Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle

As I sit here in my pjs under a snuggly blanket and look at the snow covered ground, I cannot help but notice the beauty of the world around me. The once bare, ugly, dull trees are now glistening beautifully with ice crystals as the sun rises above them. But the longer I sit here and  the higher the sun rises in the sky,  the more the ice melts from the treetops. Pretty soon there will be nothing left of the shimmery, sparkly ice and the dull, brown limbs will be exposed again.

But that's just my perception of the immediate situation.  I could choose to step back and shift my focus. I could choose to see the bigger picture of what God has in store for me. Instead of thinking about ugly, brown trees, I can choose to see the beauty God created this very morning.  I can choose to see the blessings right before my eyes.

Sometimes life feels like winter to me. I get discouraged and my thoughts turn negative. I allow other people's thoughts to cloud my judgement. When this happens, my bad attitude prevents me from being who God intends for me to be.  So when life presses down on me, and threatens to dull
my sparkle, I will try to shift my perspective. After all, why would I want to melt away,  when what He wants is for me to shine like the treetops on a cold, wintery day?

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." ~Matthew 5:13-16