But What's Going Right?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words... Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."   --- Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 4:23

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So then came the time Tom fell in the kitchen.

I stepped inside from the front porch and Tom said he fell over Poncho, but not on him. "He freaked out and ran here, there, then upstairs. I think maybe I traumatized him." Sadly, he shook his head. You know, like he'd ruined our new cat.

"No! Don't speak that out loud," I stated. "You know our words are important." (He apologized, then took back the words.)

I said, "I'll go upstairs and give Poncho some treats. He's the kind of cat who forgives us everything if we just throw some treats at him."

And although, at first, Poncho nervously (after a silent moment) peaked out from beneath the guest bed, I tossed treats to him and he became all excited. He ate the treats and returned to his same ol' goofy self still to this day.

Anyway, since the trauma I experienced last March (with unfairly losing Charlie Cat) I've had to retrain my brain to guard my words, heart and thoughts.

Oh Honey, they went over to the dark side after that tragedy and wow. All the complain-y thoughts within my head and mouth!

But I've had to remind myself of the danger of semi-constantly complaining. It can morph into this:

"If allowed to loop within the brain continually, harmful behaviors such as complaining will inevitably alter thought processes. Altered thoughts lead to altered beliefs, leading to a behavior change.

Additionally, our brain possesses something called the negativity bias. In simple terms, negativity bias is the brain’s tendency to focus more on adverse circumstances than positive." (For more, go here.)

It actually can become difficult to think of the positive of one's life if we don't stop the complaining soon enough. And who wants a negative mind?

So I'm working extra hard on becoming who I once was. 

Mornings, I read from lots of positive, you-can-do-this books. 

I'm reminding myself to stay decisive (yesterday we watched the new Godzilla movie and boy, did the main character ever need that advice!)  シ

I watch videos with cheerful, making-a-difference folks.

I nudge myself to remain proactive, creative and open to ideas for making our home (and life) more senior-friendly.

I remind myself to eat my vegetables and take my vitamins.

And I get out in the sun and walk around our yard/gardens (or down to the Little Free Library) and call it exercise. heh.

And more, but you get it.

The worst thing we can do? Feel all guilty about having slipped backward. No self-condemned, guilt-ridden person ever got healed while they clung to all that junk.

Let. It. Go.

Oh, how Almighty God wants to heal each of us! And fortunately He's got outlined plans for that in His Word. What remains is for us to look it all up, then do it.

His way.

(Yikes! And it's kinda like a type of 'destroying angel' still comes along and wrecks our mind when we take up the habit of complaining. Something positive does seem to die within us.)

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world..."   Philippains 2:14.15

Gratitude. It's reminding ourselves of what's gone right. Of what is lovely in our life.

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Wow! What a luxurious tiny house and ok, expensive. But she had the best customizing ideas, ever. So there's that. (Loved the secret bedroom. Maybe that's what I'll start calling mine!)

Aww, this lady is so sweet, dreamy and lovely in her single wide mobile home. Kinda mesmerizing, this video.

How One Woman Saved 10,000 Jewish Children. Oh my! How had I never heard of her before?

Probably the most helpful of flower gardening advice I'd ever come across:  How To Grow a "No-Work" Flower Garden. Appreciated this much.

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A favorite 'summertime verse'!

Oh the humidity!  ッ

"We should war against the spirit of sadness,depression & fear with a genuine spirit of celebrating what God has done for us." -Joyce Meyer

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15