Curmudgeonly Attitude

I have had a rough few days and the more I thought about all that's gone wrong, the more upset I became, the more upset I became, the more I thought about what was wrong with the world, the more I thought about what was wrong with the world, the more helpless I began to feel.... I was spiraling into a deep dark place and it really was very unhelpful for my mental health as well as my physical health - my stomach was in knots, my shoulders were sore, and I had a headache!

Last week in worship we asked people to write down on paper what they thought the values of our congregation were to help our council to do some visioning work for the church. I collected them Sunday and left them on my desk to deal with on Tuesday when I was back in the office. I sat down to read the responses and while there were some very interesting and hopeful responses, there were also a number of papers with notes about what we don't do, what some people think we should be doing.

These 2 experiences reminded me how much the culture around us encourages us to look at what we don't have, what we can't do, rather than look at all that we have, all that we are doing. The media thrives on having us believe we need more, we need to be more, and we have moved that mentality into everything we encounter.

As a Canadian woman I am very aware of how much honest-to-God blessings I do have in my life. I'm not talking about those #blessed works we see when people write about how big their house is, how many presents they've received for Christmas. I'm talking about those true blessings such as equality, freedom, fair wages, reasonable healthcare, a family, friends, and so on. I live in a country where I can work in any job I am qualified for - my gender doesn't necessarily stop me. If I get hurt I can go to the hospital without worrying about how I will pay for the visit. I live in a house, which has heating and has a family that loves me. You get the idea.

When looking at charitable givings literature, every one shows that when we thank those who give (money and time) and we tell others about the great way their gifts are being used, giving of time and money increases. When an organization does not thank it's givers and only talks about the items needing funding without showing how the money already given is helping, givings of time and money decrease. When we talk positively, the benefits increase; when we do not talk positively and especially when we talk negatively, the benefits decrease.

In the coming year I think my goal for myself and for my congregation will be to find ways to encourage the power of positive thinking and especially positive talking! Here's to a 2017 where we all see the true values right in front of our eyes and not let them be hidden by all the "stuff" we don't have!