悠悠桃源 Isaiah 55:12 "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." ｛如欲轉載，請註明出處，thax｝

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Think Positive / May 13, 2009

 

“Think positive.” People always say so when situation is not so promising. My friend, Big Bear, just published his second book on how the skinny thought. It matters, psychological logic and morality. Faith is of the same manner. Whether you “believe” you can accomplish the task or not matters. Whether you promise to do whatever you can matters. Mere thoughts matter. If you truly believe something with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul, the invisible force grows so strong inside of you that empowers your actions.

 

When you hear “Don't think of an elephant,” what is the first thing popping into your head? Yes, an elephant. After years, I came to realize the meaning of “think positive.” Think positive not only in terms of the content of your thoughts, but also the format. Ari, a counselor at the student health center of UT at Austin, once said, “in dealing with stress, thinking 'what you can do' and 'what you will do' rather than 'what you should do' instills power into your mere will by allowing you to take the reign.” You do something not because being forced to do it, but because you WANT to do it. “Should” is a pressing word. It can suffocate a person's vitality. “Can” leaves you options. “Will” empowers your spirit, for it is your decision and puts you in charge.

 

Framing matters. Frames are like clothes. When you dress professionally, you behave professionally. You are at ease when dressed casually. Frames are like countenances. If you clean up your face, when you look into the mirror, you'll be satisfied, “that's me,” probably with a smile, “I look neat.” The tidiness rewards you with satisfaction, which leads to confidence in yourself. So I decide to employ more of confirmative tense in my thinking.

 

[Don't Think of An Elephant is a book by George Lakeoff; http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Think-Elephant-Debate-Progressives/dp/1931498717]

 

The Core / May 14, 2009

 

As my friend shared, “Keep your eyes on the ball.” My favorite prayer is not to claim that God will do certain things for me, but hand over my burden to the Lord. “Just do your part, and leave the results to God.” Yes, think positive. Seek God's will in this life at the present moment, and everything else will fall into place.

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)

So I pray, “My Shepherd, humble me, instill compassion into me, mold me with generosity, so the blessings from you can and will flow through me. So you can use me as your instrument to play the song you compose. Fix my eyes on you. Remember your grace, your peace, your forgiveness, your love, your hope, and faith from you.”

 

So I say to my friends, “Think positive. Think of what you CAN do, and what you WILL do, and just do it.” A voice inside of me, “Life is short. Make the most of it.” Yes, so can you.

  

A related Taiwanese hymn echoes with Matthew 6:25-34 titled: 耶和華祝福滿滿 Jehovah's Blessings Abound (available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD7Pvwz4cjY)