For your consideration….
Today’s message came in through a parable. We are told to look to animals and how they adapt to the seasons, specifically winter.
Some animals adapt by changing colors, growing a heavier coat, gathering and hiding food etc. Other animals travel to warmer climates. And others hibernate. They settle in to a safe and cozy spot and sleep the winter away.
As humans we have the choice of how we adapt to seasons, situations and moments in life. Depending on the circumstances we can choose to stand down and remove ourselves. We can adapt. Or we can prepare and settle into it.
We have a choice. We always have a choice. Making the right choice requires personal responsibility. Removing ourselves is different from running away. Adapting for the right reasons is different from adapting for the wrong ones. Taking a situation on because we should and it needs us is different from being stubborn and obstinate for stubborn’s sake.
Having a choice is a blessing. Taking care of it and honing our skills requires commitment. Taking personal responsibility for that commitment is our choice. It requires hard work. But we are reminded today that the harder the work the bigger the rewards.
That is the HOPE. And so it is.
Bit by bit, piece by piece, HOPE by HOPE action steps anyone can take….
-Meditate/pray…ask…”What is my next step for my highest good and the highest good of all?”
-Drink lots of water….hot or cold.
-Get outdoors and take in at least 10 deep breaths.
-Choose how to adapt to change. Take personal responsibility for our choice.
What made me smile yesterday….
-Funny, funny 3rd and 4th graders.
-Explaining charities they had researched, one student explained that some of the people help bisexuals. “What is a bisexual a girl asked?” Looking at her like where has she been all of this time, he answers, “It is people who romantically like both men and…..” “Stop!” the girls says. “Why?” he asks. “Because I get it. I understand.”
Sometimes it is just better to keep your mouth shut and let the students handle it. It certainly worked for me today.
-Playing a game, Snake Oil, which is similar to Apples to Apples but requires spinning stories, I heard some really funny tales.
-One was Santa needed a rope more than anything else because he could use it to get gifts he had dropped. He could lower gifts down a chimney with it when the chimney was too small for him. Or he could use it to retrieve gifts that he had delivered to the wrong house.
-Then there was the discussion about the importance of money. One girl said Santa did not need money because his elves made all the toys. The boys quickly told her they still needed money to buy the materials to make the toys.
The ultimate and final comment about money came from a young man who shouted, “Money can not buy happiness. It’s….it’s….it’s a rule of life!”
-We went out with our friend, Bob, for dinner. I related all of my stories for the day. He ask, “How old are these kids?” “Third and fourth grade.” “Man,” he says, “They sure are different from when we were in school.”
-A great catch-up with my friend, Jody.
Love, Blessings and Gratitude,
Rev. Chris
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