The Glad Game

As a child, Disney's Pollyanna was perpetually on my summer must-watch list.  In fact, just about any Disney Hayley Mills move was.  But Pollyanna, as well as Summer Magic, we owned on VHS, and so it was a regular part of our summer repertoire.

If you're unfamiliar with the story, it centers on a girl who goes to live with her aunt after her father dies.  It's a bit of a culture shock for all sides, as Pollyanna's aunt was quite rich and ran a large house with a number of servants.  Pollyanna, though, had been raised by her poor minister father until his death.  Pollyanna makes friends her aunt's elite friends and household staff alike, as well as orphans, invalids, and recluses. She could charm them all.  Part of her appeal, however, was that she was always bright and positive, able to look for the good in any situation.  She was taught this by her father with whom she played the Glad Game.

The Glad Game was a tactic father and daughter used to cheer themselves up when things looked blue, or even dire.  There was always something to be glad for, the pair believed.  Even when receiving a gift of crutches from a missionary box rather than the doll she wanted, she could be glad she didn't need the crutches.

I mentioned in yesterday's Quick 5 that it's been a rough week.  Many times, I wanted to wallow in a little self pity as I was tired of crying children, administering tylenol in the middle of the night, struggling to find something Eliza would eat, and worrying over a combination of rash, fever, and cough.  I don't get enough sleep during this season with a small baby and was receiving even less also tending to my sick child and trying to ensure she didn't somehow pass it along to her brother.  I had to let the housework go as all my daughter wanted to do was sit in my lap and be rocked.  And debated over and over again if and when I should call the doctor. 

The verse from James, however, kept coming back to mind:  Consider it all joy, brothers, when you experience trials of various kinds.  I didn't see much to rejoice in.  But I knew that wasn't true.  I had much to be grateful for, much to be glad about.  And so I decided to play my own Glad Game.  Here is just a sample of what I cam up with:

I'm glad my daughter is normally a very healthy an rather happy child.

I'm glad my son hasn't caught this crud yet.

I'm glad I have a husband who loves me and loves our children.

I'm glad that God loves my children even more than I do.

I"m glad we have insurance to help cover healthcare costs and glad that Nick has a job to help support us.

I'm glad that God loves me enough to send trials my way so that I can refine my character and my faith, that He at least is not willing to leave things to status quo.

I'm glad that there's an end to Eliza's illness.

I'm glad for those brief times I do get to sleep and that I totally don't go without.




See how easy that can be?  What about you?  Do you have to struggle to play some version of the glad game when tough times come your way?  What kinds of thins would you include on your list?