How many of you have seen the reality TV show Extreme Hoarders? I have a hard time throwing mementoes away. And most everything I have is attached to a story or a memory. I know there’s no one else that has boxes of stuff from years ago piled up in corners and attics and storage units!
For most it’s too much to tackle all at once, so, for me, I start with one box – then I take out one thing at a time and decide what to do with it. A couple of weeks ago, I took out a bag that was in a box and it was filled with Christmas cards from 2007. The year I was packing up my house in Colorado Springs to move to San Diego to be your pastor. Exciting times!
In one of the boxes I found a newspaper article, which my dad had cut out from The Alpine Sun, with a handwritten note on top which read, “Dan, I thought of you when I read this. Smiley face Dad.” As I read it, I knew what I wanted to share with you: smiley face!
I like our Scripture reading for today. In fact, I can say that about 52 Sundays a year. However, I first learned our Scripture reading from this morning in a song I grew up singing in church. Now remember, I grew up in a different era; before the explosion of modern translations of the Bible, so, we sang the song in the King James Version. Here goes.
“Beloved, let us love one another.
For love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God for God is love. So, beloved, let us love one another.” I John 4, 7 and 8.
I like this verse, and the powerful reminder it is to us. It also happens to be Alisan Rowland’s Life Verse that she quotes in her Statement of Faith that she had to write as part of her preparation for ordination. I think it fits her and shows her heart: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
What a wonderful thing for us to strive to do, to love one another out of the love that we have received from God. This article has something to do with letting love in and then letting love win, in every circumstance. Even in the tough ones.
Listen to this article my dad sent me written by Chuck Taylor, received from Alpine resident Pattie Price. I believe we can all take something from this.
“How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss or an insensitive employee ruin your day?
Unless you’re the Terminator, for an instant you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he or she can get back her focus on what’s important.
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxicab. Here’s what happened.
I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of the sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling obscenities and bad words and hand gestures at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was friendly. So, I said, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and almost sent us to the hospital!’
And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, ‘the law of the garbage truck.’
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well and move on. You’ll be happy you did.
So this was it: the law of the garbage truck. I started thinking, how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was the day I said, ‘I’m not going to do it anymore.’ I began to see garbage trucks.
Like in the movie the sixth sense, the little boy said, ‘I see dead people.’ Well, now ‘I see garbage trucks.’ I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my taxi driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Peyton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on it. Peyton was ready to make the next play his best.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome the children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here’s my bet: you’ll be happier.
Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets; so love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don’t. Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, take it! If it changes your life, let it! Nobody said it would be easy. They just promised it would be worth it!”
Wow, what a wonderful way to look at the circumstances that surround each one of us every day. I hope the next time you see a garbage truck, you’ll remember this lesson.
This is the day that God has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it! What a great and powerful verse. I like to quote it often. We have the choice and thus the power!
Beloved, let us love one another as God has loved us!
