What's it worth?

I have always had a fascination with the Olympic games and each year they come around (Summer or Winter games), I just get so engrossed in them. I love the History in the making and learning about sports and watching it all happen. I don't know what it is, but there is something about it that just grabs me attention.
So needless to say, I've watch much of the games already, aside from yesterday with time with family.
But it got me to thinking last night...after one of the US woman's gymnasts didn't qualify for her all-around that she was favored to WIN GOLD. And she didn't even get to the finals. This poor girl, she put all of her time and energy into her life and it all came down to ONE event. Honestly, THIS IS WHY I could never do this. What pressure they must face! Obviously to make it be an Olympian you must be able to face pressure, otherwise you wouldn't get there in the first place.
But my point of all of this is...
You put so much time, practice, time, practice, sacrifice, practice, more sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears and all for what? ooooo...OUCH...for what?? duh, and Olympic medal...particularly to win Gold...that's for what!!!
Yeah...BUT...what happens when you win Gold? Yeah, you win...you get bragging rights, you get media attention, you become popular for what might be a year...unless it was a legendary performance that will constantly be played and remembered like the 1996 Women's gymnasts team was remembered (the Magnificent 7). Anyways...but really, what does it mean? Does that mean you are better than me? Yeah, at Gymnastics. Does that mean now you've completed your life...I sure hope not. Does that mean you've work so hard in that now everything will come easy...o boy...how sad if anyone thinks that. Does it mean that because you won gold or any medal that those medals go with you to Heaven? Does that mean that you are award GOLD in Heaven?
Boy, surely NOT.
I thought about it this morning. What it would be like to have a medal. I'd feel much of an accomplishment, yes. But what would I do with that medal afterwards? Sit on a shelf? display it? For how long? Until you die? THEN what happens to it? Where does that medal go? To the grave with you? Why? Is it then a waste? Does someone else inherit it? Will it mean the same to them as it did to you...NO, it NEVER will mean the same even if it was your mother or father that one it or a brother or a sister. Because no one can know the feeling it was to go through all of that to get that.
My point? You win...AWESOME. But is that was defines who you are? see, here I go again with 'WHO AM I' stuff. but it's SO TRUE. Is who you are a winner, an Olympian? NO...unfortunately for them, it really isn't. NONE of these means anything if they don't know Jesus Christ as their person Savior and go to Heaven some day. Their medal can't take them, their hard work can't take them, their dedication can't take them, their blood, sweat and tears can't take them, their good works can't take them...NOPE. Sorry...all that work really means nothing when it comes to God and what eternity means.

See, this all started because I thought about what they do with their medals someday...especially once an Olympic medalist dies. What happens? Where are their medals? Do they keep getting passed down from generation to generation in the family...when the person who has it, has no idea what that sport was or who you even were? yeah, it's cool and awesome to win a medal and have it? But it's a material thing...it eventually goes away just like any other material thing in life does. But what matters is what is in your heart...that is what will last forever and eternity, if you have Jesus Christ in your life! That is the only thing in life that will carry on forever.

I feel so bad for these athletes who put so much time and energy, dedication, tears and blood into something. THINK about if you did the same thing about your relationship with Jesus Christ? WHOA? now that is some dedicated relationship if you ask me? Are you being an Olympian with your relationship with Jesus Christ? I sure am not. It puts me to shame thinking about what dedication there is in life and are you REALLY that dedicated? Are you really living your life like YOU WANT IT???...LIKE YOU REALLY WANT THAT GOLD MEDAL...LIKE YOU REALLY WANT THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST? ARE YOU?
If you are dedicated about something, a sport, a hobby, a friend, a job...turn around and put that much dedication into your relationship with Jesus Christ and see what happens!

Redeemed

Part of the reason I love the job I am in, is because I'm constantly encouraged and around positive influence.
Today, I had the privilege of looking at Worship Videos and my Pastor showed me this one he came across. This is in life of his and our talk yesterday and I'm so thankful for this NEW song in my life.
If you would like to see the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU&feature=related

Big Daddy Weave (Christian Music Artists)
Redeemed

Seems like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember, oh God, You're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me
'Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, 'cause I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be

Oh, God, I'm not who I used to be
Jesus, I'm not who I used to be
'Cause I am redeemed
Thank God, redeemed


-Song sure speaks so much truth in my life right now. I'm not who I use to be, but I do know that God working in my life and making me into something. This song was created this year, 2012 by Big Daddy Weave. I find it rather fitting for me today, THIS week that I first now hear it. :) God is always showing you things at the exact time you are suppose to.
Thank you Jesus for Big Daddy Weave and the amazing artists they are and the gifts you have given them. They have created some amazing truths through music! Thank you for their blessings on many lives.
Thank you for giving me this song, TODAY! No greater time than today. Thank you for showing me love and support when I feel at my weakest of days. You never fail me. The world might fail us, but you NEVER will. Thank you for that constant reminder!

