The Glass Half...

Brian's eyes opened one hour before his alarm went off. "Great," thought Brian, "now I'm awake. I might as well get up." He slowly dragged himself out of bed and mildly cursed as he hit his foot on something by the bedside he had left there the night before.

In the shower his mind raced with all he had to do for the day. "It's only Monday and I'm already behind this week." he muttered.

A slice of toast and jelly and a cup of coffee were in his hands as he went out the door to his car.
"Crap!" said Brian while setting his coffee cup down on the roof of his car. "Where are my keys? Oh, never mind. Here they are in the other pocket."

The rest of the drive to work went on without incident. Brian listened to the morning news about the latest world affairs and political wranglings on the radio. This did not improve his mood.

Upon entering the office, Jerry greeted him with the usual joke. Brian tried to summon a grin. Frankly, Jerry annoyed him. Before he even sat down at his desk, Sharon walked over to remind him about an important office meeting that would take up most of the morning.

"You do not want to mess with me today!" Brian snapped. Sharon was taken aback. "Brian, are you alright?" she asked. "Just give me a couple of minutes, Sharon, OK?" Brian replied while trying to soften his tone. He didn't do a very good job, though. Brian sat down as Sharon walked away.

"Is there some way this day could have turned out different?" Brian said out loud to no one in particular.

* * * * *


Brian's eyes opened one hour before his alarm went off. "Great," thought Brian, "I'm already awake. I might as well get up." He sleepily dragged himself out of bed and picked up the Bible that hit his foot at the  bedside. He had read a little of the Bible the night before. He did not get as far as he wanted to before falling asleep but he was glad that at least he ended his day reading it and in dreamy prayer.

"Good morning, Lord. Please speak to me. I need you today," Brian said as he opened his Bible to the bookmark.

In the shower Brian's mind raced with all he had to do for the day. "Jesus, help me not to worry about tomorrow but just take care of what I have to do today." he prayed. Coincidentally, he had read a familiar verse that morning that said just that.

Brian grabbed his breakfast and headed to the car.
"Now where did I put my keys?" said Brian while setting his coffee cup down on the roof of his car. "Probably my other pocket. Yep!"

The warm coffee felt good on a cold morning. Brian knew that Mondays were tough though and he could feel a general frustration already rising. So he resisted the urge to catch up on news on the radio and instead switched it to a Christian music station. "Lord, please help me to worship you today. I want to have the right attitude and I need your help." A couple of songs played and Brian switched it off to finish the ride in silence.

Upon entering the office, Jerry greeted him with the same joke he had heard every Monday. Brian laughed not at the joke but at the predictability of Jerry.

"Jerry, I appreciate you, man. Every Monday morning you greet me and try to cheer me up. It takes a lot of work on me though." said Brian. Both were now smiling.

Before he even sat down at his desk, Sharon walked over to remind him about an important office meeting that would take up most of the morning. Sharon looked worried. She always had something on her mind.

"Sharon, are you alright?" Brian asked. "Yeah, I just need a couple of minutes to calm down. I'm worried that they are going to start laying off people in our department and I need this job bad, Brian." A sob crept into her voice.

"Would you mind if I prayed for us, Sharon?" Brian asked.

"Please." she managed to reply. After Brian finished praying, she mouthed, "Thank you." and squeezed his hand.

"Lord, I don't know how this day would have turned out so far without Your help." Brian said out loud to Someone in particular.