I am choosing not to be negative.
A big guy in a cowboy hat came by my office recently asking for money. He told me a church down the street had just filled his gas tank, and he was wondering what I would do to help him too. I gently told him that I didn’t give out money in situations like his, but that I would give him some food out of our pantry if he wanted that.
After a little discussion, it seemed he wasn’t interested in the food. We went outside and as he was walking off, he turned back and said, “The Lord told me to tell me you to repent.”
I was a bit stunned. He kept walking. But gathering my wits, I called after him, the first and most honest thing that came to mind, “Hey man, that was really weird.”
He just kept striding off, down the sidewalk, then he put both hands in the air and pointing his fingers to the sky shouted, “Praise you Jesus.”
What to do?
I laughed, told others the story and we laughed again. It was really pretty ridiculous. Later, I got to thinking about it, and I decided to repent of everything I could think of that I might have done wrong in the last month. Why not? I probably did need to repent. Don’t we all?
A few days ago, someone bought me flowers to plant. I got some into a pot, but put some aside for later. When I went back to the ones I didn’t plant, they were dead. But the ones I planted and watered are now stunningly beautiful.
What am I thinking about?
I am thinking about my thriving leaves and blooms, green and white and purple in the pot at my office door.
My cat runs from me when she sees me downstairs. She thinks I’m going to kill her, just like I did yesterday. I take her upstairs into the bathroom while I shower. She has her own towel that hangs on the door. When I get out of the shower, I put a little water on her back, then fluff her up with her towel. She wheezes and purrs very loudly, rolling on her back.
Tomorrow, I’ll catch her when she is slinking away from me again, downstairs, and bring her back up to shower with me. I want her to a have a few minutes each day when she doesn’t fear for her life.
Someone refused to do what I asked them to do recently. It was a good request, a needed step, but they dug in their heals. They put up a defensive shield. The whole thing was rather odd, and it came to me that there was more to the story than I know.
I thought about it, then I thought about how I love this friend. It felt good to remember the love and I put my focus on that.
We always have a choice, to laugh, to forget, to towel the cat, the choice to plant love in a spot where criticism wants to root.
I’m high on choices.
I am working on choosing to be positive, happy, proactive and loving.
I like myself that way — not negative.
Thrive! 
