Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Quiet Moments With God -- Half Empty or Half Full?

Today is my husband's 63rd birthday. We sat on the sofa together this morning and I said sarcastically, "Aren't you thrilled to be sixty-three?"

"Yeah. Thrilled," he said.

Would someone do a happy dance for us? We missed the opportunity.

I'm a "the cup is half empty" type of person. And this morning, as I read in my devotional Streams in the Desert it was made clear to me that I should be a "the cup is half full" type of person. I'd like to write the entire devotional here for you, but I'll just cut to the heart of what I saw. "Cheerfulness in our faith causes any act of service to be performed with delight. Sadness, however, clips those wings.

I've been going around with my wings clipped, not all the time but way to much of the time. Greg and I should be rejoicing over how he's lived sixty-three years. He's had a good life and is still strong and healthy. His life is full of blessings, which spill over onto me.

God is awesome. And He loves me enough to continue to teach me. Yesterday, He provided me with a perfect picture of myself--not a pretty one I might add. I went shopping at our local Walmart and I was in too much pain to walk the entire time so I had to use one of their scooters. The only one left was well past its prime. It barely ran. And when I turned it on a growling noise emanated from it's little engine. When I tried to go forward, it wouldn't move, but it growled more loudly. Finally my daughter gave it a push and off we went, thumping and bumping along. Every so often Sarah would have to give it another push to convince it to continue moving.

Some days, I'm just like that scooter--grumping and growling along.

It's okay to have bad days. We all do. And with life's mishaps and aging bodies we can become like that poor old scooter. I have more and more days when my body just doesn't want to work, but that needn't lead to hopelessness or sadness. I'm still valuable . . . like that scooter. It was broken down, but it carried me through the store, making it possible to get my shopping done. I am grateful for that scooter. And like it, I still have work to do, a calling to fulfill. I can still be a friend to others. And I'm still able to serve my Lord. Praise Him!

I'm lifting my glass in agreement to this line from Streams in the Desert. "My plan is to shun sadness just as I would shun satan."

I'm going to begin to see the cup half full. How about you? Do you see your cup as being half full or half empty?

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

4 comments:

  1. Miriam sent me the link to this because I was just talking about seeing the world in a glass-is-half-full way! Great reminder, Miss Bonnie! :)

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  2. Our thoughts tracking along the same paths -- cool.

    And say hello to Miriam.

    Hugs.

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  3. I'm trying to learn to see that the glass has enough. God can pour in what's needed when it's needed. This is a challenging lesson for me! Thanks for your words here, Bonnie.

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  4. Janet, I love your thought here. Enough. And God knows what that is and He supplies. Perfect.

    Thank you.

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