Blessings and Sorrows

The past 20 months I have had 2 people close to me deal with very, very difficult things.  While neither situation affected my life in a daily fashion, the situations have significantly changed me.  For the better, I hope! 

These trials have taught me to always be grateful.  It's easy to get focused on the small things that bother you.  I think that it is human nature to complain and worry. I think, unfortunately it often takes something big and bad to happen before most people realize how blessed they truly are!  I don't think I was ever a huge complainer but I know I took things for granted (still do sometimes) and whined/fretted/complained about things that really never mattered.  Held grudges for infractions that might have been "justified" but really weren't worth the energy and certainly weren't helping me or anyone in anyway. Living a life of gratitude today truly benefits not only yourself but those around you.  I am certainly not perfect at this but I am trying and hope that for those I love enduring (or having recently endured) a significant trial they will know my life is different because of them.  While I would do anything I possibly could to change their situations, I will always be more grateful for the small blessings each day holds.

That being said, these trials suck.  Big losses and lots of pain.  At times, it is hard not to be overwhelmed with sorrow and lose hope that things will be right again.  I didn't go to church last weekend because Carson wasn't feeling great and was napping when we needed to leave so Victor took the other two himself.  I almost skipped it again this week because Victor was out of town and I wanted to go to the gym and wasn't sure I could do both because the gym daycare is only open a few hours on Sundays. (My priorities are great, I know!)  I decided I could do both because Carson slept in late (after being awake quite a bit at night) so it wouldn't mess up his nap schedule too much.

Well, I am glad I went to church!  Our pastor closed the service by saying that although he had discussed the following verses last week he felt the need to focus on it again briefly as he thought that there might be people that had missed church (ahem) last week that needed to hear this particular passage. 

Here is the passage....

Psalm 33: 20-22

²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD;
   he is our help and our shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
   for we trust in his holy name.
²² May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
   even as we put our hope in you. 

 

Don't you love when the pastor talks right to you?!!!

  I really needed reminded yesterday that while there are great trials in life there is HOPE.  

I will rest in that!

Thank you Daron and Feifei and Austin and Terri for displaying such courage, strength, 

and valor during times when most people wouldn't be able too.

I am learning how to live a grateful life from watching you!

 

So I leave those reading this with the challenge to embrace life today, be grateful for the blessings 

no matter how big the trial, and know that there is hope for better days!