Dispense With That

    In the past, it was widely accepted that the distinction of worst television series ever went to "My Mother the Car", whose name says it all. Of course, that was before reality tv. Such reincarnation is ridiculous, however, I am married to a discouragement dispenser. My husband is by nature and nurture a pessimist. I am an optimist. I took a long, hard look at that incompatibility before we got married. Since we have been married almost 39 years now, I obviously learned to make peace with it. When my husband throws out some pessimistic pronouncement, I usually splash some positivity over it and go my merry way.
    However in the dark times, like our family is going through now, I cannot even find my merry way. When I am at the end of my rope, I can count on my husband to be there to try to jerk it out of my hands. He does not mean to be the devil's advocate, he is just saying what he is thinking. But I know it is not all he is thinking because, when I point out the positives, he says he already thought of that. I suggested that, for my sake, instead of saying the bad things and thinking the good, he might try saying the good things and thinking the bad. He has seldom brought up a negative that I failed to consider, I just chose not to dwell on it.
    Pessimists usually consider themselves "realists", but they only think that because they are pessimists. They look for the dark cloud instead of the silver lining. Our nature may be wired to either rose-colored or dark glasses, but believers are called to see through Christ clear lenses. To be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. We must see the evil in the world to guard against it, but are to focus on things that are pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy. People who display hope and inner peace naturally attract others to Christ. When I worked at the hospital, I could tell which rooms Christians were in before we even spoke by the atmosphere of peace. It is hard to be a peaceful pessimist.
     I have accepted that my home won't be one where seldom is heard a discouraging word and God has been faithful to provide me with other sources of encouragement, especially through His Word--the doubt dispeller.