The 92-year-old well-poised man sat for many hours in the lobby of the nursing home that was to be his new home. He was a proud yet gentle soul, who was fully-dressed by eight o’clock each morning, with his hair combed and his face shaved perfectly. All this, even though he was legally blind. He was moving into the nursing home that day.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After the several hours of waiting patiently in the lobby, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

With the nurse by his side, he maneuvered his walker to the elevator. As she walked with him, she provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

“I love it!” the old man stated, with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mr. Jones, you haven't been to the room yet; just wait!” said the nurse.

“That doesn't have anything to do with it,” he replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the room is decorated or how the furniture is arranged…it’s how I arrange my mind.

“I’ve already decided to love it. It's a decision like I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work; or I can get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

“EACH DAY IS A GIFT!! Old age is like a bank savings account. You withdraw from it what you've put in. And as long as I wake each morning, I'll focus on the new day and then recall all the happy memories I've stored away to recall just for this time in my life.”

- Author Unknown

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So, think about depositing a lot of happiness each day in your bank account of memories to recall with joy at some later time. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank…I am still depositing. How about you?

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The joy of the mind is the measure of its strength. - Ninon de L’Enclos

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3 NASB

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13 NASB

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

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If you have a story that you think might bless others, I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.

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