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Perspective...Featuring Tracy Teppler

I have been thinking a lot lately about perspective!  My husband bought me a camera for Christmas (yes, it is early but I am enjoying it thoroughly) and I cannot go anywhere without looking at things differently.  I see flowers and I think about how awesome they would look if I had my camera on me.  I take pictures and I try to catch the insides of the flower because I want to show God's creativity.  I see a beautiful sunrise or sunset and I cannot wait to dive down the passage to grab my camera to start clicking away.  I have even started a blog dedicated to the favourites of my pictures, sort of like an on-line album.  

But what this is teaching me is that perspective is very important.  If you have the wrong angle, or the wrong light, or (if like me) you lack experience in photo taking, the whole picture can come out wrong.
So, what is my point?  
The thing is, perspective in our day to day lives is very important too.  If our attitudes are wrong, if we see everything through the light of negativity, or anger, or bitterness, that colours our perspective in a bad way.
But, if we view our day to day interactions, situations, trials in a different more positive light, our perspective will be coloured in a good way.
How do we do that?
  • Thankfulness: 1 Thess 5 v 18: In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
  • Humility:  James 4 v 10:  Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
  • Extend grace and mercy:  Luke 6 v 36:  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
  • Show Kindness:  Eph 4 v 32:  And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.
  • Don't think of yourself as better than anyone else:  Rom 12 v 3:  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.



Do you get my drift?  Our attitude is very much in our own hands.  We need to practice these skills of thankfulness, humility, grace, forgiveness, etc in order for our perspective to be right.  Like my camera, the more I learn the better pictures I will take (hopefully) and I need my users guide/manual for that.  In life we also have a users manual or guide - THE WORD - God's word will guide us where we fail, where we need a hand up and where we need some admonishment.   His word is where it is at....
So my encouragement to you is to dig deep into God's word for a better understanding on how to achieve a better perspective, day to day... And don't worry if you fail, God's mercies are new EVERY day.
God bless
Tracy

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing Tracy! Yes, thank God His mercies are new EVERY morning, because we all every now and then walk through life looking at things with the wrong perspective. Thanks for the reminder! Have a blessed week! ;-)

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  2. Oh, Tracy this is such a great analogy! Especially for those of us who love to capture (or try!) images and moments...the perfect shot with our sometimes limited lenses, experience etc. Thank God He is patient and oh so gracious to provide all we need. Love this...
    Thank you Stacey for hosting the posting (couldn't resist a little rhyme!) In His Grace, Dawn

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  3. I like the way you used your photo to illustrate your focus.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  4. Beautiful and needed reminder, Tracy! Thanks

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  5. So true! Our attitudes...perspectives...are a choice. When we choose to focus through a positive lens, and not allow anger or bitterness to cloud our view, we will definitely see things through a better light! Focusing on God is the key! Thanks, Tracy, for your wisdom.

    Blessings, Joan

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  6. Very wise words Tracy. We have it within ourselves to shift our focus. And nothing quite shifts my focus like praise & thanksgiving.

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  7. Thank you ladies for your comments. They encourage me greatly.
    God bless
    Tracy

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  8. The background noise does pull us away from what we should be focusing on. Thanks for sharing at "Tell Me A Story."

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  9. I loved this Tracy! Perspective is everything. I loved how you compaired the two. I drove past a church billboard that said something similar to this, "Your day shall be the way your thoughts are." We have the opportunity to control our perpective, we just need to change out thought life by digging into His word. I also love to take pictures! You should put the link up for your photography blog!

    Blessings~
    Shari

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  10. Tracy,

    Chuck Swindoll says this: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

    Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

    The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

    And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes." Sounds like he's giving your post a good AMEN. Visiting today from Be NOt Weary and glad I did :)

    ReplyDelete

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