Hi everyone,

I’m back from holidays and it’s good to get back into the routine… although I have to admit that I’m not completely in that routine just yet… but for various reasons (like not just laziness). I could go on and on about it, but mostly the school schedule for our kids has been drastically changed so the drop off/pick up times are all over the place; the first week back after 2+ weeks off is always full of catch up, and this past week was no exception; and to top it all off, I think I threw my back out again (yeah, I’m getting up there in age).

So already my sleep habits aren’t great, but they are even worse now that I have to wake up earlier from such a broken sleep due to stress and back pain. According to my watch, my daily average has dropped a whopping 45 minutes.

Yeah, I can go on and on.

But as much as I can go on, I’m sure everyone else who is reading this can as well. I’m sure that for every problem of mine that I can point out, anyone reading this can point out 10 of their own. While I can say that I have it bad, I’m sure that I don’t have it the worst.

That doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t or am not allowed to complain, but it does put some perspective on it. This also doesn’t mean that I should be looking down on those who have it worse, but maybe learn to see how good we have it instead. Rather than focusing on the bad of life and how it can be better, we can focus on the good and recognise in what ways life is already good.

This isn’t easy, of course, as there will always be something to complain about. But that slight shift in attitude sure can bring a lot more joy, peace, and appreciation for all that we are blessed with. And I guess that’s more of a life that I’d like to live!

Here are the readings for next week:
Exodus 32:7-14
Psalm 51:1-10
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10
And a video of these readings being read:

There’s a lot of complaining going on in these passages, and the weird thing is that in the first reading it’s from God. But the thing about the complaining is that they were resolved with joy.

Not that what was being complained about was resolved (except for maybe Paul’s case, but that is still up for debate), but the attitude in which the situation was viewed was resolved. God remembers the promise made to the nation of Israel and forgives them, even though they didn’t stop being disobedient per se. Jesus continues to eat with those that were deemed unworthy to be eaten with, but teaches lessons on attitude and perspective and joy. And those parables that Jesus shares, while there wasn’t a lot of complaining, there was a situation that could have been complained about but wasn’t, instead was resolved with joy and a party or two.

I don’t mean we should party it up in the face of tragedy and turmoil, but maybe we can remind ourselves more often to count our blessings. Maybe we can remember more clearly how we are loved. Maybe we can sit more confidently in the attitude that no matter what it throws at us, life is good, because God makes it good.

Thanks be to God! Have a great week, everyone!