A Blessed "New Year" Sunday Morning! An interesting take on faith in my readings. "When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything that one does have. If you're disabled, you should pour your energies into those areas where you are not handicapped. You should concentrate on what you 'CAN DO WELL', and not mourn over what your cannot do. And it is very important not to give in to self-pity. If you're disabled and you feel sorry for yourself, then no one is going to have much to do with you. A physically handicapped person certainly 'CANNOT' afford to be psychologically handicapped as well." ~ Stephen Hawking ~

Adversity can have a positive effect on people by helping them to build character. For Christians, Scripture says it develops and enhances that precious characteristic called faith.

(James 1:2-4 NIV, ©2010) states:

"Trials and Temptations

2: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3: because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

I found this quite timely and applicable to myself and possibly many others for consideration.

LOL, I must be a good Catholic, because, when you wrote "in spite of adversity", I immediate thought, Because of adversity..

I agree with your thread, Craig. It isn't always easy to train your mind to think this way, but it makes the "yoke" so much lighter...
I have been reading Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now", a little bit at a time, usually in the morning. It emphasizes the important life skill of living in the present moment, and not getting drawn into the ego's penchant for drama, crisis and vicitmization. It has helped me tremendously. The ability to be grateful for waking up in the morning, enjoying even the cold weather, and trying to change only what I'm able to has made a large difference in my quality of life, has helped make my marriage better, my relationships with my adult kids deeper and more meaningful, and has allowed me to understand what my spiritual teacher had been trying to get into my head decades ago...that I can find bliss in just washing my cereal bowl. I get it now...and I'm grateful!