The Love of a Father

I experienced something rather adorable this past weekend. I spent a few hours visiting my brother and sister-in-law with their 4 energetic kids. I'm amazed at how time flies and the oldest one and my sweet "little" niece is 3 1/2! Where did that time go. She was just a little peanut sitting in my arms. Needless to say, she is almost 4 and my sister-in-law and I were talking about school and all these things for her. I couldn't get over the fact that we were starting to talk about school with her and how she was actually excited to go and how she plays school.

Well, there is SO much about the afternoon I had with them that I could write about...so I'll try to contain my thoughts as I can.

First of all...I saw the LOVE of a Father.
I have always LOVED to see how my brother is with his kids and it puts a smile on my face every time I see how much he deeply loves and plays with his kids. I'm a proud sister!! On Sunday, Hailey (the oldest who is 3 1/2) was invited to go over to the neighbors to play with a 4 year old boy. Aww...right?! Well, kind of. I took after my brother and thought..."WHAT...she's playing with neighbor boys already??!!!??!" I'm a very protective Aunt...that I'll write about later, just wait. But what I found neat, was my brothers reaction to it all. At first it was like, "oo okay, go play." But as I saw him and his wife interact about the situation I just watched. I saw my brother turn from fun loving "father" to a very protective concerning "father". NOW, whether or not my brother was being this way because he felt like he needed to help watch them play or what, but either way...here is my point.
I saw so much LOVE and CONCERN for HIS daughter! I saw him constantly looking for her and making sure she was OK. I heard him talk about "I think she should come home now..." At first I laughed because it was too cute to see how concerned and protective my brother was ALREADY becoming to his almost 4 year old daughter (o boy, the next 20 years or so are going to be rough then). :) But I then saw somehow how my brother was and how THAT is how God is with us. I saw his concern and "watch over us" JUST how the Father up in Heaven does with us. I saw an immediate picture of what it was like. I stood in awe at what it is like.
God gave me a picture, right in front of me, that was meant for me, I believe. I believe God was showing how much he is concerned for us and how much he will continue to "watch" us and want us to come home. He was saying... "Kelly, your life is so precious and I will always care so deeply for you that I will always be concerned for you and for what you are doing in life. This time in your life is sweet and I am here EVERY step of the way, if you think I am standing next door watching or not, I am!" I saw in that picture the way He looks at us with concern and love!
It's a BEAUTIFUL picture!!
Just like the picture of my brother with his daughter! If that love and concern is that great with those two, IMAGE the love and concern the LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS??!!!

WHOAH!!!! THAT IS SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know about you, but that makes me incredible joyful to know I have that kind of Love from a Father...my Heavenly Father!


I'll get to more of what I saw that day with my brothers family in upcoming posts...

Another good one for me

1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”


I had another excellent evening running around the neighborhood. I took our puppy dog with again, but he was about 2 feet behind me most of the time, panting away. So I dropped him back off at home and I continued on. After I did that, I probably had the best last 1/2 hr of my run! I was exhausted, but I had so much energy. After I ran, I took about a mile walk. That was the best time ever for me! I took that time to just talk with God and tell him my fears, anxieties, struggles and where to even go from here. I loved every minute of it. I really felt God's presence last night with me and cried out to Him tell God I was sorry for the past year and a half of not turning to him with everything! I've realized that my life has been a complete struggle and that is because I've tried to figure it out on my own. As soon as I start to let God back in my life and take over, I start to feel peace again. I so was blessed last night by venting it all out, something I still hadn't done and something I need to do of more.
I've realized these times in my life that I would run/walk, have been missing not only because of exercise, but because those are truly the times I connect with God. It always has been that way and last night confirmed it for me that doing this in my life is a huge priority. I"m thankful for the time I have to do this now. I'm just saddened I haven't done it for this long!

