FOCUSING

I have come to believe that what you focus on can completely change your life. So, in a very real sense I guess I believe we get to choose whatever we want our life to be. We can have a very difficult life, or we can live happily ever after. We get to choose! You'd think it would be such a no-brainer, and yet as with most other topics, it's not quite as easy as it sounds.

The farther I get on this journey, the more the truth sinks in. I can't necessarily control my circumstances. I can't always control what happens to me. But what I CAN control is how I respond. I can control my outlook on life no matter what comes my way.

Or at least I'm learning to.

When I was young, absolutely every negative thing that happened in my life threw me into a tailspin. As the years have gone by, I've learned that no matter what happens, we get through it. It isn't always easy, but more often than not, we learn valuable things along the way. So through the years I've learned to stop myself more and more often when I begin to slide into that tailspin, and I remind myself of what's important.

1. I have a wonderful family. And even if (God forbid) something happens to one of them, because of what Jesus has done for us, I still have them.

2. My life, my destiny is in the hands of a kind, loving (and really quite whippy) God. He knows exactly what He is doing. And He knows me better than I know myself.

3. Life has twists and turns, but God continues to be steady. He has strength when I'm weak. He can see when I can't. He knows things I don't know. And He understands all of it.

4. God has given us a gift of life... the chance to have all kinds of wonderful experiences. We can see amazing things and meet amazing people. His infinite creativity has given us infinite possibilities!

What a waste it would be to get all caught up in the negative.