The Choice is Yours

Life is full of choices. For example, while driving, we choose one direction at a four-way stop. At the market, we choose a favorite brand over others. We also make choices about the time we spend on TV and social media.   

Being able to make choices is a blessing. This awareness struck home while I was fighting cancer. I realized I could not think positively and negatively at the same time.

You’ve probably heard this old saying: “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest there.” In other words, thoughts can come unbidden, but we can choose the ones we want to keep.

A few years ago, I wrote a poem about this:

A CHOICE IN TIME

Darlis Sailors

Memories float through our minds

Like clouds in the sky

Some are dark and we hurry them on

Others are bright and we ask them to linger

 

Memories contain both darkness and light

We live in sunshine and shadow

Forgiveness may wipe some dark clouds away

While love brightens others like sunshine

 

Memories can also be bitter or better

Life becomes better by choice

We lift up our head to look for more light

And choose to move out of the shadows

 

Memories are colors inside our mind

We pick which ones we will keep

Joy comes with light, sadness with darkness

We choose the color that’s right

Philippians 4:8 is a well-known scripture about choosing our thoughts. We are to aim for positive things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

Verse six, however, recognizes the negatives in life. We are told to be anxious for nothing, but to present our prayers and petitions to God, with thanksgiving. That would probably produce some of the positive memories suggested in verse eight.

The choice is yours, and mine. I'm glad, because to me that's a blessing.

Pixabay: Choice; geralt.