Eye of the beholder?

(07.15.21– Secret To Happy Living! – Matthew 6:22-23)

My friend, may I ask you a question? If happiness is a matter of perspective, why do we so often fail to choose to look past the handicaps of the day or see the beauty instead?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

The old car I used to own–there were two ways of looking at her: My wife Holly's perspective was one and mine another. When Holly saw my old Corvair parked in the garage she saw a 50 year-old vehicle. It smelled like oil and the inside smelled like a 50 year- old car. Her eyes went directly to the rust behind both front fenders and the oil leak under the rear engine. She wondered why anyone would want to "drive around in a rusty, smelly old thing like that." I, on the other hand, saw a work of art; a Willow-Green finish on a classic chassis. The rust was an expected mark of many courageous miles on the road. I drove my car and it showed some wear. That's OK! And the smell; it's was as pleasant to me as the scent of cedar on an evening breeze. The oil leak was pardonable. She'd been around the block a few times; all handicaps that I chose to see for beauty.

Happiness is a matter of perspective. We can chose to look past the handicaps of the day or see the beauty instead.

Here's a story: Teacher Jeanene Reese ran into an old school friend at a busy airport restaurant: "We sat around a table reminiscing about good times we had shared in college. This unexpected and long overdue interlude was passing too quickly as one flight after another was announced for departure. We hurriedly shared anecdotes about spouses, jobs, and children. As my friend unfolded his wallet with a family picture, I was saddened to see that his middle child was obviously handicapped. Fully expecting him to mention the child's disability, I was surprised when instead he spoke of his daughter's funny sense of humor and her special love for art. As he looked fondly at his family he said, "I know you can't tell by the picture, but Heather is retarded. She doesn't look like most handicapped children though; she's a really beautiful little girl." I looked at him as he looked at her and it was almost as if the photograph changed in front of my eyes. I was shocked to see this child from her father's perspective; she was beautiful! Everything that must make her unique and so very special was shining through in that brief moment. I saw her through her father's eyes!" (Mike Collins)

It's true: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as the adage goes, "The eyes are the window to the soul." Even Jesus spoke of this: "If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul. But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be!" Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants to do in our lives. But this spiritual insight can be easily clouded by our thoughts and desires. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision and cause us to see everything in a negative light. It hinders us from looking past the handicaps in order to see the beauty.

We pray. Heavenly Father, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as the adage goes, "The eyes are the window to the soul." As our Savior spoke of this: "If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul. But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be!" Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what You want us to do in our lives. But this spiritual insight Lord can be easily clouded by our thoughts and desires. Forgive us for our self-serving desires, interests, and goals that block our vision and cause us to see everything in a negative light. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Eye of the beholder?

(07.15.21– Secret To Happy Living! – Matthew 6:22-23)

My friend, may I ask you a question? If happiness is a matter of perspective, why do we so often fail to choose to look past the handicaps of the day or see the beauty instead?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

The old car I used to own–there were two ways of looking at her: My wife Holly's perspective was one and mine another. When Holly saw my old Corvair parked in the garage she saw a 50 year-old vehicle. It smelled like oil and the inside smelled like a 50 year- old car. Her eyes went directly to the rust behind both front fenders and the oil leak under the rear engine. She wondered why anyone would want to "drive around in a rusty, smelly old thing like that." I, on the other hand, saw a work of art; a Willow-Green finish on a classic chassis. The rust was an expected mark of many courageous miles on the road. I drove my car and it showed some wear. That's OK! And the smell; it's was as pleasant to me as the scent of cedar on an evening breeze. The oil leak was pardonable. She'd been around the block a few times; all handicaps that I chose to see for beauty.

Happiness is a matter of perspective. We can chose to look past the handicaps of the day or see the beauty instead.

Here's a story: Teacher Jeanene Reese ran into an old school friend at a busy airport restaurant: "We sat around a table reminiscing about good times we had shared in college. This unexpected and long overdue interlude was passing too quickly as one flight after another was announced for departure. We hurriedly shared anecdotes about spouses, jobs, and children. As my friend unfolded his wallet with a family picture, I was saddened to see that his middle child was obviously handicapped. Fully expecting him to mention the child's disability, I was surprised when instead he spoke of his daughter's funny sense of humor and her special love for art. As he looked fondly at his family he said, "I know you can't tell by the picture, but Heather is retarded. She doesn't look like most handicapped children though; she's a really beautiful little girl." I looked at him as he looked at her and it was almost as if the photograph changed in front of my eyes. I was shocked to see this child from her father's perspective; she was beautiful! Everything that must make her unique and so very special was shining through in that brief moment. I saw her through her father's eyes!" (Mike Collins)

It's true: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as the adage goes, "The eyes are the window to the soul." Even Jesus spoke of this: "If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul. But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be!" Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants to do in our lives. But this spiritual insight can be easily clouded by our thoughts and desires. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision and cause us to see everything in a negative light. It hinders us from looking past the handicaps in order to see the beauty.

We pray. Heavenly Father, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as the adage goes, "The eyes are the window to the soul." As our Savior spoke of this: "If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul. But if your eye is clouded with evil thoughts and desires, you are in deep spiritual darkness. And oh, how deep that darkness can be!" Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what You want us to do in our lives. But this spiritual insight Lord can be easily clouded by our thoughts and desires. Forgive us for our self-serving desires, interests, and goals that block our vision and cause us to see everything in a negative light. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.