"Pray for everyone. Ask
God to help and bless them all." ~ 1
Timothy 2:1
Matt jumped from bed as soon as
the sun peeked through his window. He crammed
his favorite things into a backpack for his trip to Grandpa’s. In went his swimsuit, a library book about tree houses, and
plenty of ‘Twizzlers.’ Carefully placing
his stuffed bear Grizzlee inside, Matt zipped the flap.
Going to visit his grandfather for a week by himself was
always Matt’s favorite part of summer vacation. They’d go fishing and watch baseball games. Grandpa also taught Matt how to fix things
around the house.
Last year, when he was five, Matt learned how to repair a
broken window (one he’d accidently broken) and how to paint the storage
shed. Grandpa was patient and didn’t
mind the time it took to show Matt how to use real tools.
Matt grabbed his backpack and ran to the kitchen where
Grandpa now waited. “Ready, big fella?”
asked Grandpa.
“Oh yeah!” Matt replied eagerly. As he kissed his Mom goodbye, his stomach
rumbled. Breakfast at our usual spot?”
The ten miles to ‘The Golden Biscuit’ flew by as Matt
jabbered about his latest science project.
They sat at the counter.
Grampa ordered buttermilk biscuits smothered with sausage
gravy. Matt had a side of bacon, two
stacks of blueberry pancakes and fresh bread slathered with enough apple butter
to feed his entire class. He reasoned they’d
need extra energy this week with all they planned to accomplish.
The man seated next to Matt at the counter did not
seem too happy. He barked at the
waitress about a slightly chipped water glass that wasn't clean enough. A smudge on the rim meant the glass wasn't
cleaned properly. He griped that he’d
probably end up with some kind of virus.
All this before he even got an opportunity to criticize the food – stale
bread, overcooked sausage, soggy cantaloupe.
He sure was cranky!
When it was time to leave, Matt slid off his stool - careful
not to bother the grumpy old man. But
just before he reached the exit door, he turned around and walked directly
toward the old coot. “I really hope your
day gets better mister,” Matt said with complete sincerity.
We’ve all been there – a crummy start to a day that gets
worse. But the way we start the day
affects our behavior, and therefore, how people relate to us. When we wake up feeling grouchy and
out-of-sorts, it spills over into everything else we do. We’re apt to feel upset and lethargic.
If on the other hand, you begin your day feeling cheerful,
upbeat, and enthusiastic, you’ll probably find that you’re more efficient,
productive, and you just enjoy life a lot more. The direction is up to each of us; the first
steps taken will dictate your forward progress.
Dear God, I’m not perfect. Sometimes I question my faith. I lose my temper and treat others unkindly. But thank you for loving me unconditionally,
and giving me another day to try again. Amen
