May 22-23, 2012-And the Journey Continues…

     No matter what each day brings, difficulties at work, stress at home, not-stop tasks and duties to complete until you fall in bed exhausted at night, life goes on.  The journey continues even when your life is falling apart or when it’s coming together just as you always wanted.  People still have to pay their bills, take care of their families, eat, sleep, and hopefully, head home to laugh and love together.  I am thankful today for food, however simple it may be. I am thankful for phones to connect us to those we love. I am thankful for my children who bring so much joy to my heart just by the smiles on their faces and the stories they are always bursting to tell when they come home from a day full of adventures. I am thankful for God and His faithfulness, which is new every morning and always there for me and for all of His children. I am thankful for words, which give voice to my most inner thoughts and feelings and allow me to share my joys and sorrows with my family around the world.  I am thankful for life, health, and my ability to work and take care of my family and myself each and every day I wake up on earth. 

     I’ve written it before in this blog, and I’ll write it again. Starting and ending your day on a positive note, being thankful for what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t can and will completely change your life.  Not to be harsh, but think of it this way, life will go on whether you continue in it or not, so why not make it a good day, find joy in the little things, seek out peace wherever you can find it, be thankful that you are alive and well, make the most of it.  God intended us to live life to the fullest as Jesus states in John 10:10, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  When you look up the definition for abundantly, of course since it is an adverb, derived from the root word abundant, it says, “in an abundant manner,” which doesn’t really tell us much about what that means, but when you look up synonyms for the same word, you will find things like, “plentifully, generously, inexhaustibly, and richly.” I love the fact that generously and inexhaustibly are included with the other synonyms because that’s what I feel most closely resembles living life abundantly, giving to others daily and being generous with our time, talents, and whatever God has blessed us with as well as being tireless in those efforts are what living life to the fullest is really all about.  God does not intend for us to mope through life, but to enjoy the world He created for us. My favorite verse and in fact, the one that is forever inked within my high school yearbook beside my senior picture is Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God wants the best for us, and so, we should strive to obtain that best for ourselves as well.  No matter what obstacles life sends your way, take the lemons and make lemonade out of it and share this optimistic attitude with others. As you do so, watch how blessed your life suddenly becomes, whether in plenty or in need, you’ll be living life abundantly!!