IT'S NOT ABOUT ME!

Any time I get to thinking too much, and realize that my focus might be more about myself than about others or about God and Jesus, I strive to keep this thought in my mind:  "It's not about ME, it's about HIM."  As I was driving down the road having that thought yesterday, it occurred to me that too often "I" am wanting to be in the spotlight of something.  I'm being selfish.  I'm concerned about my wants or my feelings.  Not that it is always bad to do so, but too much of it can lead to depression or negative thinking in a hurry.  I was thinking, "It's hard for my light to shine for HIM, if I'm too concerned about myself being in the spotlight."  I decided to make a little meme to share this thought with others, just in case they, too, had these selfish thoughts from time to time.

I suppose we all do, really.  It's easy to get caught up in ourselves, isn't it?  I blame mine on hormones, just to be honest, because I'm rarely "down" about anything. When I am it almost always equates to a hormonal issue that's out of whack for a short time.  (Oh, the joys of the mid-40's! NOT.) But it makes me think of those who might not ever "get out" of these thoughts....what about them?  And what if it wasn't a hormone thing?  What could I do to help get the negativity from my mind?

For me, what I've found has been found driving down a highway. When you live in a remote area as I do, you spend a lot of time driving on highways.  Often I listen to my favorite Pandora station, but I have a very favorite thing to do, and that is to put it on my iTunes "worship" playlist filled with acapella praise and worship songs from various groups, such as Hallal, The Zoe Group, Narrow Way, and a few others.  I LOVE IT!  It instantly "peps" me up and makes me feel better!

So now I think, WHY DO I NOT JUST START OUT EVERY DAY WITH THIS PLAYLIST?!  Well, I do listen to that playlist often and at random or scheduled times, but I haven't wanted to listen to it all of the time because I wanted it to be different.  I wanted that list to be "reserved" in a sense, but now I see that my thinking is WRONG.  I NEED those songs each and every day. I NEED to be uplifted every day! MAYBE if I listened to them ever day - at the beginning of every day - it would change the whole day...or at least change ME for the whole day.  Who knows? (God.)  

So today, I'm starting out with HIM even more so than usual Bible reading as soon as a I wake up and quick prayer before leaving the bed.  (I need to work on that part, too.)  And as I go through the day, I'll remind myself to keep ME out of the spotlight, to shine brightly for HIM, and strive to always remember that none of this is about me ever.

The Chronicles of Biscuit - The New Deal

The Chronicles of Biscuit - Stories about our youngest son, Tyler, whose nickname is Biscuit.

It's not often any more that I get two "Biscuit" stories in a week, but this week it has happened! 

Tonight Biscuit came to me and asked if he could make a "deal" with me.  I said, "Possibly.  What's the deal." 

Biscuit: Well, I was thinking.....what if for one whole month I didn't complain, didn't argue, and didn't have any negativady (he's pronunciation of negativity) and then, you give me a prize at the end.....except I might mess up two times each month. 

Me:  What's the prize?

Biscuit:  Clothes....like a polo or something like that.

Me:  (Well, it is a season change and most likely I will be buying him a few things, so it's not going to be anything out of the norm, where typically we don't bribe our kids to be good.)  Go ask your dad and see what he thinks.

Biscuit comes back:  Dad said yes, but he's the judge.

Me:  Well, I need to be the judge, too, since I'm home with you more.

Biscuit: (Goes and talks to my husband again.)  Okay.  Dad said that's good.  And so at the end of the month I get a prize and I can mess up just two times.

Me:  Okay.

Biscuit holding out his hand to shake mine:  It's a deal!

Later on:

Biscuit:  Mom, can we start my deal tonight?  

Me:  No Biscuit, you already messed up this afternoon by complaining, remember? 

Biscuit:  Oh, yeah.  Tomorrow then.

*So, now we'll wait and see...... :)  Will Biscuit live up to his "only 2 times messing up in a month"?  I'm not sure.  But what I do know is that I'm proud of him for at least trying to improve in the complaining and arguing and "negativady" areas.  Imagine a world where everyone tried to improve in those areas.  It would be a lot different, wouldn't it?  All I can do is start with ME!  All you can do is start with YOU!

Good job, Biscuit!  I'm proud of you!

It Will Never Work!

....and other phrases, such as, "It can't be done."....."We tried once and it didn't work."...."It's not possible."....

All of these phrases point to the same thing:  Negativity.  Negative thinking and pessimistic thinking equal zero results, would you agree?

I'm sure we all have "negative" moments, but hopefully, for the most part, we are positive people.  If we are a Christian, it is IMPERATIVE that we are positive people!  Who wants to be around a pessimistic follower of Christ?  Actually, how is that even possible....given that He is our example and our model for living?  Was Christ ever negative?  Apparently not!

Recently our school baseball teams had a fundraiser on a Sunday after worship. Beans and cornbread were on the menu.  Typical Sunday fare?  Maybe not, but why not?  Plans were made then the negative comment came out:  "It will never work.  Beans and cornbread won't go over well for Sunday."  Oh, really?  Almost $2,000 was made that day for a small ball club!  I think it worked out pretty well, don't you?

A few years ago, my husband and I organized a door knocking campaign for our up-coming VBS.  We were told, "We tried that once.  It didn't work.  It won't work."  Oh, really?  Would you believe that the VBS that year was the largest there has been in many years?  Oh, it worked!  It worked just fine.  The problem with events such as that, is that it takes "workers" to pull it off.

Today, a challenge for you is to be a positive person.  Maybe you tend to be a little more negative throughout your day - or as my husband refers to it..."realistic" (that's when my dreams seem unreal, so it's a joke between us!).  Well, just for today, dream a little, believe a little.  Just see what kind of day you will have.  I honestly believe that God will bless you in your optimistic thoughts!  And, don't we all want God's blessings? 

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness or compassion, then make my joy complete. Be of the same mind, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but instead in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be exploited, but made himself nothing, emptied himself taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:1-11