I am sitting here reflecting as I have much to be grateful for. I could start to list them off….many of them are small, for example…”I am very thankful I found where my camera was and that the battery was dead before my son’s birthday tomorrow.”
Ahh, birthdays. I have two of them in our house this week. I am soon to be the mother of a 12 and 14 year old respectfully.
I wonder if that is why my mind is going berserk this week!!!
I have no idea really, but I do know that this has been a very hard week!
I have been reading more…which is something I do frantically, when I am trying not to think about things that are bothering me.
My laundry has piled up. My husband neatly organized the baskets, but when I was going through drawers today and realized that they are all almost empty…I realized how behind I was!
So, here I sit. Reflecting and thinking of my blessings.
It is tough when our lives are tough here, and yet, when I think of Christians in other parts of the world who have it much worse than us, I am thankful. It put it into perspective when I hear the sufferings of the saints over in faraway lands. It makes that basketball pounding hour after hour in my basement a minor complaint.
I wonder sometimes if though, we discount some of our trials because they are not as big as someone else’s? Or we think ours are bigger than other people’s? I think that sometimes we need to step back, take a look at our life, not comparing it to anyone else…just stop, sniff the air and really look at what we want to be different.
I believe that even when our lives are out of control, we have a choice to make that life better or miserable. I read these stories of the pioneers in one room cabins, happy to celebrate Christmas with meager diets. Yet, there were plenty that complained then as well!
For me….that means that I want to accomplish doing something to impact the world, so I am starting with my children. I am working on raising them to be faithful in the small things.
My son helped someone, an elderly gentleman get a cart out the other day and the man so appreciated it. He told me “You are raising him right!” and it made me feel so happy.
I want to be able to spend time with them and know that if my time was cut short, I have used my minutes to make a difference in their lives or in others lives through them.
But it is so hard somedays! I just want to throw my hands up and say “God, I am not cut out to do this!”
I think that is when He is gently reminding me that He did cut me out to do this. He knows I am not perfect. I fail often. But I am persistent. My oldest son even said so….I am not sure he thought it was a good thing. But I am persistent to do what I think is right.
I want to continue to step forward…even if I take a few steps backwards sometimes.
So, what can you do in your life today to make a difference in those around you, even if it is something small like fresh towels for your family?
We can be thankful, but also know that God does know that our trials are big to us and pray for the strength to get through them!