Long ago one of my cousins (Alice, I think) knitted her brother a sweater for Christmas, and had almost finished it by the end of November when the extended family gathered for Thanksgiving. However, the sweater had turned out much too big, and Alice was stymied how to downsize it.
“Give it to me,” suggested Aunt Orsie, the most skilled knitter in the group. “I think we can fix that.” As she chatted away the afternoon with the other aunts and older cousins, Aunt Orsie helped Alice take apart the sweater, undo the extra rows, snip, knit, and bind off the shortened rows until the sweater had miraculously shrunk to proper proportions. (That terminology and order of steps is likely inaccurate—I’m not a knitter!)
Alterations make a significant difference, and not only in the way clothing fits. As we know, standard counter height can be altered to accommodate those especially short or tall, and the print in books can be altered to accommodate the visually impaired.
Some alterations, however, are much more challenging to accomplish—even more difficult than downsizing a sweater. Take attitudes, for example. How do we alter negativity into positivity, a critical spirit into grace, discouragement into hope, or frustration into gratitude?
Here are a few possibilities:
Negativity can be altered by a different viewpoint.
Poet Langston Hughes wrote:
How altered our attitude could be if we searched for the rainbows and refused to focus on the dust of life.
A critical spirit can be altered by truth.
Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the family on a beach vacation. While building a sandcastle their first day, the children spotted an old woman wearing a faded dress and floppy hat, bent over and mumbling to herself as she approached. Every now and then she picked bits out of the sand and put them in a burlap bag.
Though the children called hello to her, the woman didn’t respond. She appeared lost in her own world. The parents watched warily, expressed their doubts about her mental state and a hotel that would allow her on their premises. They warned the children to stay away from her.
Each day the woman combed the beach, muttering and plucking as she went. Finally the family asked the concierge if he knew about this strange woman.
“Oh yes,” he said. “That’s Mrs. Thompson, a retired schoolteacher who lives up the road. She’s made it her mission to rid this section of beach of anything that might cut people’s feet, and while she walks, Mrs. Thompson prays for the people nearby. No doubt she prayed for you!”
Discouragement can be altered by hope.
And in what do we hope?
- The promises of God
- The development of our character, growing us into our best selves
- The fact that God executes good plans even through our suffering
- That for those of us who know Jesus, the best is always ahead*
We know these routes to hope; it’s the determination to take them that requires our diligence.
Frustration can be altered by appreciation.
Sometime during our younger son’s toddler days, he scribbled on several pages of my Bible–splotchy eyesores among my straight-edge underlinings and carefully written comments.
As the years went by, however, when I’d encounter one of those scrawls, my response completely altered. “Aw, there’s one of Jeremy’s notes,” I’d smile, remembering the rambunctious and ever cheerful little boy he once was, just trying to be like Mommy and Daddy.
My frustration not only disappeared but became appreciation.
No matter the attitude that needs altering there is a means to transform it. We can snip away at undesirable attitudes (like negativity and a critical spirit) with proper perspective and truth. We can bind off the damage of harmful emotions (like discouragement and frustration) with hope and gratitude.
Most beneficial of all, we can invite God to miraculously shrink our erroneous ways of thinking until we’re good and pleasing to him.
What attitude-alteration have you witnessed or experienced? Please share in the comment section below!
* See the previous post, Promises Kept as well as Romans 5:3-5 and 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Photo credits: http://www.maxpixel.net; http://www.canva.com; http://www.quotefancy.com; Nancy Ruegg; http://www.canva.com.
From the Inside Out 
Thank you very much for sharing such a blessed and spiritually uplifting post.Take care.🙏🌹😊
And thank you, Francis, for stopping by and leaving your word of encouragement.
My pleasure.🙏
Haha! This came at just the right time! I just got back from taking my dog on a prayer walk. 😉 As I passed the neighbor’s truck parked in its usual spot, I realized he was sitting in it with the window open and probably heard my praying. Kinda wonder what he thinks now. 😏
I’ve had a few times when the Lord changed my assumption/attitude just in time. One of them was when I was in a restaurant with my kids and a man at the next table was just staring at me. Whenever I looked over, he was staring, and even when I made eye contact, he didn’t look away. I was about to say “WHAT!” when his companion nudged him, said something to him, and took his arm to lead him out. I would have felt pretty bad yelling at a blind man. 🙄
Oh, Annie! I can only imagine your sigh of relief as that blind man was led out–before you cried, “WHAT!” A good reminder-story to be careful before we speak (Proverbs 13:3)!
Yep… 😉
Love the story of Mrs. Thompson, Nancy! Of course, your entire post was inspirational as always. Personally, I’ve always been an optimistic person, and look on the bright side of both things and people. I’m grateful for that attitude, and certainly consider myself blessed.
