"HAVE A NICE DAY!"

By Monday evening I had been chewed out four times by different people (one of them was very indirect and not intented just for me). What a way to begin a workweek. Today I was cursed violently and again royally chewed on for no good reason. We live in a world filled with angry people. I don’t think I should have been chewed out on any of these occasions. But, I am glad the people chose me to chew on because I believe I have learned to handle hostile situations.

I can’t say it was easy coming to a place in my life that I could handle such situations. Formerly I could blow up with the best, or worst of them. I particularly got angry at inanimate objects until I discovered that was the height of immaturity. It was time to grow up!!! I have had an inordinate amount of training by both the Federal Office of the Victims of Crime and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Victim Services. In fact, I am part of one of the off-shoots of the latter. The reason I mention all that is to suggest I have had lots of opportunities to see what anger, especially combined with alcohol and drugs can do to individuals and families.

Life is too short to have all that anger. I like Bon Jovi’s new single, Have a Nice Day! The big line goes like this: When the world gets in my face, I say, Have a nice day. That’s my music philosophical Tip of the Day!

I have learned quite a bit about all this and it has been quite beneficial, not only to my work, but quite frankly, to my life. Lately I have been involved in group activities among the incarcerated dealing with forgiveness and acceptance. I have seen some tempers erupt and burst into intensity when the suggestion of acceptance is applied to forgiveness. Generally it is, I can forgive but I can’t keep from holding a grudge. Is that forgiveness? We have had some really interesting discussions.

Anger and resentment can stop you in your tracts. That’s what I know now. It needs nothing to burn but the air and the life that is swallows and smothers. That was a quote from the narration in a quite interesting move called The Upside of Anger. I would recommend the movie to you but I will tell you no more about it due to the unexpected twist at the end of the story. I won’t ruin it for you.

Anger can cause us to hurt others. Anger can cause us to hurt ourselves. Anger can destroy us. Anger can give the devil a foothold (Eph. 5:27). Remember Dagwood? The salesman was always sticking his foot in the door to take advantage of Dagwood. Poor old Dagwood was usually a victim himself. We are like that when we harbor anger and resentment against any other person. We don’t win; Satan does.

If you need some help with this little problem, give me a holler. I have some great stuff that does help. May you have the greatest of days and a great week as well!