One of my New Year's resolutions is to have a positive attitude in 2008. My wife is a positive person. Dawn can usually find the achingly sweet side of any circumstance (was that negative?). The Jewell DNA, on the other hand, often lend itself to the more practical, realistic, gloomy, side of those same circumstances.
Years ago when we were listening to an “older person” grumping about what seemed a trivial matter, Dawn and I looked at each other and said in unison, “If I ever get like that, LET ME KNOW!”
She let me know just last week!
My “Realistic” assessments of life situations had taken even my positively lovely wife to the frazzling point. She could no longer look at me and find an agreeable slant on how I was acting. That wake-up call helped me to assign “Positive Attitude – Be an encourager not a discourager in 2008” to my resolution list.
I often forget that my attitudes reflect my relationship with my Savior. Psalm 146:5 tells me “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” That word Happy is used 45 times in the Old Testament and is often translated “Blessed”. Blessings bring happiness. When I forget my LORD and the innumerable blessings He supplies I cannot be happy nor positive.
As we wish everyone a Happy New Year we need to remember that without Him there is no Happy in New Year. And, thinking of that...
On my way to church yesterday afternoon I saw one of our neighbors setting in front of his house. The day was unbearably hot (that's not negative it's just the facts... OK, ok, it was in the low 90s and really muggy) and he was sitting in the shade to catch a breeze. I said “Good afternoon... sure is hot isn't it!” He mumbled something to me that I didn't understand so I walked over and asked him to repeat what he'd said. Our conversation lasted nearly an hour! Manuel is 78, nearly blind, and said, “I can't understand why God would allow me to live so long in such a miserable condition.”
I was able to share the Blessing Giver, Jesus Christ, with him on the spot. He listened attentively and had the usual comments (I have my own religion, I try to do the right things) but I was able to share the truth with him which left him thinking. I mentioned that I would be back another time to talk some more and he was open to that future meeting. Pray for God to open Manuel's spiritual sight.
I didn't get an actual total on our Watch Night service but we had a good group. I think that there were 50 or so that came to hear: Shawn Jr., Ronaldo, Carlos, and Carlinhos preach. We celebrated the Lord's supper, had a good number of testimonies, some funny skits and prayed in the New Year. It was a blessing and I would ask you to consider making one of your resolutions to pray for the people of Hope Baptist Church in Sorocaba this year. It would be positively wonderful if you'd consider helping us in this way.
May the Lord Bless you as you serve Him in 2008
Mike
Years ago when we were listening to an “older person” grumping about what seemed a trivial matter, Dawn and I looked at each other and said in unison, “If I ever get like that, LET ME KNOW!”
She let me know just last week!
My “Realistic” assessments of life situations had taken even my positively lovely wife to the frazzling point. She could no longer look at me and find an agreeable slant on how I was acting. That wake-up call helped me to assign “Positive Attitude – Be an encourager not a discourager in 2008” to my resolution list.
I often forget that my attitudes reflect my relationship with my Savior. Psalm 146:5 tells me “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” That word Happy is used 45 times in the Old Testament and is often translated “Blessed”. Blessings bring happiness. When I forget my LORD and the innumerable blessings He supplies I cannot be happy nor positive.
As we wish everyone a Happy New Year we need to remember that without Him there is no Happy in New Year. And, thinking of that...
On my way to church yesterday afternoon I saw one of our neighbors setting in front of his house. The day was unbearably hot (that's not negative it's just the facts... OK, ok, it was in the low 90s and really muggy) and he was sitting in the shade to catch a breeze. I said “Good afternoon... sure is hot isn't it!” He mumbled something to me that I didn't understand so I walked over and asked him to repeat what he'd said. Our conversation lasted nearly an hour! Manuel is 78, nearly blind, and said, “I can't understand why God would allow me to live so long in such a miserable condition.”
I was able to share the Blessing Giver, Jesus Christ, with him on the spot. He listened attentively and had the usual comments (I have my own religion, I try to do the right things) but I was able to share the truth with him which left him thinking. I mentioned that I would be back another time to talk some more and he was open to that future meeting. Pray for God to open Manuel's spiritual sight.
I didn't get an actual total on our Watch Night service but we had a good group. I think that there were 50 or so that came to hear: Shawn Jr., Ronaldo, Carlos, and Carlinhos preach. We celebrated the Lord's supper, had a good number of testimonies, some funny skits and prayed in the New Year. It was a blessing and I would ask you to consider making one of your resolutions to pray for the people of Hope Baptist Church in Sorocaba this year. It would be positively wonderful if you'd consider helping us in this way.
May the Lord Bless you as you serve Him in 2008
Mike
Comments
Post a Comment