Recently I was asked this question, “How do I keep from being bitter at God over this event?”

In searching the internet with this question in mind I found the graphic above. It is a quotation from Psalm 37 with a graphic of a not very happy looking “Tweety Bird” appearing very stern, which is not how that character is commonly portrayed in the cartoons. I like this illustration. It makes me wish we had an illustrated version of the Bible that featured cartoon characters personifying the point of the Bible passage. Bitterness can consume us if we let it get out of hand, and it very seldom has much effect on changing things so we feel better.

The advice I gave in my reply is what I am sharing today. If we are prone to be bitter at God the worst thing we can do is move away from God. Instead we should draw close and cling to practicing the spiritual disciplines of:

• Worship
  
• Pray
  
• Scripture Study
  
• Service
  

Through these activities we can allow the love and grace of God to touch us, and in time take away the bitterness we feel. This process does not happen overnight. Also bitterness is harder to let go of the more deeply it has wounded us. The deeper wounds take more time to heal. I wish you the best in dealing with any events that bring bitterness to you. Anger rarely, if ever, makes us feel better. Moving forward helps us put painful moments in perspective.

Frankie J. Melton wrote the following words as a portion of a devotion I read this week.

• Sometimes life can be like a dark corridor.
  
• We face uncertainty about what lies ahead and become fearful.
  
• Life may be full of trouble.
  

I think most readers can remember times when one or more of the statements above described how they have felt. I know I have experiences all of these thoughts at different points in my life.

At times we think there is no way possible the situation can improve! That conclusion is the power of fear at work. I look back at the things I once feared and realize the fear in my imagine was much worse that what the reality of situation presented. I offer this page today as a source of encouragement to any who are afraid. The future will look better!

As I reflect on the conversation leading up to the recent Iowa Caucuses I have seen three recurring actions take place among the candidates in both parties. They are:

• Disagreement
  
• Demonizing
  
• Distrust
  

The United States is an experiment in citizenship. It started as a way for people to come from other places on the globe and set themselves up to be free from injustices they faced in their homeland. It is based on these premises:

• We don’t have to agree with each other in order to be respectful.
  
• The fact that we don’t agree does not automatically mean I am correct and you are wrong when we come to different conclusions.
  
• That the will of the majority is the most equitable way to make decisions that affects everyone.
  

I would love to see our national discussion throughout the rest of this election cycle bear witness to what I have written. For this to happen we will have to inform the candidates these are the rules for engagement in this election cycle. I don’t have all the answers on how to make this happen, but as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I have a dream!”

We all have heard the legend of the Groundhog being able to predict the end of winter by whether it can see its shadow on Feb. 2^nd.

I have found a more reliable source of weather wisdom: THE BASSET HOUND!!!

Bassets are smarter than groundhogs! Thus they can apply more intellect to the task! This Basset says winter will end EARLY!!!!!!!!

I rest my case!