Today's post is all about the word perspective. Have you ever heard the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure"? Well that can certainly be the truth. Because I live in the United States, the first perspective issue that comes to mind is our recent national elections. I can tell you that I have definitely heard a lot of different perspectives about President Obama getting re-elected. When I look at my personal Facebook page, some people say it's the greatest thing to happen to America and others say it's the end of the world as we know it. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Where? I'm not going to guess. What I find interesting is that so many people look at this whole election like it's a sporting event. Once they decided who got their vote, they were more interested in seeing that person win so they could be on the winning side. Seems a little silly to me.
But let's talk about another issue of perspective. I have told this story once before but it's worth repeating. As many of you may know, I am a runner. I wasn't always a runner like I am now. When I weighed 350 pounds I ran alright but it was typically to the nearest buffet. Even then, I only ran from the parking lot to the buffet. But at this point in my life, I have been delivered from that awful weight problem and I actually run several miles each week. I've even ran a couple of marathons. Pretty cool right? Well let me tell you when I was fat if someone said I would run six miles one day, I would have thought that was impossible. When I was training for my marathon, six miles was practically a day off. I could almost run that in my sleep. It's all about perspective right?
Here is another example that really shook me. One day I was running and for whatever reason, I had a slow run. Obviously slow is relative but compared to what I was used to doing, that day I ran slow. After my workout, I hit my usual morning spot on the way to the office - Starbucks. I was a little mopey on the inside as I went through the front door. That slow run sort of started my day off wrong and I was pouting on the inside. I walked past a guy in a wheel chair and headed to counter just like normal. Now I wasn't being rude, I just wasn't being overly friendly because I was in a bad mood. This is when the Lord gave me a real lesson on perspective. Now I only think I have heard the audible voice of God once in my life and this certainly wasn't that time. What I heard was down on the inside.
The Lord said to me, "Do you see that man sitting in the wheelchair?"
"Yes I do."
"Well he would give almost anything to be able to run as slow as you did this morning."
That certainly jerked the slack out of me and it really made me thankful for the ability to run.
See I think there are many things in life that we look at from one perspective and take it for granted. If we could see things from a different perspective it might make us much more thankful for what we have. I know people who have lost a loved one that maybe they took for granted while they were here. Now they only wish they could have the time to be with them. What are you taking for granted? Is it a person or a job or maybe it's just the ability to see or walk? I challenge you to find something you take for granted and spend a second looking at it from a different perspective. See if you aren't thankful for it after you do.
That's another Opinion of the Minion
But let's talk about another issue of perspective. I have told this story once before but it's worth repeating. As many of you may know, I am a runner. I wasn't always a runner like I am now. When I weighed 350 pounds I ran alright but it was typically to the nearest buffet. Even then, I only ran from the parking lot to the buffet. But at this point in my life, I have been delivered from that awful weight problem and I actually run several miles each week. I've even ran a couple of marathons. Pretty cool right? Well let me tell you when I was fat if someone said I would run six miles one day, I would have thought that was impossible. When I was training for my marathon, six miles was practically a day off. I could almost run that in my sleep. It's all about perspective right?
Here is another example that really shook me. One day I was running and for whatever reason, I had a slow run. Obviously slow is relative but compared to what I was used to doing, that day I ran slow. After my workout, I hit my usual morning spot on the way to the office - Starbucks. I was a little mopey on the inside as I went through the front door. That slow run sort of started my day off wrong and I was pouting on the inside. I walked past a guy in a wheel chair and headed to counter just like normal. Now I wasn't being rude, I just wasn't being overly friendly because I was in a bad mood. This is when the Lord gave me a real lesson on perspective. Now I only think I have heard the audible voice of God once in my life and this certainly wasn't that time. What I heard was down on the inside.
The Lord said to me, "Do you see that man sitting in the wheelchair?"
"Yes I do."
"Well he would give almost anything to be able to run as slow as you did this morning."
That certainly jerked the slack out of me and it really made me thankful for the ability to run.
See I think there are many things in life that we look at from one perspective and take it for granted. If we could see things from a different perspective it might make us much more thankful for what we have. I know people who have lost a loved one that maybe they took for granted while they were here. Now they only wish they could have the time to be with them. What are you taking for granted? Is it a person or a job or maybe it's just the ability to see or walk? I challenge you to find something you take for granted and spend a second looking at it from a different perspective. See if you aren't thankful for it after you do.
That's another Opinion of the Minion
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