The Glad Game

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts…I love older books.  I doubt many of you are familiar with the book, “Pollyanna” so I will explain the title of my post.  In the 1913 book, Pollyanna loses her parents and has to go live with her aunt.  Before her father died they would play the “Glad Game” which helped her feel better when things didn’t go her way.  At one point she wanted a doll and when the missionary supply barrel came in there was nothing in it for children except a pair of crutches.  So, she cried because she didn’t get a doll.  Her father explained to her that she shouldn’t cry, but be glad it was crutches.  She didn’t understand why anyone would be glad for crutches.  He explained that she should be glad because she didn’t need them because she had two good legs.  So, she was glad and it became a game with them from then on.  I love this book.  It really isn’t that cheesy…it really is a good book.  In the end, Pollyanna has the whole town playing her game and changing so many of their lives for the good.  It is a very cute book for parents to read with their kids…girl or boy.  It has very funny parts for adults too and you can follow it up with the movie.  Also, it is available for free at Gutenberg.org and for the kindle.

Anyway, why am I bringing this up?  Because also in the book it mentions that there are over 800 times in the bible that God tells us to rejoice or be glad or be joyful/happy.  I did a quick search to see if the author was right and found 524 and I didn’t look up all “rejoicing words”.  So, even if it is only 524, God is telling us to be “glad” in the bible, a lot of times.  Do you think he’s trying to tell us something?  We really should try to play the “glad game” or see all the ways that God has blessed us or is blessing us.  Life is so much happier this way.  I know, you are probably thinking this is a very elementary way to go about life, but really…..it works.  I know people already think I’m strange…and here I am bringing up a book from 1913, but the Bible is way older than that and I bring it up all the time.  :o)

I know some have made comments or thought that I am unrealistic or overly optimistic for “someone that has cancer and a long road ahead of them” and at some point it will hit home.  I don’t think so.  At least I hope it doesn’t.  I try hard to see the blessings instead of the hard times.  If I’m always focusing on the pain and the trial….I miss out on the blessings.  Why would I want to miss out on the blessings?  There are times, of course, that I do feel sorry for myself or I have a bad day, but I hope they are not as often as the times I see the blessings (or glad-ness) through the pain.

So, let me start with the game.  I have breast cancer and I am glad that:

    I don’t have Stage 4 and it was just Stage 1.
    I am not alone….that I have a loving husband that still thinks I’m beautiful.
    I have so many praying for me and who love me.
    I can work from home during my treatment.
    I still have hair for a few more weeks!  Yay!

When you are having a bad day, find out bad news, in pain…whatever your circumstance…play the glad game.  There has to be a blessing out there…you might have to look hard, but I’m sure you’ll find one.  If it is morning and you are grouchy….be glad you have coffee.  ;o)  If you were just in an accident and it totaled your car, be glad that you were okay.  It is just a car.  If you are diagnosed with cancer, be glad we have a Savior and a God that loves us and will comfort us and give us strength to get through it.

Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the LORD always: and again I say, Rejoice”

Nehemiah 8:10 – “The joy of the LORD is your strength”

Psalm 70:4 – But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!”