Good Monday morning! It is time to hit the road for a new week at work. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, Monday morning blahs. Yuck, right? But wait a minute, not so fast. Some people did not rise to go to work this morning, others do not have a job to go go, though they would love to have one. Still, there are other people who have jobs but have to walk there and back because they do not have a car right now. There are all kinds of reasons that you can find to be disgruntled about having to go to work, but the main thing to remember is to be content and thankful for what you have and in all circumstances.
If you are young, be thankful; if you have lived to a ripe old age, be thankful; if you are middle-aged and looking forward to retirement in several years, be thankful; if you have had the privilege of bumping your grandbabies on your knee, be thankful because not everyone did; if you have a place of shelter and can lie down and rest in comfort, be thankful because sleep for some, comes standing up; if you have the means to feed yourself and your family, be thankful because some folk have the provisions to feed their families only once every three days; if you have an intimate relationship with God, be thankful because in some areas of the world, it is not permitted to openly worship Him. Be thankful for the family and relationships that you have because a lot of people walk alone wishing for companionship.
Be thankful and appreciate the good times or the nothing times in your life because the times of chaos are sure to come and in some cultures, times of chaos reign every day. When you get the chance to laugh, laugh long and hard because it may have to carry you for a while. Look for things in nature to marvel at. Look at a leaf again for the first time in a long time and appreciate the artistry and symmetry that it bears. Nature bears the Lord's handiwork and should remind us all of the attention that He pays to detail. Yes, He is particularly mindful of us because we are precious to Him.
So, go be happy, positive and thankful and let the world and the Lord know about. Remember, if you display a positive light of contentment to the world, you are speaking volumes for the Lord, our God. As far as letting Him know about it, He already does, but in displaying a positive and upbeat attitude to the world, you make Him delighted, and you will be blessed accordingly. How wonderful it is to belong to the Creator.
Making the Most of My Time Down Here
I had an enjoyable time in this world on Saturday
As I sat and had brunch with the ladies
And their guests at the Sitka Church of Christ
We had just finished listening to two ladies that
Had been missionaries in the Orient
And they blessed us with some food for thought
As we had a different culture explained to us
And we got to hear first-hand and see through photographs
How our missionary donations caused people living
In less than perfect circumstances to laugh
As we got to hear of and see the expressions of joy
When a shipment of Hershey chocolate bars brought
That much-needed touch of home that was so often sought.
Yes, I did enjoy my time with the Sitka ladies on Saturday. I was glad to be reminded of the work that goes on around the world in cultures where being a Christian is not much tolerated. It made me thankful for the grace that I enjoy and the bounty that I sometimes take for granted, and it made me think more about donations to mission work, in general. It reminded me to be thankful for God's bounty in love and care. I have a new determination to be more cognizant of mission work and to be more generous toward it while I am still in this world where I can work and do what I can, while I can.
Because I Care,
Alma L. Stepping On Jones
P. S. - Let us remember to pray for the betterment of the cultures of this world that suffer hardship on a daily basis. Let us further practice philanthropy, even if all we can do is a small amount.
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