Hi, all you kind folks in Readership Land. My name is Angel and I’m a church mouse. I get to see a lot of things most folks are either too busy (or something) to notice.

I overheard this conversation Sunday as some of the parishioners left a local church.

“How could I forget Philippians,” one woman exclaimed. “How could I forget the ‘whatevers’?”

The speaker had used a familiar passage from her favorite book of the Bible - Philippians.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, bring your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – Think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:4-9 NIV)

“Well, why shouldn’t Paul be a Pollyanna. He never went through the trials I’m enduring now. Nothing ever went wrong in his life, did it,” another woman asked.

Let’s think – Paul was a prisoner when he wrote to the church at Philippi. He had gone from being a high ranking Jew to being blinded, survived shipwrecks, was bit by a poisonous snake and was beaten, to name some of his problems. And of course, there was that whatever-it-was “thorn in the flesh.”

When troubles come, and they will, let’s try to remember to put into practice Paul’s teachings, rejoice and think about the “whatevers.”

May the God of peace be with you.