Its about perspective . . .

Matthew Henry is a well-known bible commentator. One day he was robbed.  That evening he made the following entry in his diary:

Let me be thankful ...

first, because I was never robbed before

second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life

third, because although they took my all, it was not much

and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.

. . . 

 

I confess.  I can be a bit of a Pollyanna about life.  I tend to try to look at the bright side of everything, to try to take something positive out of the negative, to look up instead of down.  I was not always like this, and I cringe when I think of all the time I wasted in my life feeling sorry for myself, blaming others, dwelling on the negative, and feeling woe is me.  Its all about perspective.  I can't say for sure when the lightbulb moment for me was, but I am grateful that I had it, because life has been 100% better ever since.  I think the secret to finding joy, is therewith to be content.   To dwell on the things you DO have in life, rather than the things you don't.  Don't get me wrong. It is good to strive to be better, do better, become better . . .  but you need to appreciate where you've been and who you are first.

Yesterday Todd and I were sitting in the living room, with a friend, chatting  . . .  and all of a sudden it dawned on me that it was exactly 7 years ago yesterday that we moved into this house, having just been through the most painful month in the whole of our life together.  We had lost our job, our home, our dog and were reeling from all of the losses.  Anyone who knows me and has been reading me for that long will remember just how very broken we felt at the time.  I can remember saying to Todd, I feel a bit like Job . . .  when are we going to break out in boils and sores. It would have been so easy to just give up.

 but then 

...

little by little we began to see the positives.  I had been very unhappy at work, but I was not a quitter. I would never have quit my job, but would have stuck with it, no matter what.  Being made redundant meant I never had to even think about quitting, and it removed me from a situation that was, at its very best, poison to my soul and sucking the joy out of my life.  I gained the freedom to explore my talents, do more art, write more, spend more time with Todd.  I would never trade what I have now, for what I had then. Life is good. We are good. We are content. We are happy. . .  but we would never have known any of this without having first gone through the fire and coming out stronger at the other end. We would never have been able to serve a Mission.  We would never have found our Mitzie. I would never have had the time to write my book. (Still pinching myself over that one.)  We would never have had all these precious hours with each other that we have been able to enjoy together over these past seven years, never had the priviledge to know and serve with some of the most wonderful people, to make the beautiful friendships we have made, etc.

We are blessed,and blessed

and blessed some 

more

...

Life is filled with lessons.  Some come easy. Other's come hard, but . . . lessons come no matter what. I have learned so many things in my life thus far, and many of my lessons have been learned the hard way, but I am grateful for each lesson learnt, each tear I have cried, and for every step I have taken forward, even if sometimes it seemed like I was taking two steps back for every forward one I took.   A step forward is still progress in my opinion!  I am a lemonade from lemons kind of a woman, and I am grateful for that.

A letter has been written and will be winging its way to a little girl.  I hope she likes it.  I hve my fingers crossed.  It is filled with little drawings, etc. I hope she likes it. I really do. Its a way to connect with  her . . .

We were unable to watch any of the conference yesterday. Despite our best attempts, the internet fairies kept putting stumbling blocks in front of our every effort. We will try again today, but it will be without the music and I will miss that because the music is something which we both really enjoy. Oh well!  These things happen.  I hear the Mr stirring so I must be about my day. 

A thought to carry with you . . .

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°. . 
Faith tells me that no matter 
what lies ahead of me,
God is already there.   .° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

 Spiritual Enlightenment

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Earl Grey Stewed Prunes.  Very nostalgic and very tasty.

Have a great Sunday. I hope you are blessed.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!