Problems, disappointments and trouble; the three skunks that sometimes think they are our children. At least they want to stay around long enough to give us a college education. But the education we get may be only half the story, See what you think! Nailed To The Cross! Have you ever felt like you were jinxed? That somehow you were just born on the wrong side of the tracks? Have you ever felt like when the bird of paradise flew over it wasn't snow balls he was dropping? Join the club; the club of life that is. You know, I have heard it said before, and I may have said it sometime in the past myself, that trials and troubles are here to teach us something. I sure they probably can if we pay attention. But, you know something? There is another side of that coin. If troubles and problems and pain are here to teach us something, why don't we give all of our kids a hammer to take to school and tell them to hit themselves in the head with it because they will learn better if the hurt all day?. I realize that is a preposterous idea, but you get my point. There is probably truth on each side of the coin, but I prefer to examine the other side and see if there might be something we can learn from that. An Ace Up Our Sleeve! Suppose we say there is no reason for the PDT. suppose we say we had nothing at all to do with them coming our way. Suppose we say, we were not born on the wrong side of the tracks, we are not jinxed, and it has nothing to do with bad luck. Ok, so if we say PDT is not just to teach us something, and make us fit for the next battle, why are they here? How about a very simple answer? That's just the way that life works. And, every one of us is included in the design. So, the universe has a job to do and we do too. Just A Good Ole Boy! This kind of article always brings up the subject of Job and his troubles. The Bible says Job was a righteous man. So, it wasn't Job who brought the problems on himself. He said he didn't do anything to deserve them. He wasn't jinxed and did not have perpetual bad luck. In fact, historians tell us the whole ordeal with Job only lasted around nine months. And, then Job got everything back he had lost. Job did say something interesting though. He said, "The thing I' have always feared has come upon me". Umm. Interesting. The thing I have feared. That could lead us right back to what's going on inside our head. So, it's not your inherited bad luck, it's not some hex that some witchdoctor has put on you, and it's not I always end up with the short end of the stick kind of deal. The end of the stick we end up with does have a lot to do with what is going on inside our head, If we believe that we always get the short end, then life does it's job by helping us get the short end. If we believe that we win a few and lose a few, the universe goes into motion to help us win a few and lose a few. Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag! The universe didn't single anyone out and say ok, you get the short end 90% of the time and someone else gets the long end 90% of the time. The universe, at least in my experience, has shown that it does not care who gets roughed up 90% and who gets to sail through easily on the winds of fortune. I know people who never seem to get roughed up. I didn't say they never have PDT. The PDT just never overcomes them. I know people who can't seem to ever get it. Everyway they turn it seems they find themselves between the devil and the deep blue sea. Who would you rather be? Do you think you can't be one the universe seems to smile on? Do you think you have to be the one the universe always dumps on? Either way, you're right. Life Goes On! Unfortunately this pattern of design is not going to change for you if you are in the first category. Fortunately for the other guy this pattern of design is also not going to change. What does this tell us? Someone needs to change and since the design of the universe is set in stone, we better get with the program. How do we do that? Well, first of all understand we may end up like Job one day. But, don't forget what the "end" of Job's situation was. He got back twice as much as he originally had. Now I think that's a pretty good trade-off. But, it's all in the attitude. Let me give you some Vegas-ology. I believe that Job could have died in his predicament if he had done what his wife told him to do. His wife said, "Look at you, curse God and die". If Job had listened to that kind of "Life sucks and then you die" kind of attitude, he probably would have ended up in a hole. Hard And Fast Rule! But Job didn't. He realized that God is always good. You may prefer the universe is always good. The point is., whatever you prefer, if you think you are not being treated fairly, because you are such a good person, because you never hurt anyone, because you are honest, fair, and every other good quality that comes to mind, then you are setting yourself up for the day when you'll contract foot-in-mouth disease. I know it may be hard for some people to believe, but you are destined for better than the short end of the stick. You are somebody special, you are the only person like you and life has something better for you if you will refuse to adopt the attitude that "life is a series of PDT, followed by death". Life Is Not Hard; It Only Needs Some Positive Thinking! Control your emotions no matter what comes your way just like Job. Say this twenty times everyday from now on; "I am special, I am blessed, I am loved. Let your sub-conscious hear it and you will have made the changes the universe desires in you and you will see the rough riding days smooth out. Don't ever say you are afraid something is going to happen. Don't ever give fear the chance to bring something to you that in your heart you really don't want. You know the anxiety I'm talking about, you know that tormenting feeling in your gut that something is going to happen that you can't stop. The universe is going to bring you enough challenges. Don't give fear the opportunity to turn up the heat. Richard Vegas |
