{"id":35579,"date":"2011-05-10T11:27:19","date_gmt":"2011-05-10T15:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/35579\/great-reflection\/"},"modified":"2011-05-10T11:27:19","modified_gmt":"2011-05-10T15:27:19","slug":"great-reflection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/35579\/great-reflection\/","title":{"rendered":"A Great Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/object><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Great Reflection<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Max Lucado<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It’s quiet. It’s early.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My coffee is hot. The sky is still black.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The world is still asleep. The day is coming.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

down the track with the rising of the sun. The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

noise of the day. The calm of the solitude will be<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

replaced by the pounding pace of the human race.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For the next twelve hours, I will be exposed to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And so I choose.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *love*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

No occasion justifies hatred;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

no injustice warrants bitterness,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose love. Today I will love<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

God and what God loves.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *joy*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

anything less than human beings, created by God.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will refuse to see any problem as anything less<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

than an opportunity to see God.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *peace*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will live forgiven.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will forgive so that I may live.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *patience*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of cursing the one who takes my place,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complaining<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *kindness*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And kind to the unkind, for such is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

how God has treated me.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *goodness*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

before I will accuse. I choose goodness.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *faithfulness*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Today I will keep my promises.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My debtors will not regret their trust.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My associates will not question my word.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My wife will not question my love. And my<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

children will never fear that their father<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

will not come home.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *gentleness*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing is won by force.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose to be gentle.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I choose *self-control*…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

rule the eternal. I choose self-control.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will be taught only by God. I choose self-control.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To these I commit my day. If I succeed,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And then when this day is done, I will place<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

my head on my pillow and rest.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Love & Light,
\n\u2665Angel Love\u2665<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[2676,1286,3366,3367,3365,856,2391,69,2110,32,1775,91,3368],"class_list":["post-35579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life","tag-angel-love","tag-choice","tag-faithfulness","tag-gentleness","tag-goodness","tag-joy","tag-kindness","tag-life-2","tag-light","tag-love","tag-patience","tag-peace","tag-self-control"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendburst.com\/blog-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}