Think On These Things...

 I Should Have Stayed in Bed Today 

By Jack Prelutsky

 I should have stayed in bed today, In bed's where I belong

 As soon as I got up today Things started going wrong. 

I got a splinter in my foot, My puppy made me fall, 

I squirted toothpaste in my ear, I crashed into the wall. 

I knocked my homework off the desk, I landed on my toes, 

I spilled a glass of chocolate milk, It's soaking through my clothes, I accidentally bit my tongue, That really made me moan,

 And it was far from funny when I banged my funny bone. 

I scraped my knees, I bumped my nose, I sat upon a pin, 

 leapt up with alacrity, And sharply barked my shin, 

I stuck a finger in my eye, The pain is quite severe, 

I'd better get right back to bed 

And stay there for a year!

Sometimes bad things happen.  It's normal that from time to time we have a bad thought.  It can even turn into a bad moment.  A bad moment sometimes grows into a bad experience.  A bad experience may even snowball and create a bad day.  That's...normal.  It's okay to have a bad day every once in a while.  It is only when those 'bad' elements change us that our state becomes one that is most pitiable.  

Have you ever met someone who seems to walk around flinching?  What about those folks who have a perpetual chip on their shoulder, and act like the entire world is trying to put a 'kick me' sign on their back?  It's a sad but true phenomenon that there are some people who have been so wounded by the negative element in this world that they become almost...warped...in their day-to-day interactions.  When bad things happen, there must be a stopping point!  There must be a time at which everything stops spinning, we take a breath, and we reset for a better mindset.

One of the fantastic facets of Christian life is the concept that there is always something better on which to focus.  While there is certainly no shortage of negative things in this world, God instructs Christians to seek out those things that are better, wholesome, and good. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things"(Philippians 4:8, NASB).

Our attitude can change amazingly simply by focusing on something that is good.  The next time a 'bad' moment seems to be clinging to you, take a second and find something on which to focus that reminds you of Paul's words to the congregation at Philippi.  It may be that a moment of positiveness is all you need to break the hold of the negative, and you can move forward to better things.

Let us remember to focus on the good things, so that the bad things don't have time nor room to grow on us!