of loss and appreciation

"here comes the sun...and I say, it's alright!" ~ George Harrison

I woke up with the birds today, trudging first to my coffee pot and setting it, then let the cat out of what she thinks is her own personal bedroom. I opened the shade in the living room so that she could see what was happening outside and it was then that I noticed a neighbor, outside with his own three dogs. I said a prayer for him, as he is dealing with the loss of someone special in his life who decided that the life they had was no longer enough for her. Another prayer crossed my mind as well, for a family who will be burying a husband today, someone who was a father, a friend...a community member...the list is endless.

And so, as I continued about my morning, I pondered those whose mornings are not what they anticipated it to be...that somehow, change has taken a life from them that, in theory, they assumed would last forever.

This is why I admonish all the time: appreciate what you have because you have no idea when that apple cart will upend and you will have to start over again. There are so many variables that occur daily...and what gets to me are the many posts I see on social media in which people hate a certain day, just because.

"This is the day the Lord has made...let us rejoice and be glad!" 

When God made all of creation, He didn't sit back and proclaim, "well, that sucks!" No, He said it was ALL good! God is good! Everything that He touches is GOOD! The only reason there is sorrow in this world is due to a greedy decision made by an evil spirit to destroy the goodness that God gave to us...this has lead to eons since of pain, heartache and sorrow. Sure, we have our happy moments! We celebrate happy moments! This is why we must enjoy happy moments, because we do not have a crystal ball telling us when that next speed bump is lurking just ahead. If you live a happy life, that speed bump will be just that: a small blip on the radar of life. It is when we wallow in negativity that we seem to think that every speed bump in life is, in fact, an insurmountable mountain.

It is not.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever!

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Many of the things we take for granted, someone else is praying for. Be grateful for everything - even the crosses in your life.

They are all a grace.

God will take your sufferings and bring some kind of good out of them, though you may never see the numerous effects of this grace in your lifetime. It may be that because of what you are going through someone else is praying more, loving more, or turning back to God.

Offer everything up to God and thank him for the many blessings in your life. Be grateful. God loves you.