THRIVE

©CherieElainePhotography2020

In a world where violence and hatred seem to rule, where political party affiliation matters more than who you are or what you do for a living, where hiding ourselves behind a mask and limiting our social interaction has become normal, and getting most of our information from cyber-sources is required, the word "thrive" is hard to live by. 

My youngest daughter gave me this bracelet for my 57th birthday, because she says, "this is [my] year to thrive." Those words mean more to me than words can explain. I've just been filling my mind and my heart with the word thrive. 

Dictionary.com defines thrive this way:

     "to prosper; be fortunate or successful; to grow or develop vigorously;                   flourish."

My youngest grandson is GREAT at this. He went into kindergarten this year, and it is his first experience being in a classroom environment. Instead of the angst of mask wearing, he made it his super power. Dressed for school, he wore a mask, a cape, his sunglasses and boots because his mask made him a superhero. 

Do you see the lesson? Make the BEST of the circumstances you are in. Turn it around. Make it positive! Thrive in any environment you find yourself in. 

I have to admit, all of the less-than-normal activities in the world today are scaring the hades out of me. I hate wearing a mask. I hate not being able to see who I am talking to or what they are really expressing. The silence of speech. The ringing out of gunshots. The marching. The lack of marching band. It is so emotionally hard to swallow! 

Finding a way to TRIVE in the chaos is the BEST way we can live! 

This morning, in my quiet time, I came across these scriptures in Jeremiah 29:

     "Make yourselves at home..... and work for the country's welfare. Pray for [your country's] well-being. If things go well for [it], things will go well for you."

Work for the country's welfare. Pray. It will help you. 

I hear the message of THRIVING in that passage. I hear the YES, WE CAN message. I hear actively engaging in making life better--not just for me, but for everyone. 

Would it be so awful to stop hating? What if we could just stop the madness by praying for peace, for extending a hand and instead of talking politics, asking about the family, or what they do for a living, or if they could use a hand up? 

Would it be so awful to be UNITED states instead of DIVIDED parties? 

Friends, we are forgetting our first and most important commandment: 

     LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 

If we don't do that....we cannot thrive. 

So here's the challenge: Be a superhero! 

Who can you love today? How will you pray for our country, your neighbors, or even your enemies today? What can YOU do differently so that you can THRIVE? 

Me? I'm doing THIS. I'm going to issue the challenge. I'm choosing to be patient, kind, not jealous, conceited or proud, but loving. 

And I am going to thrive. 

Can I get an Amen? I love y'all!