The end of the month has come and now it's time for travel day; travel days are the time when we have to pack up our backpacks, and get ready for our next location. We've done this numerous times by now, the most we've moved in one month is five times. We wake up early, we wait sometimes for several hours, meet up with the rest of the squad, wait some more, sometimes travel days last a few days as we travel from one country to the next and have to get to our ministry location. By the time we arrive in Swaziland in a few days we will have traveled via several trains, buses, and planes, stayed in three different hostels and traveled through three different countries. We will all be tired…
During these longest days, we have to remember to keep our attitudes in check. It's not easy, whether on the race or working day in and day out with the same people we have a choice as to how we react to the situations that we are put in. The race has taught me to even more than before go with the flow, to live in the moment, to take things as we they come, to chose how I react to situations. For example on our way to Warsaw seven of us were in the same train car, what is generally relatively spacious became a cramped space with all of us, plus all of our big packs, plus all of our days packs and other other items. It's time's like this where attitude counts big time.
The best advice I was given in preparation for the race was to keep my attitude as a precious jewel. When things don't go as planned, just chose to be thankful. This was also reiterated as we prepared to leave on the race. At launch we were told that one of the most important things we would need to do is to keep a good attitude. When situations get tough play the thankful game Focus on the things that are good and pleasing to The Lord, don't get stuck in the rut of complaining. I believe my race would look a lot different if my daily prayer didn't include for The Lord to help me to hold my attitude as a precious jewel. Philippians 4:8,9 is a verse that I often look to for a reminder of the things that I should be thinking about.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9 NASB)
Whether you are a future or current racer, or someone struggling with the people you work with, friends, or family situations; I encourage you to hold your attitude as a precious jewel, to chose to be thankful in the moment, and think about those things which are worthy of thinking about.
