Thanksgiving Revelation (attempt #536)

  

DH and I having fun at a Razorback Game-2009

Ssshhh...It's 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon and I am holed away in the office trying to write my position paper on Women in Leadership....instead, my mind *of course* is wandering to my weekend in AR. DH and I had a great time visiting with friends, family, and shopping (okay, I probably enjoyed that more than he did) and we are always thankful for the people God has placed in our lives, but it still surprised me, though, at a family gathering this weekend, when some cousins commented on how "fun and exciting" DH's and my life seems....Wait...our life seems fun?? I mean, we stay busy for sure..but all I could picture as they were complimenting us was the 12 loads of laundry, 3 loads of dishes and a litter box I had to get clean before we could even LEAVE for AR.....Yay!! fun!!

But as I sit here pondering the many events of the weekend...er....doing homework, I realize that having a fun and exciting life is EXACTLY what God wants!! I can't think of a single time that God ushered his warriors into heaven simply because of what a miserable time they were having of it here on earth! No...in fact it was those who had found their "heaven on earth" and were living so much in the presence of God that it simply made more sense for them to be in Heaven that he finally ushered up. I am not a parent yet, but I look around me and objectively evaluate situations I see... Nowhere do I see loving Godly parents who want their children to be miserable...in fact, it's quite the opposite. And God is the same way! He looks down on his children and says, "Look at how much fun my daughter is having", "Look at them playing" and he dances over us with joy. So why are we, instead, wallowing in our self-pity, crying out over the injustices in our lives, and living in such misery...instead of enjoying the life we have, thanking God for the abundance of love and peace and freedom we have, and loving our lives?? See, we (DH and I) don't have a lot of money, we DEFINITELY don't have any prestige or respect, we don't have any big toys, and yet we STILL have fun. We live our lives, giving thanks to God for all He has done and enjoying our time here together. And I think we should ALL be doing that. Start recognizing the things God IS doing for you instead of always noticing what you don't have, or what you "think" everyone else is getting in life that you're not...God LOVES you! And your story isn't finished yet, so give God the glory while it's still being written, because otherwise, you may look back on your life and shamefully say "Father, I am so sorry I didn't see you there. I am so sorry I didn't lean on you ALWAYS"...I don't know about the rest of you, but I would RATHER NOT have to say that!

We have too much to live for to stay miserable, and nasty all the time. Be thankful for the people around, be thankful for the life you have, and be thankful for a God who isn't done writing your story yet! I know I am!