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"IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH IT"Outside the Bible itself, one of the most inspiring things I've ever heard came from a father's advice to a son in a Christian movie that our family watched years ago. I don't even remember the name of the movie, but the words of wisdom have never left my mind, and I hope they never do. A father told his son, "It's not what happens to you; it's WHAT YOU DO WITH IT."Those are some words to live by! Everything that happens in my life is another opportunity for me to be wise and respond with true godly character. I don't have to whine and complain. Sometimes I do, but I don't have to. I can say,"Why ME Lord?" or I can say, "PRAISE the Lord!" Or I can just muse and pray over the thing and say nothing. I don't have to be a victim, and I don't have to be bitter. I don't have to seek revenge on anyone, nor do I have to answer or even acknowledge my critics. I can think of how bad it is for certain things to happen to me, or I can count my blessings and realize how much worse things COULD be and actually ARE for some people.When great things happen to me, I can be a fool and pretend that "It's about time" or maybe take credit for making it all happen. But if I'm wise, I will praise God for bestowing blessings on me that I didn't deserve, and I can share them with others.I don't know how much time I have left on this earth, but I sure hope that I am remembered as a man who had a righteous response to most of the ups and downs of life. If so, then I will have taught people how to live. If not, then I will have taught them how to lose. "It's not what happens to you; it's WHAT YOU DO WITH IT."