For as long as I can remember, I have loved reading and books.  I remember, before I could read, my mom would read the Sunday comics to me.  I so enjoyed them.  Long after I’d learned to read, I kept reading those comics and so much more.  In fact, my mom used to take me to the thrift store for books every so often.  The books were a dime a piece and, it might as well had been candy we were buying, I was so happy.  I’d always finish them in a few days though and would want to go again. So, in between those trips, I made myself happily at home at my neighborhood library.  One of my favorite books to read were those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books.  It was wonderful to have one book where you could have so many possibilities, so many different journeys, destinations and adventures.

This reminds me very much of life.  There are lots of choices to be made in life.  I find that we oftentimes have more choices than we initially realize, especially with regards to our feelings.  We don’t have to let them rule us, or our day.  Let me explain what I mean with a few stories.

I awoke just before my husband, and before playing a quick game on my laptop, I answered a few emails and wrote a blog post for the week. My husband played a game he enjoys, then started to get ready for work. Once I was hungry, really hungry, I decided to make myself some pancakes and syrup. My syrup is super good!!  My oldest was with me as I made my pancakes, waiting hungrily to make her own when I was done.

So, here’s the thing, my husband will play around, wait around, lay around, and if I am making myself something to eat, he always wants my food.  In my head, and my daughter’s, we were both really hungry and just wanted to make our food. After all, he is a grown man and can make his own pancake, right?  I mean, I made the batter and the syrup from scratch, surely he could do the rest for himself.

Then, I started to think about how he’d inevitably come downstairs, just in time to want to take mine and I had a choice to make…  Go hide in the basement or back patio and eat in peace, or make him pancakes as he played his game.  Now, in my head, I’m thinking he could very well stop the game and tend to his own needs, but then, I thought I’d just make the stupid pancakes and do it happily as unto the Lord. (Eph.6:7, Col 3:23 Col 3:17)

I decided that If he came down with a disposition that says, “She’d better have made me some!” or the like, I’d just know that I made them for the Lord and keep moving.  So, even though I didn’t want to, I made him some and put them aside, and just as I knew it, he came down, smiling happily.  Upon seeing the plate of hot pancakes he asked tentatively, “Are these for me?”  I smiled and said yes and although he is normally not a gusher, he gushed on and on about how wonderful a surprise it was that I did that for him and how delicious the syrup and pancakes were. I was happy and so was he and my oldest got to see me do something right.

While out to dinner with my husband, I noticed that our waitress was angry. She had a rough edge to her.  Instead of being offended by her curt service, I decided to bless her.  I asked the Lord for a word for her as we ate, and eventually, I asked my husband to go ahead and make his trip to the bathroom.  I gave her the word I got from God. She was so happy. She asked if I did this all the time.  I said yes.  Then she asked if I did it professionally, I laughed and told her I didn’t charge or anything but I suppose so since I have been trained to operate in my gifts.  She thought it was the best gift ever to have and said so and left me smiling.

Two of my daughters had a dress rehearsal on my youngest daughter’s  birthday.  Trying to make it work for everyone, we went out to eat at the restaurant of her choice and ended up running late for dress rehearsal.  The rehearsal for the 3 shows was from 3:30- 9:30. They were to be there around 5:15pm and do their first dance at 5:44.  I think we ended up getting there around 5:42.

On the way, I announced, “You are late, so let’s have some fun!  Let’s prophesy over this evening and tell it what to do!”  My oldest jumped right in declaring things.  I said, “I have one thing to add to what you said.  The rehearsal did not start on time.  They are running behind on each dance, and, as a result, you are not late at all.  You have plenty of time to find your place, dress and be relaxed before you have to go onstage.”  When I went to pick them up, I asked about it.  They said the rehearsal ran late and they were able to relax, get dressed and even rehearse a bit off to the side with their classmates before they went onstage.

The point is, we can change things because of Who lives in us.  We don’t have to be subject to funky atmospheres, we can change them.  We don’t have to assume the worse, we can declare the best and get it.  So, first chance you get, prophesy over your day.  Instead of taking offense at someone mistreating you or looking at you funny, make them smile, love them on purpose, step outside of yourself, stop being the victim, and do something kind for others, and, do it as unto the Lord.