HOW DID YOU GET THROUGH IT?

I recently went to dinner with three new sweet friends.  All ages--all life stages--and different social status.  Three hours later--I came away with new insight and cause to think as I reflected on the night's conversation.  God has put new people in my life--and I am slowly gaining new relationships.  As the old song says--"Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other gold."

During the evening, the question was asked of a friend who tragically lost her husband 22 years ago---"How did you make it?"  She is a very tiny-soft spoken beautiful lady--who in her own profound way simply stated, "At the end of each day, I asked God to show me what I had to be thankful for that day."  A practiced-intentional act of remembering at the day's end--to look back and concentrate on what was good about the day.

  My new friend has given me a beautiful example to follow as I learn her story.  She also has a disabled son who lives with her and always will-as long as she is here with us.  She is a beautiful example of servant hood and dependence upon the Father.  I am thankful that God is using her to teach me.

So often we all get mired down in the difficult--the painful--that which causes great suffering and sorrow.  We are all "Fallen" and tend to be whiners and complainers about the path our lives have taken.  We only look on one side of the path toward the brambles and briers.  A simple turn of our head and we would see the beauty on the other side and all we have to be thankful for.  Our lives are abundantly filled with so many blessings--why then do I stare at the briers & brambles?

I pray for intention of keeping my eyes upon the beauty of the path.  I will stop each day, at the day's end,  as I put my head upon the pillow and remember the day for what it was---and give a last prayer of thanks as He reminds me of the beauty of the day.

"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

Ephesians 5:20