Change Your Perspective and Change Your World

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing," Norwegian saying. What an outstanding perspective. Let's break that down a bit. Basically what this standard setting statement says is that the weather is going to be whatever it is going to be. If you live in Norway, it is a given that you should expect some frigid temperatures and at other times there are periods of damp wet conditions. During the summer months one can expect a mild to warm climate. In other words, there are some variances in the climate of Norway much like they exist around the world. The key to this Norwegian nugget is that regardless of what the weather of the day brings, it is be expected so prepare yourself accordingly and then go about your day as usual. Again, that is quite the method for grounding yourself in a positive mindset. Whatever you find yourself dealing with, it is comparable to the weather. Things are going to happen in your life, some not as good as others, but life happens. Our responsibility is to respond in a similar style to that of the Norwegian saying above. "There is no such thing as a bad lesson to learn, just bad perspectives in learning those lessons."

You can play the blame game all day long and it will probably work for you. I've never been one to blame someone else for my situations. Believe me, it would be much easier to allow my pointer finger to direct the focus on someone else or something else, but that just isn't the way I look at life. How do you react to a bad decision that doesn't go in your favor? The person who believes in the notion that there is such a thing as "bad weather" would say, things always go against me, someone has it out for me, or they lay the blame at the feet of the person who made the decision. For someone that falls more on the "no such thing as bad weather" perspective,  they would respond by looking introspectively at themselves and begin the work of improving those areas to better ensure success going forward. No bad weather, just bad preparation for the weather of the day. 

How about when a team you are part of doesn't win the tournament? Do you accept the defeat graciously and move forward, or do you seek a scapegoat to lessen the blow? The other team cheated, the referee must be about blind, or the home field advantage just stole the win. These are all examples of not accepting the weather for what it is and instead complaining about the rain even though there is a 50/50 chance of showers. When you play a game one team is going to come out with the lesser score and I'm guessing that equates to a 50% chance that your team could lose. No guarantees of victory, just a guarantee that the game is going to be played and then preparation comes into the equation. 

I've mentioned preparation in both of the instances above and that is not by coincidence. For the people of Norway, the better you prepare for the weather of the day, the better your experience will be for the day regardless of the weather. In life, preparation for whatever comes your way on a day to day basis or even more so, for the situations and circumstances that you find yourself dealing with whether it be health, relational, business, or personal life matters, makes all the difference. And what better preparation is there than preparing your heart, mind, body, and soul through a growing relation with our Lord and Savior. Time spent in reading, studying, and meditating on God's Holy Word is time well spent in preparing us for what comes our way. Prayer is a huge component in being prepared for what life brings your way. Prayer is our direct line of communication with God and a definite shaper of our perspective on life. There is no bad weather, just bad clothes, and likewise there is no such thing as a bad rap, just bad preparation for what may be coming your way. 

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24. Regardless of what the weather is, we get to choose how we will receive it. We can complain that the rain ruined our plans for the day, or we can be grateful for the nourishment to the soil and plants that provide us with the delicious vegetables it produces. If we are thankful for the day that God has given us then our perspective will change to one that more closely resembles the mindset of the Norwegian people in terms of the weather outside. God gave you the day, whatever it brings be glad you have a day to enjoy and embrace it for what it will provide. Regardless of what the day brings, keep in mind there is no guarantee you would have this day. 

"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live." Ecclesiastes 3:12