From “If Only” to “Thank You”
Have you ever caught yourself saying, "If only I had done this" or "If only I had said that"? I know I have. It's easy to get caught up in the "if only" game, especially when facing a difficult situation or looking back on a mistake we've made.
But here's the thing about "if only”—it's a trap. It keeps us stuck in the past, dwelling on what could have been instead of focusing on what is. And it can rob us of the joy and peace God wants us to have in the present.
That's why I'm trying to replace "if only" with two different words: “Thank you.” Instead of dwelling on what could have been, I'm choosing to be thankful for what is. And I'm finding that it makes all the difference.
Crying Over Spilled Sand
Because of our house’s limited storage space, the seasonal flower arrangements from the chapels are typically placed into totes and stored in our attic. The problem is that the totes large enough to hold the arrangements are too large to go through the attic doorway unless they’re turned sideways. As you can imagine, this is not the best practice and usually results in my having to “tweak” the arrangements once they come down from the attic before displaying them in the chapel.
Recently, however, the arrangements that came out of the attic needed more than a simple adjustment. Half of the vases had fallen over, dumping their flowers and sand inside the tote. The result was a gritty, mangled mess that took several hours to rework.
Shining Through the Shadows
In Wales, the sun is very hit-and-miss, especially during the long winter months. Just this morning, I noticed the blue skies and bright sun and made plans to do a little work outside. I went out and checked on my lawn chair, which was surprisingly dry. Then, I went back in to finish the chore I was in the middle of, with plans to go outside and enjoy the weather as soon as I was finished. A few minutes later, I donned my sweater, grabbed my laptop, and headed outside. Unfortunately, by then, the sun was hiding beneath several layers of gray clouds, and the wind had picked up, giving the air a damp chill. I waited a few minutes to see if the clouds and winds would pass. They didn't. So, I grabbed my stuff and went back inside, lamenting the fact that, once again, I had just missed the sun.
Faithful Frolicking
Wales is a dog-friendly place, and our small town is no exception. So, it’s not unusual to see people out walking their dogs at all times of the day. What is uncommon, however, is one particular dog, who is the talk of the town. The rumor is that the dog was born smack in the middle of the lambing season on a local farm and learned to "walk" by imitating and frolicking with those sprightly spring lambs. Can’t you picture the gleeful puppy bounding along beside them?
Well, whether fact or fiction, the dog has a unique gait. Rather than a standard walk, this canine companion essentially HOPS everywhere he goes! It's honestly one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen.
An Outbreak of Joy
A couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, Jason woke up on Monday morning covered head to toe in tiny red dots. By Friday, he resembled an itchy spotted giraffe! It turns out he had ingested something to which he had a severe allergic reaction. We still don’t know what it was, so hopefully, he won’t eat or drink it again!
Like most men, Jason doesn’t do well at being sick; thankfully, he’s not often ill. I felt so bad for him, stuck in bed, itchy and miserable. But despite his suffering, he mostly maintained an upbeat attitude.
It could have been different. Frustrated and kept from his work and ministry, Jason might have medicated stress with complaints, anxiety, and self-pity. If he’d chosen to stew in negativity, his cynicism could have also infected me, and I was having a hard enough time keeping it together.