I've had a series of disappointments lately.I have also had some interesting nice things come to me. Being a Mature individual, I know that such is life.As I sat reading this evening, my thoughts strayed to something I rarely allow myself to do...mentally listing these occurrences, randomly. I wasn't even counting how much good and how much bad, just considering them and wondering at the strange mixture,and thinking that even the disappointments may turn into blessings, in time.From somewhere the thought came that whatever happens has nothing to do with what happens to me: it is the way I choose to respond to things that makes the difference. It tells me where I am in my walk with the Lord, and helps me to see just how" Mature" I am, really. After all, Maturity is not a number..age doesn't have anything to do with one's ability to deal with the vicissitudes of life.We all know older people who, no matter their age, will never be grown-ups, and yet there are some very young persons who are mature at a very tender age. I generally keep my own counsel.However, I know Seniors who will run to someone else for advice when the slightest thing shakes their little world. All of this and more went through my head as I sat there, and then my bird clock sounded off,and I knew it was time to run my blood sugar,and have my evening snack and pills, and while doing this, I clicked on to watch the news,and Jay Leno. His guest tonight was Terry Bradshaw,and I could tell by Jay's monologue that they had a typical, witty guy friendship, filled with jabs and banter. This impression was confirmed when Terry actually appeared,and the repartee started. Such jokes at each others expense could only be tolerated if you really know and like one another. And even then, only if you're a guy. Most women I know would not tolerate that sort of thing for one minute.But through it all, they smiled and laughed,even while Terry was going on about the terrible "luck" he's experienced lately.He was buying an airplane,and the deal fell through.At about the same time, he was buying a house, and that deal fell through as well.Then, he got word that his house down in Texas burned down...and all of this terrible news came to him through the same person.Fortunately, it wasn't Mr.Bradshaw's only house, which up to then I am thinking, why are they both laughing over all this?But then, Jay made it clear, in his teasing Terry about all these disappointments, that he has no money worries. It all sounded so heartless up to that point, but then it dawned on me that people, such as Jay Leno and Terry Bradshaw, who have a lot of funds, don't take such things seriously. This may sound odd, but their behavior helped me tremendously.See, earlier this month, I received notice that my cost-of-living-increase in January would be greater than I had hoped.I was very pleased, because I run at a shortfall from one month to the next as a rule,and there are many creature comforts I must fore-go because of it. For example, choosing a lower grade of tissue than I would normally use...like the difference between what I call the good stuff,and slabs of wood.Viva and Charmin are the good stuff..anything else is what I call slabs of wood, but only because I have very dry, sensitive skin.So, anyway, with visions of Charmin and Viva dancing in my head, I opened the mail yesterday, after a perfectly dreadful day all by itself, and got another love-letter from the gas and light company that my budget payment was going up...and the extra income is going to be completely eaten up by the new "Budget". Like, dollar for dollar. What a let-down.But, praise the Lord, at least I got the cost-of-living-increase! Were it not for that, I am not sure what I would be doing to adjust to the new budget, I just would. And, just how, you ask, did Terry Bradshaw's attitude help me? Well, think about it. I don't have his kind of money, but I serve a great big God, who owns all the money in the world, so what have I got worry about? He will supply all my needs according to his riches in glory, and I stand on that promise! I don't have any troubles. All I need is faith in God!
OUI?
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