READ
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair…
—2 CORINTHIANS 4:8
REFLECT
Mrs. Scarpa sat in the same spot in the same pew for years. Up until a few years ago, her husband had come with her. Now she came alone, her eyes often swimming in sadness.
This Sunday, as she came up to greet me, I winked at her, grinned and asked, “Where’d you get that pretty red hat?”
She chuckled, patting it fondly. “My husband bought it for me. Told me that in those terrible days of World War II, this red hat was to keep my spirits up.
“A couple of months ago I got it down and dusted it off, and I’ve decided to wear it again. Every time the world gets me down, I’m putting on this red hat!”
Perhaps you, too, need a “red hat.” Find yours, dust it off and get on with life. When you do, you, too, will discover that “we do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
PRAY
Lord, I know that in the grand scheme of things, and compared to a lot of other folks, life’s not so bad for me. I’ve just been a little down. This story was just the attitude-adjuster I needed. Thank You, Lord. I’m ready to get on with life.
DO
You may have another “red hat” of your own from the past, something that made you smile. Pull it out and dust it off.
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Excerpted from Time Out for the Spirit ©2010 by Guideposts. All rights reserved.
