Seeds of Greatness
Column by Lady Catherine Beatty

As Christians we’re suppose to have a thankful attitude at all times, but I must admit I’m not always there. During those times I have a good friend who is quick to tell me, "We must have an attitude of gratitude, sister." While I didn’t like hearing that, I knew she was right and with some embarrassment I would adjust my ATTITUDE.

My children are all grown and have children of their own and I hear the same words coming from their mouth, as did my children. "I’m bored. Why can’t I have what Susie has? Her parents let her. It only cost $50.00, Mom. Gee, you’re not fair." So on it goes, the complaints and the poor old me attitude. My response to my children was, "I know things are not the way you want them to be, but if you would just look around you can find someone a lot worst off than you." Of course they were quick to reply,
"Yea well, I can look around and find a lot of people better off than me." well as wealthy, healthy people who seem to have it all. As long as the world exists there will be both kinds of people. However I know through personal experiences that a grateful attitude is good medicine for the body and soul. It’s called counting your blessings.

If you are a born again child of God, then you have His Spirit living in you. He has given us many promises in His Word that will take us over the top of any situation.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NKJV).

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4-5 NKJV).

In Ecclesiastes 3:4 it tells us "there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." There are times when life is so overwhelming that we can’t do anything but weep or mourn. But then we must arise from that which has kept us down and begin to laugh and dance. Put on an attitude of gratitude, for praise will bring the peace and the victory.

This weekend was one of those times when I couldn’t find the energy to put on a happy face...until. Until I had the opportunity to help someone less fortunate than myself. I had just left the grocery store on my way to the car when I passed a lady in a motorized wheel chair. On the wheel chair were seven or eight bags of grocery and when I looked back I notice that some of the bags were dragging the ground. I stopped and went over to see if I could be of some help. She wanted me to take the bags of grocery that were on the bottom and try to put them higher on the chair. I tried, but to know avail. A few of the bags had torn and food was falling out. So now what was I to do? I knew I couldn’t get her wheel chair in my car and I wasn’t sure if she would trust me to carry the food to her house. So I knelt down in front of her and told her the situation and asked if I could put her food in my car and I would follow her home. She said that would be fine and told me she lived across the street. There is an apartment complex directly across from the store so I assumed she lived there. Well to my amazement her house wasn’t at all close to the store. Now two or three miles may not seem to be a long distance in a car, but when you’re in a motorized wheel chair that goes about ten miles an hour, well you figure it out.

I would drive a couple of blocks ahead of her and pull off to the side and wait until she caught up with me. She was paralyzed on one side and her speech was a little slurred so I was having difficulty understanding her. I finally figured out what street she lived on and proceeded to her house. The first time around I couldn’t find the house. So I drove back to where she was, about four blocks behind me to get the address once again. When I found her house I was totally amazed at how far this woman had to travel in her wheel chair just to get food. She has a young daughter about seven or eight years old, no husband and no one that can or will help her. She has to make the trip two or three times a week, because she can only carry so many bags on the chair. Now when I said she lives two or three miles from the store, you understand that’s just one way. On top of that we live in Florida and the weather was about 90 degrees and yet this precious woman would wave to people and smile as they passed her by. Now that is having a happy attitude. So needless to say my attitude was adjusted.

I don’t believe it was an accident that I was there at that moment in time. Not only was I able to help someone in need, but the Lord showed me you can always find someone who is worse off than you, if you’ll just look. So this time I think I won the argument. I left my phone number and told her to please call me the next time she needed to go to the store. I hope she will.

So I encourage you, the next time you think life isn’t fair, look around, for you might find someone worse off than yourself. If not, count your blessings anyway by praising the Lord and I promise, your outlook on life will change.

Until the next time ladies,
Make it a great day.
~Lady Catherine

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