Do you ever dwell on the negative happenings
in your life until it dims the shine of all the blessings you live with
every day? I do that. Many days I dwell on my health problems, such as my
arthritis and lower back problems until it really zaps the joy from life. The
other day it hit me, how often I let that happen.
My Mom used to say, that when she opened her eyes in the morning and saw
the sun coming through her bedroom window she always, “thanked God for another
day”! I don't even do that...I just plant my stiff feet on the floor, and ooch
and ouch my way to the bathroom muttering in my head about how they hurt and disgusted
that I can't take any advil anymore, and how mad at myself I am for allowing my
weight problem to exasterbate the whole thing.
Then, I fix my tea and toast (my favorite time of every day)! This is when I used to take my advil… three of them, so I
could take the edge of my arthritis and do something. Now I have to tackle
everything I do with the sheer willpower, I manage to muster up. Lately my poor attitude
has been fanning the flame of self pity.
The other day I was driving out to see Stetson and listening to Laura
Story's song, Blessings. I really soaked in the same lyrics I'd heard many times
before. Later that week I heard a speaker say, “ what ever is bothering you,
whether it's something benign like arthritis, or something deadly like cancer,
is easier to handle if you change your attitude”! If we believe we have
everlasting life, the years we spend in our earthly bodies are like a blip on
the radar scale...because eternity has a long timeline!
I resolved to find things every day
that I'm thankful for. Small things like when you get a cart and all the wheels
work, the moment of relief you feel after tripping and NOT falling this time, or how
about when you are approaching a stoplight and you whiz right through! Then of
course the huge overlooked everyday blessings such as health( whats a little
arthritis?), music, laughter, books, family, children, second chances, air
conditioning and warm fireplaces. But most of all - those whose footprints are
imprinted all over our lives.
So pick up your cross whatever that is, and carry on! Life is so much sweeter when you, “keep
on the sunny side, always on the sunny side….keep on the sunny side of life”!
