Wednesday, June 16, 2010

~Focusing on the Lovely~

The other day I read a blog post where the blogger openly told of her struggle with a negative attitude on that particular day.

DSCN4468I think if we are honest with each other, most of us probably struggle with those same negative attitudes on occasion during our lifetimes.   

discoveries

 Today was one of those days for me.  I woke up and focused on the things needing to be painted, the well-worn furniture, having to dance around someone in our too small house…

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And then my sour attitude began to set the tone for our home.  If I’m steaming and stewing, my children seem to feel the undercurrent of my attitude and it sets off the domino effect of a home without peace.

busy boycollageWhen I have days like this, I hear two things in my head.  One, I hear my dad who is one of the most positive thinkers that I know.   Two, I hear the verse from Philippians 4:8. 

DSCN4467 “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  (emphasis mine)

garden stroll My actions and my words are an overflow of my heart and my thoughts.  If my thoughts dwell on the not so lovely and the wrongs of this world, so follows my heart, and then follows my actions & words.

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I must guard my thoughts and protect my heart from these things.  I must think on what is lovely, what is pure, what is right, etc.  These are the things that will bring me peace.  I say this because if we continue to read Philippians 4:9, we see that we have been taught these things and we need to “practice these things”.  The verse concludes with “and the God of peace will be with you”.

DSCN4507 When I awoke today and realized that I had the choice to make this a lovely day or an ugly day by where I chose to focus my thoughts, I decided to seek out the lovely.  That’s what these pictures are.  They are pictures of the loveliness around my home.  By focusing on the things that I find beautiful and lovely in my home, I was able to keep myself from dwelling on the imperfections in my home. 

DSCN4490 It’s not always easy to focus on the lovely.  There are days that I just want to sit down and wallow in the injustices.  And I will admit, that there are days I do just that.  However, I know that if I choose to dwell on the lovely, peace will follow. 

snuggle time My prayer is that I will always choose the lovely even when it is tough.  That’s my prayer for today and I’m sure it will be my prayer for tomorrow too.

5 comments:

  1. Just what I needed to hear this morning! Thanks so much for the reminder. Now, I need to go focus on the positive and look for the beauty all around me.

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  2. Lovely post!
    Why is it so hard for us to focus on the lovely?
    Why is it so easy to take our eyes off our LORD?
    I think maybe because we don't trust...100% all of the time...just ONE moment and I am like a mad woman..trying to take it all into my hands and not allowing GOD ANY room for help in my present of trouble.
    You have beeyoutifully written a sweet post with lovely photos and amazing words. I felt the presence of God as I was reading it...
    Thank you and I will commit today to having...a lovely day.

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  3. Just wonderful and a great word from scripture, too.

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  4. Thank you. I really needed to read this today - the Lord's timing is always perfect and He used this wonderful post by you to give a message to me from His Word. Your pictures are lovely,by the way!

    Blessings,
    Caroline

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  5. Thank you all for the comments! They make my day! :)
    Amanda ~ Your comment pretty much spoke of me. I focus on the lovely then my eyes look away from God. Oh, how that sounds just like me!

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