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I read something yesterday that really caught my attention. I sometimes read on Alzheimer’s because my grandmother died of this and I have prayed against this for every other member of my family, especially as my Aunts and Mom are aging.

I read that they had recently completed a study showing five things that greatly increase your chance of getting this disease. Four of those were no surprise as they dealt with what we eat, exercise and how we treat our bodies. The fifth one however caught my attention and shows me yet again how wise and perfect our God is.

The fifth one dealt with negative thinking. It said negative thoughts hinder your brains ability to think straight and causes you to be unable to form memories.

Now, I am not saying every person who gets Alzheimers is a negative person, I am saying statistically this increases your chances at the disease. It makes sense to me since the disease deals with memories.

All through the Bible we are warned about being negative. We are encouraged to be people of faith – who believe for the very best to come to pass. I know that is not always easy but that is what God tells us to do. There is good in every situation, we simply have to find it. And choose to meditate on that good part.

Philippians 4:8 says; Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

God urges us through His word to think on good things. I love to be around people who have a great outlook on life, even if I am having a not-so-good day, they will lift me up. On the other hand I do NOT enjoy being around people who are negative and only see and talk about the negative – it literally drains the life out of me. I try to spend as little time as possible with those type of people.

Proverbs 23:7 says ‘as a man thinks, so is he.’ This is so true. It’s time we realize when we allow ourselves to continually have and mediate on negative thoughts that it is not only affecting us now, but could very well be altering our future as well, even our health and well being.

I don’t know about you but I intend to live a long, healthy life with a long, healthy memory. I am working on that every day of my life as I choose to have good thoughts – as I choose to mediate on what is good and lovely and praise worthy – as I choose to think as God thinks.

I also do not want to be one of those people that positive, faith-filled people don’t want to spend time with. I want to be one of those who encourage and lift others up…don’t you?

Friends, let’s think on good things today – there really IS good in every day….you can find it and if you have trouble finding it, look at your children, or the clothes on your body or the food on your table or the fact that you are breathing and you have another day to make an impact on someone’s life…search for the good, the lovely and the praiseworthy and refuse to dwell on the negative…allow your brain to do what God created it to do…make great lasting memories. AMEN!