For The Discourager Diegos

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4

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So. Usually scenes with Mike Heck (in The Middle) are favorites and throw in interaction with his daughter, Sue? Usually you'll see me wiping away tears (those sappy, sentimental writers--sheesh).

But ack! In one scene, Mike royally disappointed me. 

Frankie (his wife) had talked him into replacing their ancient, dilapidated bed and after frustrating days of putting the new one together, they sat upon it, leaned back on the bookshelf headboard and agreed. Soo uncomfortable.

That's when Mike goes all--


"You're always running around trying to change stuff. You do this all the time. (He mimics Frankie)--'I have to have a sanctuary. Stringing beads will change my life. A foreign exchange student is going to bring us all closer together.'

"You've got a millions plans, Frankie, to make things better, but they don't! Open your eyes--this is it. This is what we've got."


Come on, Mike.

Healthy-minded, normal folks try to make their lives better. Easier, smoother, more convenient. They just do. It's called improving the way you live.

It's not wrong--unless it consumes us. (Anything becomes wrong when we can think of nothing else.) But discovering ways to help us move forward, onward and upward? It's a Good Thing.

But not according to some people. Good grief.

I mean I adore documentaries, especially ones about inventors, but what do you always (always!) see in those? Their contemporaries/friends/others discouraged them from trying--


"What kind of a foolish idea is that?"
"It can't possibly work."
"Who even needs one of those?"
"Where will you get the money to produce it?"
"Why don't you just get a real job?"
"Everyone knows dreamers are useless fools."


Every single inventor in every documentary I've seen faced that junk. And what do most (not all, ok) inventions share in common? They're created to make Life easier for people.

But oh, the Discouragers. I've even got a handful on my Facebook page(!) Dear old friends, in fact, from the Old Days, and frankly? Man, they make me nuts.

People try to make our planet better? The Discouragers become, like, "Bah! Can't be done."  Or all, "It's fine the way it is."

Want to get rid of plastic? "Bah! What about this (plastic item) and that (plastic item) that people still use like crazy? How you gonna change that?"

And any new idea that comes along from across their political aisle? Good luck. "What a joke," they say.

"It doesn't do enough."
"It'll never work."  or, "We don't even need it."


People, people, people. Do you hear yourselves?

It's a trap. A sticky, gooey trap (which can feel erroneously soothing) that's hard to pull yourself out of if you've let yourself sink down, low.

But God can lift us up. He's the lifter of our heads, you know.

Anyway, remember this Bible verse?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..."  Hebrews 12:1

Some folks believe that those who've gone to Heaven can sometimes look down upon us when we've faithfully obeyed God with all our hearts.

And ok, that may or may not be true.

But if it is? Then when my loved ones in Heaven peek over that edge at me, may I resemble an Encourager Warrior Woman, fighting to make things better for those of us still down here.

And certainly not like a grouchy ol' Discourager Diego who only sits in front of his computer telling everyone, "Just give up, already. There's nothing new under the sun. Nothing will help us now."

Nope, instead may I march ahead with fellow doers, obeyers, doing the best we can to serve one another in love, to lift the spirits of the weak and to make this temporary life of ours better for us all.

Every single day.

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle...   Psalm 144:1


"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry..."   ... James 1:19


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For my friends who are grandmothers (may this make you smile) ---

😊


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And speaking of plastic, here's what I shared at Facebook yesterday:

For the record, I admire people who try to make things better. Constantly criticizing and joking about folks who TRY, only discourages others and makes things worse.

Anyway, I found this photo and caption hilarious!

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