Sunday, November 1, 2009

A Merry Heart

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. - Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. - Proverbs 15:13

These are but two references to cheerfulness or merry hearts in the Bible, and they have been touchstones for me over the past few years as I continue to learn to "choose cheerfulness". I very firmly believe that every moment of every day we make choices, and those choices have rippling effects through-out our own lives and the lives of those we interact with - for good or for ill.

While I cannot control what others do, in most cases I can decide how I will respond. Will I pout or lash back after a curt word from a loved one? or will I remember his pain and choose compassion - and a long walk! As I grow older, I am leaning more towards the long walks... and leaning on a Grace that is bigger and stronger than I.

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