P.M.A.

 

In January in the midst of a sermon series about Mr. Rogers, we sang this hymn: “Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your many blessings see what God has done.” This hymn is pretty simple, and definitely wasn’t everyone’s favorite.  But it does make a good point, don’t you think? 

I was on the basketball team back when I was a freshman in college.  I had always excelled at sports in high school, and I was thrilled to be able to continue playing.  What I hadn’t bargained for was the speed at which college ball was played, verses my high school, Class C, understanding of the game.  Conditioning for this began in the summer, long before I even arrived on campus.  Lots of running, jumping, shooting baskets, and lifting weights.  I thought I was ready.  I was not ready.

My memory of those weeks is still pretty clear, and I remember at many points wondering if I could really make it through some of those days.  One particularly rough day came when we were put in groups of 4 or 5, with the goal of running a relay of 100, 100-meter sprints. I honestly thought our coaches might be trying to kill us off.  And at that point we received a word about the power of a positive mental attitude.  If we think positively, we move positively, if we think negatively, that’s the way our thoughts and actions go.  We finished those sprints, celebrated, and headed into our season.

So much of who I am as a person, and what I know about leadership was formed in the gym, playing on basketball and volleyball teams, or out on the softball field or track.  I learned quickly the power of surrounding yourself with encouraging people, and that our team is only as strong as its weakest member.  I learned to value listening and patience, and to find joy in other people’s successes.  Most of all my life was grounded in the power of choosing to have a positive mental attitude.

This period of our lives is so challenging.  Social distancing impacts our entire lives: mental, physical, and spiritual.  We are itching to get on with it, to be free, to work towards the normal that we have known for so long. We can encounter these days with grief and anger, or we can decide to count our blessings and choose to have a positive mental attitude.  I recognize that this is not easy, and that we will certainly have challenging days.  But if we are intentional to look for the blessings and use our words and thoughts for encouragement, this period can strengthen us and draw us closer to our Creator.

Psalm 103: 1-5 says:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless God’s holy name.
 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and do not forget all God’s benefits—
 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
 who redeems your life from the Pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

How are you recognizing the blessings in your life right now?  How are you blessing the Lord – the one who creates, redeems, and sustains our lives?  Let us not get so focused on the loss we are encountering that we fail to remember God’s great benefits. 

I hope you today you have a strong positive mental attitude – it can make all the difference!

Pastor Devon