I know–you’re saying, “Then why do you live in South Dakota?” I have to know that in South Dakota we have rough winters with ice and snow and brutal cold. I grew up in Wyoming, and we had rough winters there, also. So, what’s my problem?
This is a great question. What is my problem? Many people love winter as they can ice skate, ski, sled, make snowmen, throw snowballs, and just enjoy the fluffy, white stuff. Many people look forward to a “white Christmas” and on a rare occasion, a snow day from school!
But not me–nope! Okay, I do like the occasional snow day from school, but otherwise, I really do not enjoy winter. So, why do I focus on something I can’t change? If I hate winter and wish away all of the ice and snow and cold, it’s just not going to do anyone any good. Especially me! It’s just going to cause me to be grumpy, and that doesn’t do me or anyone around me any good.
Have you ever spent time focusing on something you couldn’t control, and you couldn’t change, that just made you grumpy? That seems like a very human thing to do, and I am CERTAINLY human. I am an unfinished woman, for sure! But that doesn’t mean I have to live in that grumpiness, and I shouldn’t.
You know with little children, like really little children, you can redirect them pretty easily? So, if a three-year-old is having a meltdown, you can usually distract them with something else. Okay, not every time, especially if you have a strong-willed child, but at times it works. I think distraction can be helpful for me when I am focusing too long and too hard on things I can’t change. Like the child who is upset about the wrong color cup or the sandwich that is cut the wrong way, I can take my focus and put it somewhere else.
So, instead of focusing on the difficulty of shoveling the 5 inches of snow from my driveway or scraping the inch thick ice from my windshield, I will try to put my focus on memorizing scripture or on praying for someone else or on doing something that can bring a smile to someone’s face.
Philippians 4:8 is a beautiful verse that gives me clear guidance as to what I should focus my mind on: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
It doesn’t say for me to think about whatever I want to, whatever makes me feel vindicated, whatever I want to complain about, whatever annoys me, or whatever I don’t like and think others need to know about.
Focusing on the positive is something I want to be intentional with in 2023. You can all help keep me accountable with this intention. Write me a comment or send an email and ask me if I am focusing on the positive!
Thanks for reading, friends!
Love,
Julie
I'm with you, I don't like winter either!!!