:) Love it when...

You look up a verse for the day and it's EXTREMELY FITTING...


Isaiah 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous righthand.”

A little creepy? maybe...

Last night I went to the grocery store to grab a few quick things. My husband told me to make it quick because he had some stuff on the grill. My "quick" trip turned into 2 hours away.

I stopped to visit some friends at my old place of employment and then I went onto the grocery store. The grocery store was probably only going to take me 1/2 hour and turned into 1 1/2 hours! I was going about my business getting things off shelves and looking for things I needed. I was in the frozen foods section looking for some of those warm-up meals for work. As I closed a door, an older gentleman came scooting up to me. I smiled and said hi and kept looking at things. He just kept starring at me. Deep inside me, I was a little creeped out. Then he said, "well, maybe I should follow you around the store, you look like you know what you are doing." I just smiled and said o yeah.
He went on to talk to me about how he couldn't see things because he was blind in one I and had troubles with the other. So I thought, o OK. And I just said, "well, what are you looking for, I can find it for you." He just smiled and said, "O no really, I'm fine, but you sure are a sweetheart.". I just said thank you and thought, OK, that will be that. But he didn't leave and he was in my way of getting something out of the other door. So I stood there wondering what to do next. So he started to talking again and shared some of what he is going through. I thought to myself, OK...I'm here in this moment for a reason. I'll just take it all in....thinking to myself in the back of my head, my husband is going to be calling any minute now wondering where on earth I am and that dinner is done. But nope, that didn't happen. I ended up standing there with this fellow for 15 minutes. He shared about his eye and what happened with that and he shared how lonely he was and other things too about his living situation. The thing that struck me...as SAD as that story was for me...HE WAS DOING GREAT! He never stopped smiling and he kept saying, but you know, I could have life worse. I make it by each day with what I need.

And it struck me at that moment. I WASN'T there for him, he was there for me! I just stood there thinking, WOW. How does this guy have this attitude. I thought about my life and thought...geeez, why is it that I struggle with things right now, when my life could be like his, which to me is worse! But to him, could BE worse, but it's not. What an attitude to have. I loved that he kept smiling. Something I learned I need to do more of and that it might help me more too.
We parted ways and I just shook my head later thing, wow...did that just happen? Here I thought I was going to be helping him, when really, he touched me more.
I rushed through the store after that trying to get all my last things and headed for the checkout. I got in line and about 1 minute later, here he is again, standing behind me. My first thought was, O no...I just need to get home!
We ended up talking again for another 15 minutes. I was in front of him, and his carrier was heavy so he wanted to set it down on the belt. So I said go right ahead...and I told him "you know what, just go in front of me, I have more things than you do." He insisted not to, but I insisted he did. So he did. He said once again, "you sure are a sweetheart, not many out there like you!" I thought to myself, OK, now I'm getting a little creeped out. But yet, appreciated his comments. Something, yet, I needed to hear! Strange.
It took forever to get through the line it seemed and he went on to ask why I am so patient and sweet. I told him that I've learned to patient over the years because of my husband. He said, o so you are married. I said, yep, sure am. He told me to tell my husband that he is one lucky guy and that he should appreciate me. I said I would tell him. I then told him how I was patient with my husband and it was because of fishing all the time with him. You see, my husband just doesn't FISH, he FISHES! A "hey, lets go fishing this afternoon" actually means, "hey lets fish until its dark, and then actually head back to the boat landing, which by then it will be 9:30pm". hahaa.
The gentleman appreciated that I fished and fished with my husband. I said thank you.
The cashier by this time was up to him and it was a little hard for him to get through the checkout because he couldn't see what he was doing with his money. So we both helped. He was very appreciative and after 5 minutes finally got his bags and SLOWLY headed out the door.
He said goodbye again and once more said what a sweetheart I have been. I said its nothing, its just who I am.
The cashier just smiled at me and said, "you are too nice!" I just said, well you know...why wouldn't someone be?". I've checked out with her before and she remembered me and we talked about that some more. I told her I was getting a little creeped out at the end, but that it was a pleasure to help him too. She agreed and again just said, you are too nice though. I don't know if that was the case, but it's just what I did in the moment...or was it that in the moment, the moment got me?

