DO YOU HAVE MEMORY ISSUES? Are you getting more forgetful as time passes? Years ago, a friend of mine told me that she was so concerned about this common problem that she began to ingest “memory pills,” a supplement that was supposed to aid one’s memory. However, from time to time she forgot to take them! What a dilemma!

My wife and I came face to face with this problem recently. We were in Traverse City, Michigan for a celebration at one of the church’s we served. A lady in the church approached us to remind us that 14 years earlier we had sold our home to her. Then she asked if, before we left town, would we like to stop by for coffee to see the changes they had made to the house? We agreed and the next morning we headed for her residence.

Problem: we couldn’t recall exactly how to get there. We weren’t sure just what road to take to get into the development. Fourteen years is a long time. We didn’t want to use our cell phone to ask for directions and thereby avoid some embarrassment, so we drove past the area and decided to turn around and try one of the entry roads, hoping we could somehow remember a familiar landmark or street name. Have you ever been there?

As I turned into the driveway of a business of some sort, my wife said, “Look at the sign!” The name of the business was at the top and underneath it in small letters were the words, “Senior Memory Clinic.” We laughed so hard we could hardly contain ourselves.

As we approached the development again, I thought I recognized a street name, so we gave it a try. We drove around for a while and then, bingo! There it was, “Heatherwood.” All was not lost. We had a wonderful visit and after a while, headed for home.

The next time you get frustrated because you can’t remember something, remember this tale. It just might ease the stress a little.

“WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, READ THE DIRECTIONS!” I’m sure most of you have heard this expression. I know I have. As a matter of fact, just recently I was given a new retirement watch. I immediately set the time and it began to run---for a little while---and then it stopped. Well, into the jeweler I quickly went, sharing with him that I believed it probably needed a new battery. He took one look at it and said, “Oh, you have an automatic watch.” Then he began to explain to me how it works by motion, never needing any batteries or winding.

I asked him if he could take a couple of links out of the band so it would fit better. As he was busy doing this, I took time to read the little instruction paper that was in the box that the watch came in. Yes, you guessed it. If I had only taken the time to read these four or five sentences, I could have saved some embarrassment on my part as well as a trip to the mall.

Do you suppose we could apply that same principle in the spiritual realm? Of course we could. I wonder how many people are trying to find their way in life without reading the directions? Life’s instruction manual is available to those who will take the time to read it. The Bible, God’s Holy Word contains the road map to personal peace, joy, and hope. But I wonder how many have ignored it and gone on with the pursuit of these things without consulting the Author of Life.

The Bible is not only to be read, it is to be followed. An old hunter in Michigan, when the country was new, got lost in the woods several times. He was told to buy a pocket compass, which he did, and a friend explained to him its use. He soon got lost. When found, he was asked why he did not travel by the compass. He said he did not dare to. He wished to go north, and he "tried hard to make the thing point north but it wasn't no use; "'twould shake, shake right round, and point southeast every time." A great many people fail of the right direction in life for the same reason of the mishap which befell our Michigan friend: they are afraid to take the Bible and follow just as it points.

IN HIS SONG, “IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES,” GARTH BROOKS follows that phrase with, “Would you know how much I love you?” The answer is obvious, so it must be a rhetorical question. James tells us in 4:13-14, You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Now that’s a sobering thought isn’t it? If there was no tomorrow, would I have said everything I needed to say and done everything I needed to do?
Probably not. Most of us are either focused on yesterday or what is yet before us in the days ahead, so things that should be said and done now, while we have time go unsaid and undone.

No one knows that more than those who work in the medical field, especially those who deal with death and the dying. Dr. Robert D. Lesslie, an ER physician wrote a book titled, Angels in the ER—the stories of doctors, nurses, EMT personnel, and patients who exhibit angel-like qualities.

In the chapter, “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” Dr. Lesslie relates the story of two sisters, Christy and Jane who were very close growing up. But that all changed the day Jane, the older sister, brought the man she was going to marry, home to meet the family. The family did not approve and Jane greatly resented it---so the rift began. She was a free spirit and so she and her boyfriend got married on a beach in California, far from her family and friends.