Blessings to you!
To be naturally optimistic IS a gift, Martha. So glad you enjoyed the story of Mrs. Thompson!
Nancy, Thanks for your writings! (Still cannot say Blog) 🙂 How nice it is now to see those Scribbles. I often think that God can use conflict with someone who is a brother or a sister inChrist to make us more like Him. Perhaps using Matthew 5:23-24. Perhasp the whole process of conflict is to lead to forgiveness, reconcilliation and eventual reconciliation and if need be restituiton. I think these few verses are the least practiced today. I am on a long vacation to the mountains out west so I am glad I can still read you writings. 🙂 … blogs I did my first hike today in snow Basin near Ogden, Utah. The mountains and foreests seem to clean my thinking. Hope you had a great time with family. Sam
You’re right, Sam: on the other side of conflict is often an improved relationship. Getting there may be difficult, but the end result is worth it. Glad you’ve been able to visit the mountains out west. Such glorious vistas! And there’s much to be said for getting outdoors in crisp, clean air.
Great illustration. I like the word alteration – there is a gentleness about it. Less threatening than what we sometimes read like pruning. Thanks Nancy for tis insight.
Thank you, Jean. I hadn’t thought about the gentleness within the word alteration. I like that! God surely is gentle with us in the transformation process (Matthew 11:28-30).
Wow, Mrs Thompson’s tale is indeed a wake-up call. I’m mostly a critical person and I have learnt the hard way that if you are critical,you are most likely also ignorant and self centered. Thanks for sharing 🤩😍
So glad you found a “wow” here, Emilly., and God bless you for your honesty!
Oh, our lousy attitudes are difficult to ferret out, to turn away from. They too quickly become a part of who we are. Only God can convict us and lead us to a more winsome, Christ-honoring place …
Amen, Linda. I hate to think where I’d be (or who I’d be) without him!
Nancy,
Lots of this mindset this summer. The Lord helped me see those who irritated or even have hatred for me, from His perspective. Wild stuff!
Gary
That’s a very helpful prayer when someone is irritated with us (through no fault of our own) or has even expressed hatred: We can ask God for eyes to see the person from His perspective. Wild stuff, indeed, as he grows compassion in our hearts for that individual!
God is indeed the ultimate sweater-downsizer!
Amen, Mitch–love the way you summed it up!
Great stuff here, Nancy! I had never heard that story of the beach picker before, but it’s great. There is so much more to people than what we see on the surface level! Plus I learned that dust helps to make rainbows. Don’t know I missed that in science classes, but I did. Now, if only it would turn into rainbows on my furniture…!
Oh, yes–rainbows on the furniture–PLEASE! : ) Thank you for stopping by Sheila. Glad you enjoyed the story of Mrs. Thompson!
This week’s post brings Philippians 3:14 to my mind. I am a work progress and focusing on becoming more like Christ is the way to achieve the alterations that I need to be make in my life. He give me all the tools I need to combat negativity, a critical spirit, discouragement, frustration, and even depression. Pressing forward, eyes on the prize, no looking back and dwelling on past mistakes! Learn from them and move on! Beautiful rendering this week, Nancy. And I loved the Jeremy story!
Wonderful truths here, Cheri, that are so important for us to remember. Thank you for sharing. Focusing on Christ IS key!
Thank you Nancy for reminding me to take the time to change my attitude, I need to change my perspective. Over the years I have come to realize the more time I spend in God’s word it does just that.
Oh, yes, and AMEN, Anita! I love that, even after decades spent in Bible study, I never get bored, and it never fails to minister to me. I look forward to each morning’s quiet time, anticipating new knowledge, new challenge, and new wonder! I know you feel the same.
Hi Nancy, it has been a while. Hope you and Steve and family are all doing well. I so enjoy your blogs. They always seem to hit just the right spot at the right time. Thank you, take care.
Hello, Trudy! Thank you so much for faithfully reading these posts. Praise God for his timing that brings an appropriate thought at just the right time!
Nancy this goes along with my reading the Bible today. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. About love. I put my name, for example is Laura patient, is Laura kind, etc. I will examine my attitude each day. Today I am checking my patience.. We never know what is going on another’s life. The lady on the beach seemed something she wasn’t is a good example. Thank for the post. It is something that I read it today and it fit my Bible reading.
I love it when two or more sources repeat the same highly-appropriate message. It feels as though God is lovingly making sure we don’t miss it! I love the way you put your name into that passage of 1 Corinthians 13. As a caregiver, you’ve exercised your patience and kindness muscles aplenty!