80% life happens between our ears. This is a fact that determines how we think and how we perceive situations. We cannot control most circumstances in life, just like we cannot determine what will come our way. No matter how daunting the circumstances of life, the greatest battle we have is the battle that rages inside us. Life is not what happens to us but what we do with what happens to us. We are responsible for the actions of others, but we are responsible for our reactions.

If we learn the secret of contentment, then no matter what happens we can withstand any situation. Problems will always multiply in our lives or our relationships. It is like the lady that rang police station one day and explained to the officer that there was a skunk in her basement. The officer suggested she make a trail of breadcrumbs from her basement into the yard and wait for the skunk to follow it out. A little while latter the same lady rang back and reported that now she had two skunks in her basement.

Our problems sometimes multiply and the solutions we put in place do not always work. Circumstances can make us better or bitter, the choice is yours. A crisis does not produce character it reveals it.

There is a true story of a young bride who travelled with her husband to the Californian dessert during WWII. Because she grew up in the East the desert seemed remote and desolate. Where she lived did not make it any easier either. It was just a shack and the native Americans could speak no English. She spent long periods alone in the sweltering heat. Her husband was gone for long periods. So finally, she wrote her mother and explained why she was leaving her husband and coming home. A few days later she received the following reply. It simply read

TWO MEN LOOKED OUT FROM PRISON BARS
ONE SAW MUD THE OTHER STARS.

She reflected on this until it helped her see things more clearly. Maybe she could improve her circumstances. She made friends with the Indians. She began weaving and making pottery. She took time to explore the desert and discovered the natural beauty. All of a sudden, she was living in a new world. But the only thing that had changed was her attitude and perspective.

Yes indeed, 80% life happens between our ears. Consider it this way. Three people were visiting the Grand Canyon: an artist, a minister, and a cowboy. As they stood on the edge of the abyss each responded with a cry. The artist said, “Ah, what beautiful scenery to paint.” The minister declared, “What a wonderful example of the handiwork of God!” The cowboy mournfully replied, “What a terrible place to lose a cow!”

The same situation but three different attitudes. How does your attitude affect your present situation or your current relationships? How many skunks do you have in your basement? The most important attitude is what are we doing to produce meaningful preparation for eternity.,