Challenged!

Yesterday I received an e-mail from one of my friends. He is an amazing example of God's love. He just got married to a woman who is just absolutely gorgeous and the sweetest person. Actually, while my parents were here from California, they got married. I wouldn't miss it for the world, so I drug my parents to their wedding so I could see it. :)

Anyway, after I read his e-mail last night, I responded to him and thanked him for including me on the list. Hearing the things that God has done in his life and through him is just absolutely a blessing to me. I also included the link to this site. He responded back and told me, "...YES share your Blessings (too)"

That made me pause.

Lately...actually, since the beginning of the year, I have been going through storm after storm and, I'll be straight honest, it is HARD some days to look back and think, "Wow! What an awesome blessing today was God! Thank you so much!" I'm kind of tired of storms, though I know that, as a Christian, if I am constantly chasing God and His will and His desires for my life, I'm going to be faced with a lot of them.

But I NEED to start looking back at each day and REALLY finding the good spots. So what if they aren't all, "I won the lottery, then I met the man of my dreams, then I booked my first ever REAL vacation with my son to Disney World, and then I got a huge raise at work, and then I adopted 10 at-risk teens who all instantly gave their lives to Jesus because I am bad ass!" I'll admit, that would be one amazing day, but where would I go from there? How could anything possibly top a day like that? It couldn't.

His e-mail came at a good time for me. Today was tough. Last night I was up until 1:45 a.m. packing and worrying (instead of praying and journaling), which resulted in me being extra tired today with a low tolerance level for people being...people. Today was also the day that every upset move and rebate client decided they wanted to talk to ME.

And then my boss comes in and hands me a credit card statement and looked at my quite messy desk with a look that needed no words to accompany it ("Would you clean up your desk and get something done on credit card reconciliations please?!?!").

I'm home now. Reflecting on my day. I can chose to look back and think, "What an awful and busy day filled with (fill in the blank)!" But I think I'm going to try something different:

God, thank You for helping me handle clients who were upset and high maintenance more gracefully than I was otherwise inclined to. Help me to do even better next time. Thank YOU for giving me the steadiness of mind to work through credit card reconciliations and disburse ALL requests to their accurate parties in a quick, efficient, and professional manner. Father, help me to wrap everything up with them by Friday so that is one less looming task I have to stare at and worry about. Help me to get real, honest, and genuine rest tonight. Help me to remember that You are in control, no matter how big or many my storms are. Thank you for all you do for me. Thank you for carrying me when I can't carry myself. Amen

In thinking about it, I may start posting 10 things I'm thankful for every day. I wonder how long I can go without repeating.... :)

Until next time my friends. God bless!