I walked out to my car wondering what in the world just happened and why. Normally I would have been struggling and frustrated that it took me forever to get home and that dinner was probably cold! But I found myself smiling the whole way home and just kind of thinking that life isn't so bad when you take one day at a time, just like does. And why did I run into him and why did he find ME so sweet? The checkout lady was just as sweet as me, she helped him a lot with his bags and his money and figuring that out. But yet he kept saying I was sweet! Why?
Most people probably would have ignored the man or moved along or tried to get out of talking to him. I didn't. Why?
I'm still not sure about what all happened last night but I do know that I did learn a lot about myself and about my life currently.
I realized my life is far from frustrating or far from troubles. I've always know that, but for some reason it hit me in that moment. It hit me that no matter what you are going through, IT COULD ALWAYS BE WORSE! I realized that smiling is the best thing and it changes your hole attitude. I realized that I'm still the same person I've always been...still sensitive to others. I thought I've changed as a person with what I'm going through. And I realized that I'm still ME. :) And that made me really happy. It's a longer story probably of to why I feel that.

Anyways...I got home, after being gone 2 hours and the meal was still cooking on the grill. :) And Ben didn't even care. :) I told him all that happened and he just said, "yeah". hahaha.

Needless to say...I pray for this gentleman, who I don't even know his name. All I know is he is old, has a blind eye, lives alone and has two children married and don't want much to do with him because they have their own lives with their family now. I pray for him. I pray that in some way I was used last night...which I'm not even sure how, because I feel like I didn't really say much to him. I pray that he finds peace in his life and that somewhat of my testimony of my "sweetness" shines through in a way I can't even imagine. I pray for him, for his family, for his health. I pray his attitude never changes and that he is always as positive as I remember it. And if things get harder for him Lord, I pray he will remember what we shared and use that as encouragement in his life.

Verse of Today

Psalm 119:7
“I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.”

Rather fitting for me today. :)

I was able to take some time last night to just reflect on things. I was able to go for a nice long run last night, something I haven't done for a few months now. I've been working out in the early AM's since September and my usual running has changed. :( It was a great blessing to get out and run like that again, instead of being inside on a treadmill. I've always used my running outside as a time of just me and God. I just take everything in while I run and see the beauty God created around and where I am at in life. It's fun for me to run with my puppy dog as I've learned so many lessons just from that alone.
So today, I praise God with an upright heart because of the awesome time I had last night just running and being back in that presence again! Thank You for giving me the strength to run again Lord. It's a passion of mine and I'm always grateful when I can do that.

Who Are You?

I must say, reading Chapter 2 in "Victory over Darkness" was a rather difficult one. Not because of the content, but because it is things that I already know, but am saddened that I know longer really know what it means. That probably makes no sense.
I don't know if you remember a post a did a few months back on "Who Am I". Well, that post actually came from this chapter. This chapter is right where I stopped reading.
This chapter talks about who you are. If you remember in my post I asked Who Am I? My name is Kelly, we all know that. But that isn't who I am. I'm short, clearly, but that isn't who I am, nor does it define who I am. Does this ring a bell yet from that post.
Anyways.
Who I am, is far more than what you see on the outside. My trouble is, I'm still trying to figure out what is on the inside and who I am inside. Who I am is NOT determined by what I do. Is who you are determined by what you do, or is what you do determine who you are? I think that my understanding of who I am, specifically my identity in Christ as a child of God.

Lately, I've been struggling with these exact things. I'm not tall enough, I'm too short, I look SO young for my age (yeah yeah yeah, I'll appreciate that when I'm older, i get it), my job is so simple, we are on the basic plan of our finances, blah blah blah.
This is why reading this chapter was so difficult for me:
"Millions of people climb those ladders of "success," only to discover when they reach the top that their ladder is leaning against the wrong wall."
See, I ALREADY know that my life is NOT about being the "perfect" person. There is no such thing. I know that its not about having the fancy house, the new car, the awesome job, the perfect job, the best friends, the perfect marriage. I already know this and I must say, I am TRULY HAPPY in my life that I don't have "perfect expectations". So why is reading this so difficult, because somewhere along the lines I have felt the worldly pressures and I have thought the need to have my life "perfect". :(
Hard for me, because I KNOW I'm happy, but I've given in to the sinful world that everyone creates. I'm saddened that I've been so stupid to think I needed everything in life to be in order.

