"Negative Nellie"

Hello, all. I wanted to explain the waiting theme in the poems from June 30’s post.

 Have you ever met someone who was a "Negative Nellie" about everything and everybody? They never had anything good to say about anything or anyone.

On the other hand, have you ever met someone who was always cheerful and happy and was a joy to be around? I wonder what would happen if “Negative Nellie” met “Pollyanna.” If you surmised that Nellie would take an immediate dislike to Pollyanna, then your conjecture would probably be correct. Most of the time the "Negative Nellie" would set into the "Pollyanna" personality.

But, let's not dwell on Negative Nellie today. We will save her for another time and another day.  Let's dwell on Positive Pollyanna, instead. Haven't you ever wondered how "Pollyanna" could be so positive and upbeat all of the time? Sure, most of us have at some point or another. We might wonder about Positive Pollyanna until someone says to us, that we are always positive, and asks us how we do it? It is then that we realize that we have become a target; that the spotlight is on us; that people will seek to find our faults and so on.

No too long ago, I had a situation to arise in my life such as the one mentioned above. That situation came about with the publishing of our book, W.O.W. created w.o.w.  I think I mentioned that someone said, jokingly, that I had unrealistic optimism. I could have taken that comment in the negative light implied. But, I elected not to do that. Instead, I decided to accentuate that very thing and make it a desirable attribute.

I quoted Isaiah 50:4, the scripture that talks about encouragers being put on this earth to do just that for the Lord.  It was at this point in my life that I realized that the Lord was using me yet again, according to His purpose. The first purpose was as a minister's wife for twenty six years and all of the  hats that you wear when you play that role. What I had not counted on was being ridiculed about writing an encouraging book for my fellow man. Well, that slight sarcasm made me see two things: 1) that the message that I was trying to impart had been fully grasped and 2) that the Lord let me see myself as one who had done well, what He had wanted me to do.

Wow! It was time for the writer to be amazed. And now, we must see how the reading public reacts to W.O.W. created w.o.w. And so, we wait...

As always, stay prayed up and keep doing good as much as is in your power to do so, for He is watching and He cares.

Her joy was contagious

She was ebullient, you see

Being around a, "Pollyanna," like her

Could not help but rub off on me.

Doing What I Can, While I Can,

Alma Jones

Aside - You never know who is watching and planning to imitate you.