humbled...

I had to call in sick today! I HATE that. But even worse...I had to miss church yesterday. I HATE THAT even MORE!!! Good 'ol BRONCHITIS! At least now I seem to be on the road to recovery, of which I am very thankful. Being sick ALWAYS gives me more time to think, and to be a "bum" ... and to be THANKFUL!
This past thanksgiving I made up a HUGE list of all the things I am thankful for. I remembered doing it with my grade 1-3 class and I decided to take it on myself this year. My answers were not quite as creative as their "eyelashes" or "fingernails".... but now that they mention it, I am thankful for those things as well!
Out of my long list, ONE thing I wrote has stayed with my daily since.

"I am thankful for my HEALTH."

I am always amazed at how a stuffy nose can throw off my day... or even a headache. Think about the last time you had an ache or pain... would you also say you had a GREAT day? Probably not! (unless of course you are much more in tune with "the bigger picture" than I am.)
At the time I wrote this list I did not know what was before me, I just realized that my health truly is a gift.
My burden I have been dealing with is recognizing that every day is a gift from God, and EVERY day with good health is abundantly more than we could ask or think! I was reminded in my devotions today that when Paul was very ill, he said, "..for when I AM WEAK, then am I STRONG" (II Cor 12:10b)

Sometimes I feel like I want to know why. "Why is my mom sick?" "Why do my friends have cancer?" "Why are you letting these things happen to good people, God?" And then as if I am slapped in the face, I remember that our Creator knows the beginning from the end, He has a purpose in all things, and I need to HUMBLE myself before Him and recognize His power and wisdom.
Do I struggle with this?
Absolutely.
Because I CAN'T understand an all-knowing God.
BUT BUT BUT..... I WILL trust Him.

Have a FANTASTIC MONDAY!

Oh ya... and our site will be "fixed"soon... I'm new at all this "edit HTML" stuff! I can't figure out how to put pictures up.... oh, GREG, where are you????!!!!

manda