I’m sure you at some time in your life have been told you need to change your attitude. You’ve probably told yourself that very thing a few times too. And fortunately for us, attitude is one of the things we can change. We may not be able to change a lot of things about our looks or our situations or our abilities. We can’t change what’s happened already. We can’t change the people around us. What we can change, as this Charles R. Swindoll quote says, is our attitudes about those things.
We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. Charles R. Swindoll
Children can sometimes do this in a minute. Sad one instant. Happy with a million dollar smile the next. My granddaughter is showing that on a family trip we took a few years ago. In the first picture she hadn’t gotten her way about something or other. In the second picture she’d changed her attitude to have fun anyway.
However old you might be, you know, the same as I do, that you aren’t always going to get your way. Things aren’t always going to be smooth sailing. Rough waters will bounce our boats and rocks will loom up to make our lives difficult at times. My mother used to say, “This too shall pass” when trouble came to call or problems popped up.
The Bible tells us this too. There is a time to laugh and a time to weep. A time to dance and a time to mourn. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to gain and a time to lose. Well, you know that chapter in Ecclesiastes. Those words were written centuries ago but still hold truth for us today. Life has ups and downs.
What makes your life rainy or sunny is your attitude towards life, not the attitude of life towards you! ―Mehmet Murat ildan
It might not always be easy to have a positive attitude. Sometimes we are talking about something like a stumped toe. Other times you might be floored by a ton of sorrow or trouble. Then you might need help from the Lord to find the attitude you need to keep on keeping on in the face of hardship.
But sometimes we let ourselves get sidetracked by the little irritations of life. We don’t get our way. Somebody gets our parking place. The squirrels eat that last pretty tomato you were planning to pick before the frost. You have a flat tire. Your dog threw up – on your favorite shoes. Your kids are pouting or fighting or doing all the things kids can do to make their parents crazy. But whatever is happening here are some things to help you be a positive thinker.
What Positive Thinkers know:
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- The greatest things in life aren’t things.
- Life’s a rummage sale. No returns.
- When cookies are passed around, take one.
- Attitude is a choice made daily. (From Guideposts)
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. Charles R. Swindoll
What do you do to bring you back into the positive attitude camp when something upsets your day?
One thing I do is consider my blessings. You readers are one of those blessings. Thank you for reading.
Comments 11
I love this! And I agree…the best way to keep a good attitude is to count my blessings! I have so many blessing, too. This week I’m especially thankful for the women my 3 sons chose to marry. They’re each so special in different ways. But my first one…they’ll celebrate their 23rd anniversary in two days, has the most incredible attitude, no matter what. She’s had the heartbreak of delivering a stillborn daughter, and the helplessness of watching a baby son struggle to live after arriving 3 months too soon. (He’s 14 now and brilliant!) She lost her dad suddenly when he was in his mid-40s. Three years ago she was diagnosed with a rare blood disease called Atypical HUS. It destroyed her kidneys. She’s on dialysis 6 days a week, and has infusion treatments for the disease every 10 days. These treatments, and the power of prayer is what keeps her alive. But Missy is always smiling and happy to be alive. Her attitude has forever been, “This too shall pass.” Nothing ever gets her down.
This coming Tuesday, Missy’s cousin is giving her a new, life saving kidney. I’m in awe of her strength and resilience. I know that God will bless this gift, as well as the giver. But it never hurts to ask for more prayer either. I was ready to email my prayer warriors for prayer, when the notification of your post came through. So I hope you don’t mind me sharing Missy’s story with your readers, Ann.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this timely post! You and your stories are a blessing to me, too. 🙂
I will pray for Missy. When we’re down in the dumps we can always hear a story such as hers and quickly rethink our situation. Thank you.
Thank you for your prayers, Karen!
I will keep Missy in my prayers. Her story touched my heart.
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Prayers, Lavon. May the kidney transplant give Missy new health. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to be on dialysis 6 days a week. Those I’ve known struggled with the three times a week. So wonderful that Missy is able to keep her attitude good. She is surely walking with the Lord.
Keep us posted. And I’m glad the post came to you at a good time.
Thank you all for including Missy in your prayers. Please keep praying. We found out yesterday that the transplant is postponed. Her liver enzymes are slightly elevated (probably due to her current meds), so the doctors want to get it regulated before surgery.
Needless to say, Missy and all of us are devastated. But we also know that God always works things out in His own time, not ours.
Thank you all again for your sweet thoughts and prayers.
P S I forgot to say what a precious and beautiful little girl! 😊
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This one is growing up fast but she was so cute that day getting down in the dumps and then forgetting that to have a great day, Karen.
And sometimes situations that are difficult are beyond our control. Prayer can help us find that peace that passes understanding even when the situation can’t be turned around. Two close to me right now are struggling with things that are beyond their control and can’t be “fixed” in any easy ways.
I will keep them in my prayers.
John 16:33
God bless you,
Karen
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Thank you, Karen. So kind of you.
Pray for that situation, person and me! Thank you for the quotes. I will keep them in mind when I’m feeling sorry for me because of a situation I cannot control. 😊