Categories
motivation

Worry Rarely Works

Worry Rarely Works

Yesterday was Charles Schulz’s birthday. He was the reason this kid would go out and get the newspaper before anyone else had the chance and he inspired me to draw cartoons. A quote attributed to him reminds me why worry rarely works.

“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.”

Charles M. Schulz on BrainyQuote.com

The reason worry rarely works is it neutralizes faith and hope. Worry says that we don’t trust and we fear. It’s an acknowledgment that there are so many factors out of our control. If we fear our lack of control, it leads to worry. But if we rest in the hope things will be better, It can be empowering.

Worry is a waste of creativity. When we imagine the worst, what is the point of doing anything to improve the future? If we’ve done all that we can, shouldn’t we rest in the comfort that God can take it from there? Jesus had a little to say on this subject.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:34 (NIV) via Bible Gateway

Stay in the moment and don’t worry about tomorrow. There are things I worried about forty years ago that never came to be. And none of us could have foreseen the challenges of today. None of our worries from yesterday made a difference for today, except it may have raised our blood pressure and caused us to age a little quicker.

Besides, when did worry really work for us?

Categories
Christianity

A Fruitful Fall Event

A Fruitful Fall Event

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview a pastor about a fruitful fall event his church held. The children’s pastor at Celebration Church at Arrow Heights held a a family-friendly event the day before Halloween. They christened it the Trunk and Treat Hallelujah Party. Here is a link to the article:

Indiana Church Celebrates Fruitful Fall Outreach, Looks Ahead to Winter and Spring - Church of God Ministries

The organizer of the event has experienced a year of tragedy. But instead of turning inward, she channeled her heartache to ministering in her community. As a result, the area families had a safe, fun fall event that attracted all ages.

Yesterday, I wrote that a prayer of thanks is so powerful. That can be easy when things are going our way. But what about when things are far from ideal? What if we are in a season of tragedy and loss? Can anything good come from sorrow and morning?

By the grace of God, the answer is yes! Granted, it is not healthy to deny our emotions when we experience pain and suffering. We must be honest and allow ourselves to express grief.

But instead of turning inward, we can take our pain and make something beautiful of it.

“He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.”

Isaiah 61:3 NLT

Whatever you are going through, may you find a crown of beauty for ashes.

Categories
holiday Quotes

A Prayer of Gratitude

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” Meister Eckhart

Today, in the United States, most of us will be gathering around a table and offering a prayer of gratitude. The two simple words of thank you can do amazing things.

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Meister Eckhart

A prayer of thanks changes us. We can come to God with no agenda and just simply express gratitude. It reminds us of what we do have and humbles us enough to realize we are more dependent than we would like to think.

All of us have wants and needs. On the other hand, if someone only comes to us when they want something, we start to dread the next encounter. None of us like a relationship where the other person is a taker.

Today, let us give thanks. Give thanks in prayer, and also give thanks to those around us. We rely on others much more than we would like to admit. Let us give thanks in prayer and in the words we give to others.

Think about why someone dear to you is so dear. Tell them. If it is too hard, we can just say, “Thank you.” If they ask what for, just tell them that they mean so much to us. A memory of past generosity is good, but not necessary. Just thank someone for the blessing they are. It does our heart, and the heart of the recipient of our gratitude, a good thing.

Categories
motivation

Get Ready for Thanksgiving!

Are you ready for Thanksgiving 2021? No? Me neither! A few years ago, I did a post on how to have a happy Thanksgiving. I had a cartoon that wasn’t based on real experience.

Cartoon of a couple. The wife says, "We're having a traditional Thanksgiving. Here's a musket. The turkey is in the backyard."

I am thankful I never had to go out and shoot our Thanksgiving turkey. Though if you haven’t already thawed the bird, you’re much more likely to have turkey tomorrow if you go hunting.

For 2021, an old-fashioned, traditional Thanksgiving is what most of us yearn for. We had an interesting, if not desirable one last year. Most of us didn’t get together at all or did so through Zoom. I hear the travel for this year is back to pre-pandemic levels.

Yet, I also know some friends who are still dealing with COVID in their families. And there are some of us who will be missing loved ones at the dinner table. In my family, I can think of a couple we will be mourning over this year.

Through it all, my prayer for you is that no matter the situation, you will remember something to be thankful for. It’s okay to mourn the losses. But also remember the blessings. They are out there. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Categories
Quotes

Marrying a Good Person

Today is Harpo Marx’s birthday. He was born on November 23, 1888. He’s the Marx brother who never spoke during their films. So it’s quite a delight for me to have a quote for him about marrying a good person.

By Ralph F. Stitt – This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3c26207. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1629215

“Harpo, she’s a lovely person. She deserves a good husband. Marry her before she finds one.”

Harpo Marx

On this week of Thanksgiving, I am thankful I married a good person. For one, she has made me a better person. Not only that, she is a born leader and someone with a caring heart. Plus, she is the closest thing I’ve seen to a superwoman balanced with a heart for God and people.

Therefore, like Harpo Marx, I am glad I married her before she found a good husband. You may want to pity her. The poor woman gets annoyed when I run around the house in a curly, blonde wig and only communicate with a bicycle horn. That’s what happens when you let a former vaudevillian influence you.