He goes on to say..."meaning in life are not the products of what you have or don't' have, what you've done or haven't done. You are already a whole person and possess a life of infinite meaning and purpose because of who you are - a child of God. They only identity equation that works in God's kingdom is you plus Christ equals wholeness and meaning."

If our relationship with God is the key to wholeness, why do I struggle so much in my identity, security, significance, sense of worth and spiritual maturity??????

I strongly believe that Satan is doing a terrible work in my life and I'm so utterly confused. I believe that once I start to figure things out with this, I get a knock out punch (for those that know me, I like to box in my spare time). :)
I believe that Satan is doing the best possible way to get me to live my life independently of God. Satan is tempting me by appealing to my most basic and legitimate needs. VERY SCARY FOR ME RIGHT NOW! :(
I know this is an attack from Satan and the thing that I'm saddened by, is why haven't I cried out for God to come help me? I've been stuck in the mud and THINK I can do it all on my own. O Lord Jesus, that is so not true...I CAN'T DO IT ALONE! I need you to help me out of this. I need you!
I don't want these needs met by the world, the flesh and the devil. I want they met by God who promises to meet all my needs "according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Phil. 4:19.
I'm realizing that everything keeps coming full circle and that it all comes back to me crying out to God. I'm not doing it? and I can't figure out WHY I'M NOT! It seems so simple. And the thing is, this is something I need to figure out myself, and not the help of others. No one can help me cry out to God...I have to do it on my own. I want to, but for some reason, I'm struggling with letting go. Why is this so hard to let God and let God help me? This is not the time to be stubborn Kelly...
:(

Hope

I stared reading a book today that my Pastor has encouraged me to read. It's called "Victory over Darkness" by Neil Anderson.

I started reading this book about 7 months ago, but wasn't engaged in it and couldn't follow. I've put it aside and with recent struggles in my life, picked it up again...and like always, a God thing that I am reading it now! Sure I could have used this book 7 months ago, but honestly, I think this is the exact timing that God wanted me to read this book. So, through this blog, I'm holding myself accountable. I plan on writing about my experience and thoughts with this book as I go on this journey of figuring out who I am (a blog I posted about a few weeks back)...see, funning timing.

I read the Introduction today. I usually always skip over introductions...can you tell how serious of a reader I am!? haha (I'm not a huge reading fan if you didn't know).

I discovered that I am a struggling Christian. (yeah, probably obvious lately). But reason I am struggling, probably, is because I do not know who I am in Christ, nor do I understand what it means to be a child of God. OK...THIS struck me, because I have been a child of God for 16 years now and how have I NOT understood this? Or maybe it is that I once did, but likely, never really did understand what this means. It honestly breaks my heart that I have gone this long, not really fully using my potential or understand who I am in Christ!

He states, "the greatest determinant of mental and spiritual health and spiritual freedom is a true understanding of God and a right relationship with Him." I will admit I know I do not have a right relationship with God. I know I have one, but I have always viewed my relationship with God as distant and "He doesn't have time for me" and "He'll be mad at me if He knows I'm struggling" or "I do so much wrong, how can i do right now?". I've looked to everyone else in life to figure these questions out, when why haven't I gone to Him? Again, scared!

I have people in my life that support me and are trying to help me figure these struggles out, but what I didn't realize, is that my entire support system (husband, friends, family, my dog), include everyone and everything, BUT GOD! I have all this anxiety and fears and frustrations and you name it, but what have I done to fix it? I run to others to help me figure it out. I haven't COMPLETELY cast my anxiety, fears and frustrations on Christ and I'm FAR from dependent on God! :( It breaks my heart to admit this and I'm SHOCKED I'm even admitting this.

In the Intro it shared a poem about HOPE:

Lend me your hope for awhile,

I seem to have mislaid mine.

Lost and hopeless feelings accompany me daily,

pain and confusion are my companions.

I know not where to turn;

looking ahead to future times does not bring forth images of renewed hope.

I see troubled times, pain-filled days, and more tragedy.

Lend me your hope for awhile,

I seem to have mislaid mine.

Hold my hand and hug me;

listen to all y ramblings, recovery seems so far distant.

The road to healing seems like a long and lonely one.

Lend me your hope for awhile,

I seem to have mislaid mine.

Stand by me, offer me your presence, your heart and your love.

Acknowledge my pain, it is so real and every present.

I am overwhelmed with sad and conflicting thoughts.

