The Glad Game

I have to confess, I am a pretty negative person. Can anyone relate? I try not to be- but so often my first reaction to a situation, even if it's not a bad one, is on the downside. But I've been learning this lesson I thought I'd share....

My brother Dave and I are in a stage production of a play called, "Pollyanna", right now. It's being performed in April but there's practices every week till then. We LOVE the theater, it's my favorite thing to do when we're not on the road with the band.

The play is based on a story about a little girl named Pollyanna and her "glad game" that she plays. It all started when she was very little and wanted a doll very badly. Her folks were missionaries out west (in the early 1900s) and poor as anything. The only way they obtained anything material was through the "missionary barrel"- donations sent in a barrel from churches back East. Well, the barrel came and there was no doll- just a pair of crutches. Little Pollyanna was crushed. Her father was very wise and said that if they could find something to be glad about they could play a new game... and Pollyanna loved games (perhaps from an absence of toys). But it was very hard when she was so disappointed. Finally it came to them- they could be glad that they didn't have to use the crutches! Her legs were perfect and strong! From then on, through the whole story, she plays the game. When both parents die and she's left alone; when she has to go live with her cranky, mean aunt Polly (played by yours truly! :) and when a terrible accident happens that changes everything. Time and again she struggles and fights to find something to be glad about.

So often I figure that unless I can change myself to think positive automatically, I will always be a negative person. But, like anything worthwhile, practice makes perfect. Even when our first reaction is, "oh how awful!" we can stop and think, 'what is there to be glad about?' It doesn't feel natural the first time, let me tell you! And I don't expect it will the next 50 times either... but even if we don't feel glad, we can make the choice to find something good in every situation. If we keep on practicing soon it will come so naturally that we won't even realize we are playing the game.

"There is ALWAYS a reason to be glad", is a quote from the story. I dare you to challenge that theory- try to find something to be glad about in EVERY hard situation that you face for a certain period of time- a week, even a day. Keep a journal and look back on it- tell me about it, I want to hear your stories! I don't think you'll be disappointed... :)

Oh, and by the way, if you'd like to come watch our play in April, you are invited! I'll post all the details sooner to the performance. :)

LOVE you all!
LM

Trying to figure out this thing called "communion".

I was thinking about communion this morning... I never really understood it. I mean, you go up at church, eat a cracker, drink some juice, think about the cross and try to feel really reverent while you go back to your seat.... I just never really understood the real point. I know it has something to do with repentance, but why not just repent? Why drink some juice and eat a cracker?
So I asked the Holy Spirit, "what's the deal? How is communion more than a religious exercise?" And I looked up the verses on the Lord's supper in all the gospels (well, Matt., Mark and Luke). One phrase jumped out at me...

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Lk. 22:17-18

Wine is a symbol of celebration. (How you feel or don't feel about alcohol isn't the point here, it's like a synonym for joy and pleasure:) What Jesus is saying here is, "I am in mourning until I come back. I am not going to be up in heaven partying and enjoying life while you stick it out on this sick, rotten earth. I will be missing you and waiting and being sorrowful and praying for you and yearning for the day I can return and be with you again." (my own version there...)
Jesus doesn't ask us to take up our crosses in this life, denying our own desires and giving up everything for Him, while He is up in heaven enjoying perfect conditions and a glorified body... He could, He's God! But He said, "I will not drink this again." I will not celebrate without you. I will not have joy and celebration and feasting. I will be longing for the day when we are together again!
So, I still have a lot to learn about communion. But one thing I will think about next time I have that little cracker and juice is that the Lord is, in a way, fasting until we are together again. Denying Himself, until He can be with us forever. Wow.

You are His beloved ones.

LM