The "Law of the Garbage Truck"

There are some people who can't seem to talk about anything but what is hurting them, what isn't fair, what stinks and how bad things are at the moment. Whether it is life in general, politics, a Facebook post, or how things are at Church, they are constantly "dumping their garbage" on every possible unsuspecting "victim" who happens to accidentally use the greeting "so, how's it going?" For some, you get it whether you want to hear it or not!

That reminds me of the "Law of the Garbage Truck"....which is told:

"One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!"

Don't allow yourself to become the "landfill" for others to dump their garbage into. By ingesting other's garbage, you inadvertently begin looking to, in turn, get rid of it by dumping it onto others....and, the cycle not only continues, but you also become a garbage truck. The saying is true: "Garbage in - garbage out!"

Be mindful of all forms of "garbage trucks"....today, it is not just "people"...garbage can get dumped into our minds/hearts through the internet, TV, social media platforms, movies, etc. So, be cautious of what you watch, read, listen to or ingest physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Psalm 101:3, "Help me to refuse the low and vulgar things"....Have a garbage-free day!

Learn from Lydia

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Just before Jesus gives up His spirit on the cross, He utters a very powerful word. The word that He cries out is “ tetelestai” (tih-tellis-tie). When literally translated, this word means, “It is finished.” It can also refer to something completed or accomplished. The word occurs in John 19:28 and 19:30 and these are the only two places in all of the New Testament where it is found. In the John19:28 passage, it is translated, “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now completed , in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I thirst.’” Two verses later, he utters the word himself: “Then when he received the sour wine Jesus said, ‘ It is finished ,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” Did you know that the word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full? The Greek-English lexicon (by Moulton and Milligan) sa...

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