I hardly watch the news anymore, especially the legacy news outlets. There is nothing much that is of any encouragement, the media content has little or no nuance in relation to what we hear. Or that the media can be trusted on so many levels.
So it's not hard to want to feel down or it seems like it's Groundhog Day, the same old, same old news with little or no good in the news....
But I've been working on practicing not paying attention to the news cycle of the day, most social media news because generally speaking, if it's not one problem, one lie, one disturbance etc, it's something else and it really can get the best of us! And I am so much better for it.
So why take a break? … very rarely is there much to inspire, encourage, really educate, add something to my life to enrich it. Most days, it`s like another low moment in the day when I could have used something else.
Not that I’m an ostrich with my head in the sand because I believe that we must be aware and have sand awareness or understanding of the events taking place in our society.
We need something better, something healthier to feed our spirit, mind, souls.
In the meantime, Forward Friday has some positive, thought provoking, soul enriching thoughts and this blog is simply that; to give us some encouragement to get our weekend off on the right foot.
The headlines will always be there; good news is what we need; a healthy dose of good stuff today.
Let's Get Into This!
Opportunity: Each day is a brand new opportunity to start fresh. Slate clean, a chance to move forward.
Forgiveness: "Forgiveness is the fragrance the flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it." David Jeremiah
Love "People need loving the most when they deserve it the least." John Harrison
Kindness: Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa
Be All There: Wherever you are, be all there. Jim Elliot
Courage: Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying. .. "I will try again tomorrow." Unknown
Future: Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is yours. Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Respect: That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong. William Boetcker
Issues: The heart of the problem is a problem with the heart.
Change: "You're just a prayer away from a change of heart."
True Relief: "Finding relief in your problem is fine, but it will not cure the problem."
Change In Name Only "You would think that everyone would leap at the chance to get rid of continually missing the mark. Not so. Some want relief not a cure."
Wisdom: The next best thing to being wise oneself, is to live in a circle of those who are. C. S. Lewis
Faith: When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. Edward Teller
Building: Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. There are lots of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it. C. S. Lewis
Conditions: Don’t allow your past or present condition to control you. It’s just a process that you’re going through to get you to the next level.” – T.D. Jakes
Perspective: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
Problems: "Problems are a normal part of change. Things are changing so abruptly that there are going to be problems we face. So we must look at failure as an event, not as a person. We are not failures.
Maybe we`ve had a failure or a temporary inconvenience.
We`ve had a stumbling block, and the idea is to turn a stumbling block into a stepping stone, and step on it instead of stumble over it. So look at failure as the fertilizer of success." Denis Waitley
“When you feel like you’re drowning in life, don’t worry – your Lifeguard walks on water.”
“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.”
“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
“Sometimes when you are in a dark place you think you have been buried, but actually you have been planted.”
“Look for something positive in each day even if some days we have to look a little harder.”
What we see and what we hear depends a great deal on where we are standing. It also depends on what sort of person we are.”
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream.
Now For Some Good News Medicine
In any time but especially when the days look bleak or the news is negative and it just seems like no matter what direction one turns, it just doesn't seem to be good, there is a well of hope that that springs of life flow out of.
Here are some tried and true verses to help us in not only in our time of need but to give us clarity, to help us know where to go, seek the wisdom needed so that we can live life to the fullest in a crazy, sometimes upside down world..
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.
Proverbs 2:6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 19:8 The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.
Proverbs 1:7 Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.
Psalms 9:9-10 God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Psalms 23:4 Even when I walkthrough the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Isaiah 41:10 Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.
John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
The quotes are meaningful to give us some hope and encouragement to make our day a little better.
But even more so, if we could just see how much, in the times we are living in that we need an anchor to not only survive but to thrive, we would want to grow our connect to God through His Son, Jesus!
It just makes sense!!
If these last few weeks prove the point, the news is rarely anything but inspiring so we must look for life and "Good News" that can change the way we think, act and live so that we stand even when it doesn't seem possible.
We all need it and well, we can read the headlines any time, right!!!!!
To a better day…
Dave
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