Going good so far

I've got to say something. I need to stop judging good and bad days based on what has happened. I'd love to say every day is a great day. I can't, but I'd love to.
On a scale of 1-10 so far, my day has been an 8.
I didn't get to sit down at a table in Starbucks for like 5 or 10 minutes. I had to sit in a chair with no table and read my book.
Whups... Hey Pam... I went to Starbucks today. I forgot to tell you.
I'm reading a book by Donald Miller called Searching for God knows what. After reading Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis, I figured all future books would be a letdown. I was wrong. If you're looking to re-define your relationship with God, read these two books.

I wish I could explain how I feel right now. I feel like I did when I was cleaning the church with Mrs. Pat back in Foursquare Church in Jacksonville, NC back in 1994.

I had recently gotten what I call, "Saved-saved". That means I meant it.
I stopped vacuuming and said, "Mrs. Pat, is it always this good?"
She smiled at me and said, "No... it just gets better".

Understand this please; This conversation took place in 1994. Eleven years ago... and I still can't get it out of my head. Mrs. Pat is not a rich woman or a woman of position. I was helping her clean the church, remember?
Mrs. Pat didn't have a perfect life, she struggled with things we all struggle with. She didn't have a perfect family life either. But she still saw life as a good thing.

I then think about Mrs. Barbara Linton. She and I were in the choir together. She has the coolest Jamaican accent. She said to me, "It's a beautiful life... it just has bad moments once in a while". I think that's why I can't see life any other way. These two women had been through more trials and pain in their lives than I would probably ever see... and believe me, I've seen more than my share. And yet they still see life as good.

When the teens in our church tell me how hard their lives are, I truly sympathize with them and try to give them comfort, but honestly, a part of me chuckles inside... because I know one day, they'll look back at their teens and realize, "man... it wasn't that bad".
I just wish they could see that now. I've come to realize that I'm not going to change their points of view on life. What I can do is love them and show them my point of view. Then one day, hopefully, they'll get it.

Hey... it could happen.