January 3, 2022 – Click here to listen
We have a brand-new year looming ahead of us and I’m excited just thinking about it this morning. I wonder what great opportunities and adventures lie ahead. I’m friends with one couple and they take the opposite view and dread it, and even wonder whether they will live through it.
Egad!
My right-hand man in my first large company was negative in similar fashion. I remember one time we received a huge envelope from UPS filled with checks from C.O.D. purchases of our products. I was whooping it up and slapping co-workers on the back celebrating our good fortune, when my buddy glumly said, “Well I guess that means we won’t have much of a deposit at all tomorrow.”
Huh?
In a single slice with the sword of his tongue he put a damper on our little celebration. I looked at him and slowly shook my head and told him that when you stand on the peak of the glorious mountain, son, enjoy the view and bask in the warm sunshine; there will be plenty of time for gloom and doom when down in the valley.
I had a friend who was significantly older than me who had a very debilitating form of rectal and colon cancer which resulted in chemo, radiation, and numerous surgeries including implanting a bag via a colostomy and painful rectal cancer surgery. This man was never absent a smile on his face. His excitement bubbled over, and it was contagious. I asked him one time how he could possibly be in such a great mood, especially considering his health issues. His response: “Well Bob we all have a choice in the morning, we can go through the day with a frown worrying about every little thing, or we can get excited about the possibilities this day will bring. When I look in the mirror every morning as I brush my teeth, I tell myself that, today will be the best day of my life and I’m going to enjoy it and live it to its fullest. I never saw him without a big smile, and I can picture him smiling away at me as I type these words.
Both gentlemen had a huge impact on my life. Obviously, I want to take the approach of my optimistic friend vs. the cynic and start each day with a smile. (My advice is to just make sure you brush your teeth every day and try to do it when you first get going every morning.)
I had to put down my beloved little dog Coopie last year. This little guy was like one of my children and to date, I cannot even discuss getting another dog – It’s too painful. I’ve been wondering however if this is a mistake. When we obtain a dog for a pet, we know it is going to end with us having to say goodbye. Candidly I’ve been thinking of getting another dog solely from that negative viewpoint and haven’t even considered the joy, optimism, and happiness we derived from Coopie. It was inherent in his nature to enjoy every moment of every day. He wagged his tail when it rained or shined, during financial challenge or not; he wasn’t worried about political upheaval, violence, racism, climate change, gender-bending fanatics, or Covid. He was just a happy loving little dog who loved us and life and that is how I want to be and it is great having a living example of that such as Coopie around.
The only way I see to achieve that is to have faith in our Lord and have love in our lives. Jesus has the burdens of the world in His capable hands, and we are assured in His Holy Word that He doesn’t need any help from anyone in putting things in order. So, my advice for 2022 is to trust in the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love each other. Look in the mirror and vow to make the most of today as you anticipate what blessings will unfold and I will guarantee you will at least begin your day with a smile on your face . . . (if you will allow it.)
Matthew 22:36
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”