Lessons

I've been thinking a lot recently about how lucky, how blessed I am. I have two healthy, beautiful, sweet kids. I have a husband who is kind, responsible, loving, and fit as a fiddle. I have a great relationship with every member of my family. Really no disfunction to speak of. I've been successful at most of the things I've tried to do. I've really never experienced any great tragedy in my life. The closest thing has been my grandmother's death, of cancer, which was heartbreaking and painful. But (and I'm not trying to minimize the experience or my loss for her) she was old, and we knew to expect it sometime.

But recently I've heard the stories of a few friends of mine that are so so devastating, things that I can't even imagine going through, and I just marvel at what I HAVE. I thank the Lord for all my blessings. How could I ask for anything more? How can I complain about all the many little things I complain about, when I have so much? How can I ignore God as much as I do, barely giving Him a thought, when my friends who have so much loss are focusing so much on Him and have such amazing faith? Why is it that I'm afraid to even write this post--afraid of what some people reading it might think?

Well, (deep breath) I'm writing it anyway, because this past week I have been so aware of what God has given me, and that it IS from God, that I need to talk about it. I feel excited for Christmas this year in a way that I don't think I've felt so much in the past. Like I'm really excited to welcome Jesus into this world. To remember his birth. Maybe its because I'm so aware now of childbirth and babies and it has a new meaning for me, and maybe Kris's sermons about preparing for the Lord this advent are really sinking in. So thank you, Lord, for coming to Earth. Thank you for giving me everything I need and more, including some new perspective.