Perspective

As long as I can remember, both of my parents have been really even keel people. Neither of them get overly worked up about stuff--especially when it's just that. Stuff. They both look at the big picture in every situation. They don't sweat the small stuff. They acknowledge what's really important in life. 

Sometimes, I wish my parents were everyone's parents, because I think you guys have a lot to learn from my mom and dad! :)

This week, both my mom and I dealt with difficult people at work. My parents, in their business, often deal with ugly customers. I don't mean physically ugly. In fact the ugly acting customers that my parents deal with are almost always, well-to-do, attractive, people who have a lot going for them. They just have ugly attitudes and tend to think the world should revolve around them. Ironic, huh?

I work in a fairly uppity gift boutique (which I love!) and have my fair share of ugly-acting people as well. Yet again, attractive, well-to-do, busy-bodies who have everything going for them. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The people in Lafayette, LA are SO FRIENDLY that the grumpy ones stick out big time! Remember that, you crazy Cajuns! 

Anyhoo, we both dealt with some nasty ladies this week and I was so proud of my mom who stood up to her client. 

Here is a little background...

Last Friday several Oral Roberts University students were killed in a horrifying plane crash, devastating the Tulsa and ORU community. My parents had just taken many of their pictures at the ORU graduation just a few days before. Earlier this week, my mom dealt with this difficult woman, and she called the next day to apologize for her awful behavior towards her, which I found admirable on her part. My mom, being the forgiving woman that she is, of course forgave her and showed a plentiful amount of grace. 

But do you know what my mom was doing when that woman called to apologize? She was collecting the images of the students who died in the plane crash from their graduation to give to their families for their funerals and to have as memories. For many of them, those graduation pictures were probably the last pictures taken of them. As my mom was talking to this lady, she informed her of what she was doing--gathering pictures of deceased college students. This woman was unbelievably regretful of her actions, but I'm sure in a way, she was grateful for this experience. Her ugliness towards my mom all of a sudden seemed absolutely ridiculous and wildly unnecessary in comparison to what was going on in the real world. She viewed her life from a different perspective. 

The next day, I had an unfortunate experience with an unhappy customer who did not treat me very nicely, and she was awful to me over a necklace. A silly, little, necklace. Wow. God forbid something truly bad happen to this woman, I hate to see how she'd deal with it since since she wildly flew off the handle over jewelry! 

The word "perspective" continued to come to mind. 

Perspective. That word means view. How do you view life. What's important to you? Do you sweat the small stuff? Do you look at the big picture? What do you focus on? What do you spend time doing? Will it matter tomorrow? In five minutes? Think about it.

I don't mean for this to be a teachable moment with Mrs. Schoenthaler, but next time you get your feathers ruffled, stop and think about it. Does it matter eternally? What's more important than this? Is it really that big of a deal? Step back and put things in perspective. I guarantee you'll be happier, more at ease and display a little more joy and grace throughout life as well. 

These few verses came to mind as I was writing this blog: 

^"16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Are you concerned with eternal matters? Fix your eyes upon Jesus and the eternal matters of this world--on the things that will matter when you're long gone and hopefully spending eternity in Heaven with Jesus :) Don't worry about the frivolous happenings of the world--you'll be exhausted if you do. Change your perspective and have an eternal perspective. 

I love you guys and am so thankful for each of you. Even the readers I do not know personally, thanks for taking the time to stop by "A Deeper Life" to see what's going on with me down here in Cajun Country! Love you guys!