have we allowed hurt, anger, or bitterness to cloud some of our current perceptions? Other obstacles can be at fault as well — pride, envy, low self-esteem, buying into the wisdom of the world… The list goes on. All of these things keep us living with a vision that’s not all God wants it to be.

Why don’t we ask the Great Physician to remove the cataracts of our minds and souls? Let’s ask Him to open our eyes and use His Word to bring the healing we need today. After all, don’t we want the best vision possible?

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Flickr photo by Nicholas_T; Creative Commons License

Filed Under: body, change, family, vision Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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