Olive Crest United Methodist Church
7180 North 60th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68152

Our Pastor

Rev. Debra Tompsett-Welch

Need a Daycare?

Hearts

Minds

Doors

The Spiritual Life

November 2000

Thankfulness = Happiness, a Spiritual Calculus

By Rev. Michael Lee Burgess

A year ago a friend of mine sent me this e-mail: O BE THANKFUL FOR: "The mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends. The taxes I pay because it means that I'm employed. The clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat. My shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine. A lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home. All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech. The space I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking. My huge heating bill, because it means I am warm. The lady behind me in church who sings off key, because it means that I can hear. The piles of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear. Weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive. The alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I'm alive. Getting too much email bogs me down but at least I know I have friends who are thinking of me. Yes you are being thought of right this moment. Have a great holiday!"

All the gifts my friend brought to my attention were ordinary things, but I could not see them because I wasn't looking at them that way. It is called a gestalt shift, when what you are looking at suddenly looks different because you now think about it differently.

I was thinking about how thankful I am, especially for my four-day vacation near the end of October. I had great fun at the Mile-Hi Science Fiction convention, my four days away (well at least three, because I got sick on the Monday, but even that was ok because I had friends to help get me back to Nebraska in time for my Tuesday meetings).

But I also remember the first time I went to the Mile-Hi Convention over 15 years ago. I was feeling very insecure and lonely at that time in my life. It was painful to be around so many people who seemed to be having fun and yet feel all alone in the crowd. I called it feeling like "the cold winds of winter blowing through the dead branches of my soul". But time has passed and this year, feeling much better about myself, I got a compliment from someone I did not know who asked to take a picture of me in my auctioneer costume. I used to take pictures of people's costumes so many years ago (I need to find my camera so I can do it again). Then I was asked if I could come to their convention and do their auction because I was so good at it (I had to turn them down, but it was great to be asked). Angie also told me that someone on the elevator said, "He gets more handsome every year". Wow, if one ever needed a "pick me up" that is one to store away for a rainy day and savor. Of course she doesn't remember who said it, so I can't check and see if they have really bad taste. J But that is also good, because I can't discount it, or say it isn't true because…, as I so often do with compliments. Another middle aged gentleman told me that he felt that God had lead him to come to the convention just so he could meet me and talk about religion. All these gifts of praise and acceptance came after many years of growing and healing so that I could acept myself and thereby make it easeir for others to accept and value me.

Then I remembered how I had prayed ernestly to God for friends and companions all those many years ago and wondering why God took so long to answer. I suddenly realized God had answered my prayer, but it took years. Years in which I finally became someone who could be a friend and good companion to others. If I had looked at it from a thankful point of view, all those years could have been comforted by the fact I knew that the friends were coming, as I went through all the hard work of healing and learning to accept myself. Instead I fretted, wasted a great deal of emotionaly energy and time and hurried the healing process not at all. The situation would not have been much different, but I would have experienced the time in a much different way and spared myself much needless suffering, if I had spent it thankfully.

Thanksgiving is a spiritual discipline not so much for the sake of others, though everyone enjoys being thanked, but for our own sakes that we might find joy and happiness in this life. It is an attitude, and attitudes are choices. Intentional acts of will that lead us towards our future. Thanksgiving is coming, not only for this year, but for my whole life. Join me in being thankful, and our life together will be rich.

Your brother-in-Christ, Reverend Michael Lee Burgess

The Dance:

By Crystal Boyd

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire......

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. Treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time...and remember that time waits for no one...

So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Thought for the day:

Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like there's no one watching.

Back to Top     The Spitual Life Article Menu     Home Page

Upcoming Events