Spiraling Up or Down?

A few weeks back I shared some hard news with you. Our family land “up nort” as we say in Wisconsin, was hit by a tornado. It devastated many of the trees on our property and completely destroyed our pontoon boat. At first, we didn’t fully comprehend how bad the damage was.

Danica and I were tempted into a negative spiral—regretting the loss of 60 plus trees, our beloved boat that was capsized and all the spots that held memories for our family. But instead, we made a conscious decision to pause and respond to the situation rather than just reacting.

We decided good things were coming our way. And they did.

First of all, our friend Tim Lamers made the ultimate selfless gesture. He called and said, “I’m coming up with my chainsaw tomorrow. What time would you like me there?” Wow. Now that’s how we should all offer our help. Don’t just say, “I’m here if you need me. Let me know what I can do.” Instead, take action! If you know there’s a need, just say, “I’m coming!”

And secondly, after some grieving from my all-things-beach-boat-and-aquatic-loving wife, and a few phone calls, our sorely missed pontoon boat was replaced with an upgraded version thanks to an insurance check.

My friends, things happen in life that we can’t control. The only thing we can control is our reaction to them. Choose to anticipate the positive and you will find positive results.

JOE KIEDINGER

ACTION PLAN: The next time someone in your life is in need of help, remember this story. Show up for the people you care about. And be so bold as to imagine things turning out well for yourself. Life may just surprise you!