Saturday, April 05, 2008

blessed are the poor...

for they shall inherit the earth....

Don't know why, but that has been in my head for the past hour or so. Actually, I do know why...as, I've shared with you before, we are experiencing financial difficulties. Not difficulties like we can't afford groceries, but difficulty in figuring out how are we going to continue. I've been looking for a job, but with my husband's schedule, it really makes it a bit difficult with two kids and their school schedules. The bottom line is that my income hasn't been there for the past year and it makes things tight.

I know, I know, some of you are wondering, why on earth are you airing your dirty laundry??? Why? Well, I guess because I don't think of it as dirty laundry. There are a lot of hurting people in the world right now. There are a lot, and I mean A LOT of people who have things a heck of a lot worse than I do. I know that I am rich beyond measure. I have food to eat, I have a place to lay my head, I have two cars, I have two healthy children. I know that I am blessed.

But I also know that there are times in each of our lives when we don't feel blessed. We feel like our prayers are not penetrating the clouds above us. We feel like God has all but forgotten us.

It is what it is. It's like my son says, "you get what you get and you don't get upset." I love that!! What a great way to live your life, don't you think? Why get stressed out about money, weight, jobs, relationships??? You don't have to .... you're dealt the cards you're dealt...deal with it. You can make it better or worse. But don't get upset about it. Don't be ashamed of the cards you're dealt. God has allowed those cards to be dealt to you. He has something better in store. Something that you wouldn't be able to attain on your own if you never went through those/these hard times.

My mother-in-law wrote something today that really resonated with me, I don't know who said it but here it is:
"Be kinder than you think necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
How true that is.

And as for the earth? I'm waiting for it. I know God has many blessings and riches awaiting me. Maybe not during my lifetime, but I will see it one day.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved this post. I don't view it as "airing your dirty laundry". We all are currently (or have been) in situations just like yours. Your post was/is REAL and reflects real LIFE for many people we all know. But like you said, we have to make do and keep on and appreciate what we DO have becuz there are others who have SO MUCH less (I remind myself of that often when I start to get into a slump). So thanks for "keeping it real" April!! And I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you that things start to get better!

Anonymous said...

James 1 is a GREAT chapter for trying times like these. Maybe we should have a Bible study of James to keep us focused in the right place?! Keep smiling (Eventually it will be real, right? Isn't that how it usually works?) and know that your friends are here for you in any way we can be- even if it is just a laugh now and then to cut the tension of other areas of life... Or we can just get together and get other people arrested. Either way. ;)

itsdevin said...

haha i love jen. shes funny. i loved this one too. shes not just funny, folks, shes a wise one, too!

~**Dawn**~ said...

I always try to remind myself that while I may not be able to control my circumstances, I *can* control how I react to them.