Lend me your hope for awhile;

a time will come when I will heal,

and I will share my renewal,

hope and love with others.

They asked: do these words reflect your experience and echo your plea as a believer? YES!

Do you sometimes feel hemmed in a world, the flesh and the devil to the point that you wonder if your Christianity is worth anything? -yeah, sometimes!

Do you sometimes fear you will never be all God called you to be?! YES!! YES!! YES!!- that one hit it right on the head!

Do you long to get on with your Christian maturity and experience the freedom God's Word promises? yeah!

I realized through these questions that my BIGGEST fear is that I will never be who God called me to be. Am I missing my calling? I don't want to miss my calling!

I'm excited for what is to come with this book and I pray that in my transparency and humbleness through this that I may not worry about what people are thinking about me and my struggles. It is my struggle to deal with and God to help me through it. I'm a child of God and I know He cares for me. I pray that God would use this in a magnificent way in my life and maybe for others as well.

Today I'm thankful for...

Today I am thankful for a Sprained Ankle. Yep, I really am!

I've been trying to figure out why I got a sprained ankle...besides that fact that I'm clumsy at times. I've really been thinking about what God wanted me to see through this.

I sprained my ankle on Sunday night. And if you can believe it, it is my FIRST EVER sprained ankle. Yep...27 years and now I get one. Strange, yes! But I'm also thankful. Wow, are they painful and according to my therapist friend, mine wasn't even that bad! O boy, I'd hate to have one worse than this. So I was moving some of our stuff downstairs from when we moved into our house. I was going down the stairs and I had thought I was on the last step, but I wasn't, there was still one more to go. So i fell, and my ankle went under me and bent outward. I screamed it was immediate pain and I knew it just wasn't my normal fall I seem to take at least once a week. :) My sweet husband came immediately and helped me figure out what was wrong amongst me crying. He said it was probably just a sprain. HA just a sprain. OK...apparently no big deal.

We hopped upstairs and I sat down and he got me some ice. My activities for the night were now over with. :( I don't know what was worse, the pain or the super cold ice on it.

The next day, yesterday, I went to Spine & Sport were I use to work and where I have some great friends that would be able to look at it with no problems. So they did and that is when they said it wasn't that bad and was just a lower ankle sprain, would be better in 1-2 weeks. They wrapped it up and off I went. I kept ice on it for the rest of the day.

And that is when I sat and pondered about this. Why did it happen? Was God telling me to rest more. ? I thought I already was resting. I'm actually still not even sure what this all happen for. I do know one thing...it made me forever grateful for the health I have!

I know a sprained ankle isn't all that bad, it cold be worse. But it still makes you use your body differently. You have to adjust and do things different for a few days until that part of your body heals. I find it interested how much we take our life and our body and our functions for granted. You don't realize how much you rely on a part of your body or how much you use it, until it HURTS to use it and you can't.

I was reading an article today too, that was about the college student who had just gotten the flesh eating disease or something like that and had lost a leg and both of her hands. If that was me, I would be devastated. Her entire attitude was how she felt blessed! I was like, "really?" I"m thankful that someone so young can have such a good attitude for the future. I'm sure there have been points where she was disappointed, and took her time to get to the attitude she has now. I think we all can be that way. At first, when I hurt my ankle, I was a wreak. I was broken hearted that now I wouldn't be able to workout for a week and do my normal work-out routine, let alone even go for a simple walk! I was broken hearted. And the next day I learned that this was actually a blessing. I'm still not sure how, but I find it a blessed that I'm not able to workout. Again, not sure how...but I'm trying to find the positive in it.

But I do know one thing...I'm THANKFUL that I have legs, arms, hair, eyes, ears, toes, feet, skin, hearing, taste, hands, fingers and the list could go on forever about every part of my body. I'm thank that God created us how He did and that when we hurt ourselves, we can adjust. Might not be ideal or easy, but we can adjust by God's grace and by His strength.

In just ONE DAY of a sprained ankle, I was able to walk on it! I was told it would be a week or 2 weeks of healing. Sure it hurts still and if I move it just the right way, it send sharp pain, but i can walk on it! Only by God did He heal me like this. I'm thankful that God is healing me and giving me the strength during a sprained ankle. And thankful for a different attitude with it!

Thank you Jesus for what you have created in us and thank you for showing me how much I don't realize it until you can't use it! You are amazing!