Fast-forward to the present. Christy had cancer and was not given long to live. Jane, who lived in California was notified but seemed almost disinterested. She and Christy had hardly spoken in the last 5 years. The family reached out continually to Jane, hoping she would somehow forget the past and be reconciled to them while there was still time. But Jane’s hurt was so deep that she developed a hard crust around her heart. That was the only way she could deal with it.

Finally the day came when Christy’s life was ebbing away. Admitted to the ER in Rock Hill, South Carolina, it wasn’t long before Christy’s soul silently drifted into the presence of God.

Jane had caught the first flight she could arrange out of Los Angeles, but there had been several delays. She made it to Rock Hill in time for the visitation and the funeral.

Got something that needs to be said or done? Fences that need mending? Hurts that need forgiving? Do it today for tomorrow may never come!

FRUSTRATION! HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED IT? Of course you have. Life has a way of presenting situations that try our souls! Just the other day, my wife and I were trying to reschedule a flight. Things went pretty smoothly until we tried to get the flight insurance transferred as well. Not so easy. Phone calls met with “holding.” Internet forms were extremely difficult to understand. Can you identify?

It was then that I remembered a message I had delivered called, “How to Live in Frustration City.” I thought perhaps I should get it out and re-read it to myself before I blow a gasket.

One summer, my wife and I were touring the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville, NC. It was very warm and we stopped at an ice cream stand on the grounds. We got in line a waited patiently for our turn. After about 15 minutes, I finally stepped up to the window to order, when all of a sudden, right before my eyes, the clerk closed the window, saying, “I’m sorry, but we’re closed for the day.” Talk about frustration!

All of us have had frustrating moments from time to time. For example:
❏ Inadequate time to do the things we want to do
❏ Not enough money at the end of the month
❏ Too much month at the end of the money
❏ Memory that often fails
❏ Family frustrations
❏ Job-related frustrations
❏ Caring for a sick relative
❏ Trying to reach someone for Christ
❏ Trying to break a habit
❏ Trying to lose weight.

Frustrations surfaces when...

❏ You put both contact lenses in the same eye
❏ Your wife says “Good morning, Bill” and your name is George.
❏ Your car horn goes off and remains stuck as you follow a group of Hells Angels.
❏ You buy $40 seats at a Detroit Lions game only to see them lose by 40 points.
❏ You hit a deer on your way home from purchasing your new car.

Unhealthy Ways of Dealing With Frustration

1. Bill your doctor for the time you spent in his waiting room.
2. Read the dictionary backwards and look for subliminal messages.
3. Drive to work in reverse
4. Pop some popcorn without the lid on
5. When someone tells you to have a nice day, tell them you have other plans
6. Use your Mastercard to pay your Visa bill.

Seriously, if we don’t get a grip on our frustrations, here’s what could happen:

1. We could lose our temper, and at the same time lose our influence.
2. We might give up, quit, resign (happens a lot in church), which in most cases leaves one with a feeling of failure.
3. We could go into depression.
4. We could become bitter and cynical

All around are people who are breaking down because they don’t possess the resources to endure the strains and pressures of every day living. So here a few practical suggestions.

Stay Focused … Identify the Problem. In the midst of a crisis (whether perceived or real) it's easy to lose our focus. We have to keep coming back to what the problems are and what we can do to solve them.

Keep in mind that frustration is an emotional reaction. It doesn't happen "out there", it happens inside us. And we have choice about whether we indulge it.

Be aware. Notice when you're feeling frustrated. Don't judge it. Blaming oneself, or others, will not work. Ninety percent of overcoming the problem is your conscious awareness that you're stressed. Ask yourself, "In three years' time, will this situation be worth being upset?" Chances are, it won't.

Stop. Get some exercise. Take a walk. Work out. Take a nap. Watch a movie. You'll be surprised how much more resourceful you can be after a break. In the whole scheme of things, how much difference will a few minutes (or hours) make?

Laugh a lot. We stress ourselves out by taking things too seriously. Being serious doesn't mean we have to be grim. Learn to laugh at yourself as well as the situation. The things that seem upsetting now will usually be things that we'll find humorous later. If we're going to laugh about it then, we might as well laugh about it now.

Ask else for help. Going through any challenging situation is more bearable and often more fun when we experience it with a friend or team member. Or how about God? Ask for help. Where is it written that you need to go it alone?