Steve Alessi: Author of Alessi’s Angle, Pastor of Metro Life Church in Miami, Husband of World Renown Worship Leader Mary Alessi and Father of Four. 
My new
morning schedule includes giving Stasia some freedom from her pups in the backyard
while I tend to feeding and cleaning up around the "den", which
usually takes a good hour. Once the pups have their belly full, they're back in
the pool sleeping and I give the place a good sweep and mop. After I was done
today I noticed a horrible odor in the room and it just wouldn't go away. Some
of you know the bad aversion to smelly odors that I've blogged about in the
past, so we have taken strides to keep the place smelling clean with a fan for
cross ventilation, candles and a nice decorative citronella burning bowl for
both mosquitoes and odors. But none of that was helping kill the terrible
smell. As I followed my nose throughout the garage I quickly discovered the
problem was the mop. What I thought was helping me clean the place was actually
stinkin it up because I didn't change the mop water. So back again I went with
a cleaner mop and the problem was resolved.
That mop
bucket reminds me of the importance of having a good attitude in life. We all
go about our days working and rubbing shoulders with people, sharing our
thoughts and opinions on matters that we're dealing with, but what is our
attitude spreading around? Are we cleaning up the joint or making it smell bad?
After
spending the weekend with our dear friend Ret General Becky Halstead
(@Becky_Halstead), I was most impressed by her fresh, upbeat, "you are
special and you can make it" attitude. Though she never actually said
these exact words to me personally, when she was back on the plane headed home
to Virginia, I had that exact feeling about myself. Her attitude spruced up the
place and everybody in her presence.
It was
Dale Carnegie that was quoted as saying, "Happiness doesn't depend on any
external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude." Another
writer, John Mitchell has said, "Our attitude toward life determines
life's attitude towards us." And from the wisdom of Solomon, "As a
man thinketh in his heart, so is he."
I have
found that my attitude walks in a room way before I ever do and if I'm not
careful it will leave a bad odor when I make my exit. Well, the good news is I
can change my attitude and it will make a huge difference. Just like that mop
bucket was the key to freshening up the garage, so too is our attitude. Maybe
we just need to change the contents of our mop bucket to fresh, positive
thoughts and feelings about life and the issues we are facing. If we do, then
our dealings with money & the economy, marriage & relationships, our
job & career, and even our relationship with God will be overwhelmingly
influenced for the good by our attitude. So make the decision today to think
right, see right and live right and you'll be amazed at how life will suddenly
start to feel right.
I know we
all enjoy good quotes, so can you share with me your favorite quote on
attitude?
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.”
This was such a reminder for me. I have to admit this morning I had to literally choose to put on my attitude. I am not sure who wrote it or if I have it quoted the proper way but I find myself saying this to my children more than once a day lately "it is not what happens, it is how you choose to react to it that matters...”
Thank you for the reminder.
not quite as profound as Mr. Martinez's quote, but one I tell my kids: "your attitude is contagious, spread a Positive one!"
"Attitude is a DECISION, NOT a REACTION. Ultimately you'll feel how you CONVINCE yourself to feel."
Great blog pastor. Is so great that we can learn something from everything and anything. Don't really have a specific quote but in looking for something that I can definitely relate, I came across this one.
I don't like that man. I must get to know him better. -Abraham Lincoln -
Sometimes we can immediately judge the book by its cover. A lot more times than less,, they are not even as bad as we see it. I have learned with time to give people the benefit of the doubt and get passed by first impressions and get to know the person better. Not always successful but for those that are, it's worth putting the effort.
Good attitude makes a big difference in dealing with life.
Great Blog Pastor!
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends, and some true enemies; be successful anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous; be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will forget tomorrow; do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give your best anyway.
For you see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Thank you Pastor for this reflexion, I like this quote "Everything start with YOUR attitude" : )
I can't wait till you write THAT book! ;) (hint hint).. That being said Pastor being on the G.E.T. at MLC sure helps with always striving to have that great attitude (people love to see those BIG Smiles)!!
I have a plethora of FAV Quotes but here are a few to not overwhelm everyone:
"Don't take life seriously; no one gets out alive!"
"Hakunamata"
"Just keep trying and remember, Professionals built the Titanic, and Amateurs built the Ark."
"Your life is your message to the world. Make it memorable"
"The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest""
Love the analogy... I am constantly reminding myself to change the water in my attitude bucket!! Sometimes I do and unfortunately sometimes I don't; regardless it leaves its residue on everything, so better positive than negative.
Quotes:
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." - Thomas Jefferson
"Attitude is Everything" - Unknown
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude” - Zig Ziglar
I really liked this blog and I've learned early on in my career that attitude is everything.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
Thank you for this P. S. Really good reminder. Miss and love you.
Another great blog - with great truth!!
Love it!
Marvelyne Engel
In the words of a great fish,
"Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you've gotta do?
Marlin: No I don't wanna know.
Dory: [singing] Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim."
Seems simple, if we keep swimming, going with the flow, our attitude will calm instead of agitate. Just sayin'
Great blog once again!
That's good stuff, Pastor! Gracias!
This reminds me of a powerful statement by Forest Gump: "Life is like a box of Chocolates, you never know what you're gonna' get." so true!
and for that very reason, we must "DECIDE to LIVE in SweetJesusJoy!" Paola Roman (That's my quote. :)