Tomorrow we begin our second semester at school. All my little fifth graders will come in with stories to tell me about their Christmas or New Years, their family vacation, their dog, or sibling - you name it, they will all have a story! This will be a great morning for our journals where they can write about anything they want to tell me. Hopefully, I will be able to spend at least a minute or two with each one. When there are 26 students and 1 teacher, it can be a challenge. Instead of complaining that I have to go back to work tomorrow, I could look at it another way... a different perspective. I GET to go to work tomorrow. I had a talk with my students one day about school. They groan and moan about having to come to school. I told them to look at it like this - you GET to come to school. There are children in hospitals who would love to be able to come to school. We talked about perspective. It can change a lot of things, including your attitude.
Instead of complaining, even though that's easier to do, we could try to think of a better perspective. Last week, it poured, and I mean poured. We complained.... then we turned on the news and it seemed the entire continent of Australia was on fire! They were praying for the very thing we were complaining about!
So try, each morning and throughout your day, to think of something positive to say. Let's encourage each other. I'm talking to myself too! We get bogged down with worries and frustrations, that we overlook the blessings all around us. I read a great book, titled The Noticer by Andy Andrews. The setting was actually in a wonderful area of my home state - Orange Beach, Alabama. It tells of different characters and their life stories. A mysterious man named Jones appears at just the right time and helps them look at things a different way. There's a lot of good lessons in that book, maybe check it out if you haven't already.
On another note, if this world were perfect, without the burdens we all have to bear.... what would there be to look forward to? Remember the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:19, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Let's don't be that miserable person, complaining all the time.... we have hope, have we not? There's something better.... I can hear my Daddy's sermon and his sweet voice saying those exact words... "but there's something better". I know he is experiencing that "better" place. We will too one day. If that doesn't change your perspective, I'm not sure what will!
Thanks for reading ~ Goodnight y'all!
My sweet, talented, Amy... Indeed changing one’s perspective can absolutely realign attitudes and change your focus. I dreaded going back after Christmas break this time last year. Now, I miss seeing those smiling little faces so anxious to see their teachers and friends. Hindsight also changes perspective. 😊 Love your blog! ❤️
We often work very hard to look nice, lose weight, have nice clothes, etc., but we fail to be (and teach how to keep our minds) in a positive and hopeful state of mind. Being retired now, I have more time to reflect on life and realize how important it is to focus on the good as Satan can get into our thoughts each day to keep us from walking close to God. Your article “The Power of Perspective” gives us all one powerful and simple way to walk a more joyful and purposeful life:) Thank you, Amy! I’m so glad and blessed I GET to read your blog everyday:)