A fresh perspective

With God, all things are possible.

I AM WITH GOD. GOD IS WITH ME.

SO, I can do this!

If it's important to me, I will try again.

I won't give up.

I will keep working at it until the goal is accomplished or I learn what God would have me learn.

I do my part and leave the results up to God.

I know all these things, and yet I have spent longer than I care to admit stuck in old, negative thought processes.

The stress and anxiety of a pandemic likely shifted me into familiar but outdated patterns, and once they get started, they are hard to break.  It takes what it takes, and the main thing it takes for me is time, along with a fair amount of frustration.

For today, I believe even that can change. I don't have to spend more than two weeks or up to a month in negativity before CHOOSING to focus on what I'm grateful for, what is beautiful and good and true, starting with the power and presence of God in my life.

I'm not sure which came first, the attitude change or the morning's walk around the neighborhood park. Both were helped by an hour yesterday spent talking with a counselor.

As I posted on social media: For various reasons, I started today’s walk on the treadmill. I’m grateful my better sense prevailed and I headed out on the neighborhood trail. It occurred to me this beautiful lake and park were just a vision and a promise when we moved here 36 years ago. It is a true blessing these days. How can I keep from singing?!?!? And I met an Aggie dog and and Aggie dad, and I didn’t get stung by a bee! #socialdistancing2020 #socialdistanSing #howgreatthouart #texasaggies👍  @ Cambridge Neighborhood Park

The day also included donating clothes and other items to help out with a need related to the pandemic. I volunteered my skills as an editor and made plans to sing at church.

I can't explain why it's so hard for me to volunteer and actually do acts of kindness and service that God puts on my heart. I'm grateful that today I just did it.

As tempted as I am to say I hope I can build on this, I think it's better for me to just say, "Thank You, God, for today. Thank You for being with me and loving me, even when I'm stuck in negativity and find it hard to express gratitude and respond in loving service to all the good in my life. I love You, Lord, I trust You and I will rejoice in You. I pray to live my faith. Thy will be done."