The Legendary Town of Paradise

Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. So many people benefit from your giving!

Once, in a classic Jewish tale, a restless, unhappy man from Warsaw wakes up one morning determined to find the legendary town of Paradise. He travels deep into the night until he finds himself on the side of a mountain. There, he decides to get some rest. To be sure he remembers which way he was traveling, he points his boots in the direction of Paradise.

However, in the middle of the night, a good (or maybe evil) spirit turns his shoes around.

When the man wakes up, he resumes his journey—headed in the direction of his shoes. He ends up in a city that looks very much like Warsaw. He even finds a house that looks just like his, and a woman who looks just like his wife. Convinced he’s now living in Paradise, he moves in… and somehow, his life seems so much better.

Sometimes we think, “My life would be so much better if…”

If I could only land that job…

If I could just get that next promotion…

If my son would finish college…

If my health would improve…

And maybe it would. But sometimes we get so caught up in living in the “what if,” that we miss much of the good of life right here, right now.

I’m certainly as guilty of this as anyone! But when I pause even for a few moments, I don’t have to look far to see much good and beauty in my life.

My spiritual director once gave me this assignment: Write out the words to Philippians 4:8–9. Memorize the verse. And then—do it!

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Our prayer today was written by Rev. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

Let us pray:  O God of sunrise and sunset, let this day be a day of sunrise in our hearts, when all things are made bright and new. We thank you that you have chosen to make your home in our hearts. Help us now to make this day a masterpiece. In Jesus’ name. Amen.