I CHOOSE - BY MAX LUCARDO

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black.
The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments,
dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of
solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human
race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands.
It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free
to choose. And so I choose.

I choose Love....
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.
choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose Joy....
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will
refuse the temptation to be cynical..... the tool of the lazy thinker. I
will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings,
created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less
than an opportunity to see God.

I choose Peace....
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose Patience....
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead
of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him
to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will
thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my
fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose Kindness....
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich,
for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is
how God treated me.

I choose Goodness....
I will go without before I take dishonest gain. I will be
overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I
choose goodness.

I choose Faithfulness....
Today, I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their
trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will
not question my love. And my children will never fear that
their father will not come home.

I choose Gentleness....
Nothing is won by force, I choose to be gentle. If I raise my
voice, may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may
it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.

I choose Self-control....
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will
soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose
self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I
choose self-control.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,
Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness,
Self-control. To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I
fail, I will seek His Grace. And then,
when the day is done, I will place my
head on my pillow and rest.