Attitude Adjustment Room? What?!

In high school, my basketball team always made fun of
one of the schools in the KVA (our conference) for having
a sign over one of their rooms that said

"Attitude Adjustment Room."

We always thought it was such a joke. And wondered in
what circumstances students were actually sent there.

This summer, I almost bought a wooden paddle in a
beach shop that said "Attitude Adjuster" on it because
I thought it would be funny to put on my desk.
(as a joke, of course....) :)

And even though these things are funny, I realized today
that maybe there is something of value with these ideas.

This morning, my pastor talked about the difference
between joy and happiness.

Joy comes for a source. (like God)
whereas happiness is dependent upon earthly cirumstances.

He spoke of the mornings when we wake up, and find
ourselves wanting to go back to bed.
Because the day seems like too much to handle:
whether its work. school. stress. difficult relationships.
difficult conversations or decisions, etc.

So, we gripe. we whine. we become crabby.
And all the sudden...our world becomes about us.
Without even realizing it.

We say, "I am sad. I am worried. I don't want to face the day,
so I have the right to be crabby and difficult.
maybe even angry or rude."

The point that stood out to me today is when he said that
this attitude makes us inherently selfish--ME ME ME....

When I look at my life as overwhelming,
as sorrowful or burdensome, I allow myself
to live with an attitude that damages my
relationships or the people around me.

I take it out on people. I excuse myself from
doing the good I am intended to do
because of the way I feel that day.

I miss opporunites to help my students, to love
my friends and family, to seek God's will, to
bring joy to the lives of others.

My life has not really been as "circumstancially happy"
as usual lately. There have been many good circumstances,
but it has been harder than usual.

There have been days when I have woken up sorrowful,
and I have focused on my own issues and difficulties
throughout my entire day.

I have allowed my "issues" to be big in my life.
Because I have often focused on the issue.
And not on Christ.

The truth is, my issues are small in comparison to what
others have been through or are going through,
which doesn't make them any less legitimate,
but it does put things in perspective.

And though God allows us to feel sorrowful--to even be
angry and hurt for periods of time--He calls us to joy.

He calls us to perseverance. To an attitude adjustment.
To concentrate on His goodness and love.
To live in freedom and truth.

Because when I can't do that, I know I live selfishly.
I only care about my own heartaches, my own issues.
And I lose sight of all the blessings.

I asked God to put five people on my heart this week.
Five people that I am going to work at encouraging and loving.

So I stop focusing on myself.
And the "stuff" that has permeated my thoughts.
Because the the truth is, those things will work out without
me obssessing over them.

My pastor left us with this acronym:

JOY

Jesus
Others
Yourself....dead last.

I want to live like that.