Perspective

Perspective- a mental view or outlook.

I have always had trouble with this.  Many times I would dwell on the bad things, the things that happen to me and others that are “wrong” and should not happen.  Here are things that have happened to me and my family over the course of my life that seemed to stand out more than the good things.

1. In the early 90s while working at Circuit City, I had a customer attack me and knock me out, and when I came to he knocked me out again two more times.  All because he didn’t agree with me that the battery in his car was defective.  
2. When lifting into place the door on the house I live now, I ruptured two discs in my back from which came excruciating pain.  I have not had an operation to correct this and occasionally hurt my back because of this.
3. Back in 2008, my wife was new to the Travel business and the company she was booking through quit paying her the commissions that were owed to her along with the IRS, Caesars Palace LV, and many other agents.  Kara was in the top 12 of  money lost.  $24,000 total in which a lot was already spent  (we had just started a bathroom remodel at the time) we never got a dime of it back, while the owner of the company and his wife purchased a million dollar house for his mom, he embezzled the money from the company. As far as I can tell, he has never paid for his crime.
4. And now I have a brain tumor.

Sounds like a story from the book of Job doesn’t it?  Well not near as bad as Job, but the last one has changed my perspective.  I try not to dwell on the bad things that have happened.  There is no time to let that burden me and it does no good to do so.  Here are things that I want to dwell on.

1. I became a Christian when I was I believe 9.  My mom took me to talk with the pastor of the church we were attending at the time.  I remember the drive over and pulling into his driveway to talk with him.  After he talked to me about what I believed, he led me in the sinners prayer.  I strayed away from the Lord during High School but when I was just out of high school, I rededicated my life.
2. I have a mother who while I lived with her, took me to church and through every day led by example by leading a Godly life.
3. The Lord saw fit to send me a beautiful, Godly wife.  A wife that can’t wait to see me each day when I get home, one that does special things for me for no reason, one that tells me she loves me every day…and means it, and especially stands by me and cheers me on in everything I do. All the while, serving the Lord beside me each day. 
4. The Lord also saw fit to send me two boys.  Each one has such a great personality.  

Ean is very quiet in reserved as well as very, very smart.  He also knows so much about the bible, especially considering he is only 13, in fact he can tell someone things from the bible much better than I can.  Ean also is very obedient, if we ask him to do something he will do it, no questions asked. I have always felt that God is going to call him into the ministry.  May just be hopeful, but I believe he would be excellent in the ministry.   

Grant is such a people person, he loves to do things for people and loves to perform for others.  He is also fearless, he thinks he can do anything and no one can tell him otherwise, teach him 3 chords on a guitar and he will play those 3 chords with all his heart for anyone that will let him play for them.  He is also an excellent artist and draws much better than I did at his age.  He also has the entrepreneurial spirit that I do, he actually draws comics and kids he knows will buy them from him.  He is always trying to come up with a new invention or new idea that will be the next great thing.  I am sure he will go far in life. 

There are so many other things that have happened to me in my life that far outweigh the negative things.  I was able to be part of starting the church that we attend now.  There are so many things I have gotten to see God do through Northridge over the last 5 years that I am so thankful for.  There are so many people that I have met as well that I have gotten to share life with that I am thankful for as well. I am excited for the future of Northridge and impact on the community it will provide.

            I said all of that to say this….no matter what bad things are going on in your life, don’t let it be what defines your life.  There are way too many good things to worry about the bad.  If you find yourself focusing on the bad, change your perspective.  Dwell on the good.  Life will be much better if you do that.