Smile:)

Often something happens that can turn into a major setback AND a bad or bitter attitude. Ever the optimist, I try to look on the bright side of things and find the silver lining in what appears to be a very dark, dark cloud! At that point you have two options: laugh or cry. I usually (usually!) choose laughter. Because crying really isn't going to help at all, and you still have to take care of the problem!

At the beginning of summer, Sarah joined our staff at church to work with the printing ministry. Having just graduated from the Christian school in June, Sarah was an asset from the beginning. Her dad (also the school principle) did warn me beforehand that Sarah is very literal and blonde:o). Over these past 3 months, I've seen that *literal-ness* and *blonde-ness* come to the surface in lots of funny ways that have kept me laughing time and time again. To make matters more interesting, I also tend to be literal and blonde... so maybe that's why we hit it off so well;).

Anyway, over the past month or so, there was a lot of talk about whether we (we as in all the men on staff:D... so maybe *they* would be a better word to use!) would move some machines into one room or whether we would just move the one room to a completely different room to make more room for a classroom (it's a long story..:D). During that time, Sarah and I waited patiently for the end results because the outcome probably affected us the most. After we were told something new that was going to Sarah would glance at me and say "We're smiling, right?!?". Plans changed so much we weren't sure whether we were coming or going! But always, always, we managed to keep a sense of humor though it all and remind ourselves to smile!

You see, whether it was:

• printing 500 copies of the wrong thing (that's happened lots of times to all sorts of ladies who have worked in the church office...it just keeps the scrap paper pile well stacked:D I won't even tell the story about the time I printed an entire book wrong!)
• typing up 30 labels before realizing they were all blank
• moving everything out of a room to give it a good cleaning before moving it all back in.... only to realize we had to move it all back out to another room up two flights of stairs(!)
• printing 750 copies on 60# paper instead of 20# paper
• not being able to find some boxes in the stock room that we needed in order to do inventory correctly... we must've looked for a good hour:).

No matter what the situation is, we've learned to *smile*. Because in the big picture, it really doesn't matter what happened as much as how I respond to what happened. My attitude is what really come shining through at the moment. And if it's stinky, others will pick up on that quickly.

Sad to say, I know I've responded wrong time and time and time and time (!) again. Which goes to show that I will never be able to conquer the flesh in my own strength. But it's been helpful to keep an optimistic outlook through it all and to tell myself to *smile*. It really does make a difference!

Today Sarah and I had another *smile* moment. When we exchanged knowing glances, I just shrugged my shoulders and figured: it'll all come out of the wash somehow ... eventually! Why worry, when you can smile!!!!!!