Throw away the negative, latch on to the positive

I've been really busy in my brain for the past two weeks. For some reason I haven't been able to stop my brain to concentrate, but all of the sudden it has become very clear and the two words screaming in my head are POSITIVE and NEGATIVE.

Being constructive, working towards solutions, finding new ways to accomplish the mission and vision that God has set before us, working on the positive. I know how easy it becomes to fall into the, "what if this had happened, we used to do it this way, we've always done this, this certain way." Our world is changing, our country is changing, our state is changing, our city is changing. Our lives are always in a constant state of change, sometimes we don't want to see it, or we try to fight it but is an inevitable thing. Change is not the enemy. It is good to have tradition, we can not move forward without looking back from where we came. But then we have to look towards the future our we get stuck in the past. Today is the day to grab a hold of what He has planned for us and tomorrow is the future that He has promised us. But we must always remember that it doesn't stop with us! That is part of the future, "to go and make disciples."

So how does this tie in with being positive or negative? We as the church collective get bogged down with, the way things "used" to be done, or "we've always done it this way." That is not always being negative, but it doesn't always help in being positive or trying to reach out to newcomers. Speaking from experience, when you are trying to get involved with some new group and they constantly speak about things that "used" to happen, then the new people that are trying to get involved can feel lost, and or realize this is not the group for them. Reminiscing is fun, but if we stay back there, we're going to lose out on what's happening now, and what new people and new experiences can bring.

Let' talk POSITIVE! "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever shall believeth in Him will not perish but have eterenal life." (memorized that from the King James version, can you tell. haha!!) How can we get more positive, or feel a deeper love than that! In the song, "Jesus Messiah" by Chris Tomlin and friends, they write:

He became sin, who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself, and carried the cross
Love so amazing, Love so amazing

Jesus Messiah, Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom fom Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

His body the bread, His blood the wine
Broken and poured out, all for love
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, love so amazing

All our hope is in You, all our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God, the Light of the world

Jesus Messiah, Lord of all
The Lord of all, the Lord of all


"The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom from heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!"
We have our lives and everything in them BECAUSE of Him! Because He sacrificed Himself, God sacrificed His Son, so that WE may have eternal life! THAT IS HUGE!! That is POSITIVE times infinity!! We all win! But we owe it to Him, we owe EVERYTHING to Him!

We are all negative, we are all human, we get caught up, pulled in, drug down into the muck and the mire. But, what we need to keep reminding ourselves is that we have been given a gift, a very precious gift. We are preparing ourselves and the world for the remembrance of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. But it didn't stop there, He grew, He changed, He helped change and miracles come about. He has asked us to share that, "Good News." To shout it from the rooftops, that Jesus is Lord and that He came for you and me, and us all.

So wake in the morning, and tell the Lord thank you for this day, and pray to Him to give us the strength and guidance to meet the day with a smile and a positive attitude. We will stumble and we will fall, but He is always there to pick us up.

I'm going to begin my positives for the day:
1. Experienced the Lord in two amazing services. The choir sang with all their hearts, (in tune,) and I felt the Lord's presence with us as we sang for Him. The praise team played their first accoustic set and we could hear the congregation singing as one, praising our Lord, and my heart was so full that I was moved to tears of joy at what wondrous acts our Lord provides.
2. I was able to see a friend at church that I haven't seen in months and reconnect.
3. Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with a growing and chaotic Palmer family.
4. Was able to close my eyes and rest fo 20 min. before practice as our boys had quiet time as well, (and were actually quiet! hehe!) and my husband was doing the laundry,
5. Enjoyed putting a service together with the praise team that is well thought out and keeping Him in the center.
6. Sitting and watching my youngest sleep and rest. (Now that is a positive!)

So, my question to any and all of you is:
How are you going to "latch" onto the positive?