Learning to be grateful and not grumpy

I can't keep the desolation and destruction out of my mind. I tell myself that I should be grateful. My stomach though churns whenever I look at the news. I can't help thinking about how very blessed I am or wondering how I would react if it was my place that the wind tore away. I pray for all the families and towns that are affected by the spate of tornadoes that literally tore people's lives to shreds. Yet I know the Lord is in this too. He has a plan here. He knows that we shouldn't hold onto things so tightly that we lose perspective on the things that are important in our lives.

We need to learn daily the lessons of being grateful and put down the feelings of grumpiness that seep into our lives. We should be joyful, not depressed. It is hard, I know, to learn those lessons. Most of the time we take things for granted until something happens that shakes our world. I know my world has been shaken these past two years as I've struggled with family health issues and financial issues due to a loss of income.

I can't go back to what I was before. I tried. I need to find some other sources of income soon. If I let myself get discouraged about the slowness of the research, I'm not helping myself to achieve my goals of financial stability and accountability. I'm also not following the Lord's lead if I don't step out in faith believing that he'll continue to provide for me. I can't go back. I must move forward in God's love, and open up my heart to others so that they can see the Lord in me. I do pray that this is the case. I want others to see the Lord in me and want to know him. If I succumb to the darkness or surrender to the "pity party" that some have when everything doesn't go their way....what message am I sending?

We need to let go of the bitterness that so easily entangles us in its web of deceit and lies. God is able to absorb and do away with the anger and frustration that so easily besets us. I know that I do still get frustrated and angry. I long to be able to say that I'm financially independent...I know a lot of us do...Yet this is a trap. We must learn to depend on God and reach out to others.

Putting myself in another person's shoes and going the distance

I realized yesterday while talking to my best friend that I really don't have it that bad. God has been good to me. He has blessed me with two good feet, two good arms, good eyesight and hearing. All this I had taken for granted until my best friend related her daily struggles with her feet and the fear that one day she may lose that limited ability to walk. I look around me at those who are now struggling to move their arms as both age and arthritis kick in. I try to put myself in their shoes. Sometimes it is hard to understand when I have been so blessed the struggle to work with pain.

I know the one thing I do admire is those who despite the pain and struggle go the distance to help others. That can't be easy. The human condition basically screams for you to take care of yourself and forget the others around you. Even now as I write these words, I have a hard time reconciling my needs with the needs of those I love. I know I must. Only when I take the focus off my situation can I move forward.

I am admittedly frightened sometimes about the deteriorating circumstances that I'm finding myself in. Dark forces want to drag me down and whisper frightening scenarios in my head. They want to pull me back into the deep pit of despair and despondency. It is these dark forces that you must fight with God's strength, not your own.

God is in control. He is blessing you. You may not realize it now, yet when you put yourself in another person's shoes it will open your eyes to the many blessings God has provided you. God will give you the strength to go the distance and will give you the direction you need. I tell myself this daily as I remind myself that one day I will see him face to face.

Fighting the Good Fight and Remembering those who have fallen

It seems somehow appropriate during Passion Week to think about those servants of the Lord who have fought the good fight and have laid down their lives for others. I remember humbly those who have gone before me laying the groundwork for a solid foundation. I admire them more today when I see the efforts of those who know better to try to tear it all down. The young have no understanding of what it took for those who have gone before to get to where we are today in our country. It's a shame when the absolute truth of the Bible is no longer taken for granted, but instead is mocked and ridiculed. We are reaping the seeds of anguish and fear we'd sown. It's understandable for the young to forget and turn away from the tenants of faith that have established and sustained us.

I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the ignorance and complacency of those around me. I know that I'm guilty of this too. We all need reminders of the sacrifices made for our spiritual freedom. We need to reflect on what Christ did for us so many years ago. He fought the good fight, so that we may live with him eternally. We only have to turn our eyes to the Cross and what he suffered there to know how great a love he has for us.

It is good to remember those who emulated Christ and established programs and reached out to others in need. My heart has been broken for the disenfranchised among us who even now are struggling to survive in a world that is becoming increasingly cold and heartless. It isn't an easy fight. Forces threaten to pull me apart and laugh at my puny efforts to help those around me. I will in God's strength move forward.

Thinking about wasted time and how to redeem it

I know that I have been wasting time trying to find my niche in the working world. It seems that the more I struggle with trying to find the right fit for me in the job market, the more depressed I get. Once I do stop, I find some purpose. It's weird....I know. Most expect me to keep struggling, especially now that my financial situation is looking dire. I can't....especially now that I found some other purpose in my life. It is funny that I have such a passion for preserving local history...when over a year ago I had none.

Yet I can't help thinking that there is a reason why I have such as a passion now. Just like Esther of the Old Testament, I am where the Lord wants me to be and in the situation I'm in because I needed to have my eyes opened. There are lessons to be learned and legacies to be unearthed for future generations. I know that in my own strength I can't make the past come alive for the young. I can't redeem the time either without thought to how it will affect those who I come in contact with on a daily basis.

It is a battle against time and deterioration. Every day I hear of another precious artifact lost forever or of a historical building losing its battle to the wrecking ball. Someone has to stand in the breach. Someone needs to reach the young and let them know about their history before it disappears. How?....by showing them the rich resources they have if they only reach out and take a hold of them.

You redeem time by teaching the young to respect the history of their community and showing them that they are making history even as they speak. Then they will carry it on to their children to cherish.

Leaving a Legacy or Time Well Spent

Legacy Planning

In the above link are some tools and resources for legacy planning. Many people think that only the wealthy can plan their legacy. This is not true. Some things of course cost money to plan out, yet all of us can plan how we would like to be remembered by our loved ones and acquaintances. What we leave behind will reflect on what we are interested in, what we care about and whether or not we are remembered for our good deeds or our evil deeds.

Time well spent is time that is devoted to the interest of others in your community and your world. You get to decide whether or not you will preserve a piece of history or let it decay into dust. You can make a difference in someone else's life in a variety of ways. Some of the obvious are volunteering for an event, cleaning up a park, planting a garden that will feed the hungry and helping those around you in need. Sometimes a small gesture can make a huge difference in someone's life.

I have been thinking a lot about the legacy I will leave behind. What story will others pick up about me? Will they see someone who loves the Lord or someone who is just playacting? I hope the former is true. I want my legacy to be that of a person who resonates the love of God and brings people to him. I want to be a person who is willing to stand up against the oppressors and show that God is in control.