|
|
|
Back To Blog Entries
| The Choice is yours!
by joy617 at 7/28/2009 9:19:37 PM
She is the kind of lady you would love to hate. She is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. She can see the good in anyone. When someone asks her how she is doing she answers, “I’m blessed. Not stressed.” She is a natural motivator and encourager.
When a client of hers was having a bad day she always offered an encouraging word to lift their Spirit. She could be positive and optimistic about any thing.
One day I asked her, “How do you do it? No one can be positive all of the time!”
She replied, “Every morning is a New Beginning. When I wake up I have a choice to make. I can have a good day or a bad day. I choose to have a good day, despite what happens. I chose to be a Victor, not a Victim. When others come to me complaining I try to get them to see their life from a positive view. For them to seek what they can learn from their situation or circumstances.”
“Girl there are just days I don’t even want to get out of bed. That can’t always be easy!”, I exclaimed.
“At first it wasn’t.”, she admitted. “Then I decided that if I would focus only on the good things in life. I didn’t let the negative things of this world discourage me. If I could do something about it, I did. If I couldn’t, I prayed about it and let God take care of it. The important thing is we have a choice about what kind of day we will have. You have to be determined that it IS a Good day!”
I left Jan's office thinking about what she said. I had a lot of trouble with negative thinking. The glass was half empty to me. She seen there was still half a glass left to drink or share with someone else. Some days she could get on my nerves with her cheerful attitude.
One day we got a call at the office from her husband. Jan had been hit by a drunk Judge in a severe car accident and sustained nine injuries. She was going to need multiple surgeries and she was unable to walk. It saddened me to think that all of that could happen to a good person. What would she do, now?
After six surgeries she was still in physical therapy. I asked her, “How ya doing, girl?”
She smiled as she hugged me and said, “I’m blessed. Not stressed. How are you, Jo?”
“I thought surely you would have lost your joy after that accident.”, I said not really meaning to say that out loud.
“Well, for the first two days I did get over whelmed. When the doctors told me I had broken three ribs and they punctured through my liver and I needed a liver transplant to live. I prayed about the doctor’s news. Then I heard a song, ’Live like you are dying.’ sung by Tim Mc Graw. I figured according to the doctors I was dying. So I decided to enjoy every day to the fullest and try to be a witness to everyone I speak to. I found that the more I sacrificed my time and energy the more time and energy God allowed me to have. That two months they gave me to live went by very quickly. Soon I didn’t even think about dying. Now, it is my goal to live each day to the fullest, cause it could be my last. None of us are promised tomorrow.”
I left knowing what she said was true. That was in 2005. She is still alive and well and completely back to normal. She goes dancing with friends on weekends.
NOTE: This is written from a conversation I had with a coworker of mine. Jo is still a great friend! I know this, because I’m Jan. The devil can’t steal your JOY. I won’t let him have mine. I dance like no one is looking, love with passion and don’t waste any energy on bitterness or grudges. Focus on the good in life. Be blessed, not stressed! Give God the Glory in all you do! Live for today, tomorrow may never come.
I can’t have air bags in the car since that is what caused all of my injuries. Please do not allow children to ride up front where there are air bags, unless you turn them OFF. They explode like a rocket. If I didn’t have air bags I would not have sustained any injuries, but bulging disks in my neck from whip lash.
{{{Hugz}}} Jan aka Joy617
|
|
|
|
 |