We're glad to have the opportunity to visit with you once again. We're hoping you don't find too many mistakes in this week's newsletter. Ann usually does our proofreading and tech work. Last Thursday she had rotator cuff surgery on her right shoulder, which severely limits her ability to use a keyboard. So Norman is doing tasks that he normally doesn't do. In a recent press conference, the president of the United States offered some insight about families that we want to share with our readers in case you missed them.

Norman and Ann

When things go wrong people often think they can't help themselves. They believe negative outcomes are determined by external circumstances. Some think it's fate. Others blame the position of the sun, moon and stars. Those who live in a Christian context may alternately blame God and the devil. While God has not promised exemption from trouble, He does endow each and every one of us with the ability to cope with our trials. Here are some things that can help when life turns sour.

• Accept yourself. Many people think they suffer injustice, ill treatment, hardships and disappointments because they are inferior people. According to Genesis 1:26, we are all made in the image of God. Someone has said, "God didn't make no junk." We are all less than perfect people. Maybe you think your nose is too big. Perhaps you wonder why God made you so short. You look in the mirror one morning and you see new wrinkles and bags under your eyes. Don't sweat it. God made you that way. God loves every part of you, even down to the mole on the side of your cheek.

• Affirm others. When we see ourselves as inferior, we often think it will help us if we can pull others down to our level. Somehow we come to believe that we'll feel better if we can make sure others feel just as miserable as we do. Unfortunately, the ones we of try to bring down are our own family members and loved ones. Picture the following scenario. Your son doesn't get out of bed the first time you call him or the second. The third time you say, "Get out of that bed you lazy boy. If you had any sense of responsibility at all, I would have to call you three times." At the breakfast table, you say, "How many times do I have to tell you not to slurp your cereal?" Just before he walks out the door to catch the school bus you say, "Your hair looks like it got caught in a blender; your ears are dirty and you forgot to brush your teeth. Don't slouch when you walk out the door. Stand up straight." On his way to catch the bus, you yell, "You forgot your lunch. If you had a brain cell in your head, you'd take it out and play with it." Just how capable is that young man going to feel when he gets to school and has to face learning long division, remembering the parts of speech and their proper usage in a sentence, plus having to deal with bullies on the playground. Those around us need to believe they are loveable and capable. When we destroy that feeling, we not only take something away from them, we reduce our own sense of peace and well being.

• Show kindness to others. When we've been stretched to the limit with our own problems, we've learned to pray this prayer. "Lord, today I ask you to show me someone I can serve." You don't want to pray that prayer unless you really mean it because the Lord will take you seriously. But that's really what it means to follow Jesus. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). If you have trouble recognizing the needy people God places in your path, we would suggest a few simple techniques. When you meet people, smile. After the smile look for something to honestly compliment. Share something of yourself with another human being. That's enough to get you started.

• Take it to the Lord in Prayer. Following his graduation from college, Joseph Scriven was engaged to marry a beautiful young lady. She drowned the night before the scheduled wedding. He ended up devoting his life to helping the underprivileged. At one point in his life he wrote a poem for his mother when she was ill. The words of the poem are the lyrics to the much loved hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." We have enormous resources in prayer. As Scriven's lyrics suggest, "Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?"