So, I woke up at five something this morning, thinking about everything I needed to do today to make tomorrow more enjoyable. One of the things that I needed to do was to make cornbread for the dressing. Another thing was boil eggs – a lot of eggs. I plan on serving deviled eggs, plus I need a couple for the giblet gravy, plus Mother needs six to put in her “famous asparagus casserole” that I’m sooooo excited that she’s going to make. So, by 6:00 am, I had eggs boiling and the cornbread in the oven soon thereafter. Now, I don’t know about you – but, I hate peeling boiled eggs. Since I’ve had thumb angioplasty surgery on both thumbs a few years back, they don’t always work exactly like they should, but needless to say, peeling 20 boiled eggs is still a job. So there, I was standing at the kitchen sink for what seemed to be FOREVER, when all of a sudden I looked up. Oh my, God had painted the most beautiful sky as the sun was coming up this morning. It dawned on me that if I hadn’t been standing there, peeling those eggs – I would have missed it.
How many times have you gone through a difficult time or perhaps just doing the “same ole, same ole,” but then you see the good that has come from that adversity. I remember leaving something at home one morning and having to turn around and go back to get it. I was just fussing at myself when a gorgeous deer leapt across the road in front of me. It stopped me in my tracks because if I hadn’t had to turn around – I would have missed seeing it. Sometimes, it’s easy to see the “joy in the journey,” while at other times we just have to trust God that He has our best interests at heart and is making a way for us to grow into the person that we need to be.
Friends, I would have missed that sunrise, if I hadn’t looked up. I’ve had times when I’m having a “pity party” and catch myself spiraling down into depression because of what did or did not happen. But I believe that the key to overcoming being “down in the dumps,” is to “look up!” No matter how hard of times you’re having, there are others who are dealing with worse things. I often think about the saying, “I once complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” Wow! That still humbles me. Helping others – remembering those that are sad or lonely – especially this time of year is something that will not only help them – it will also help you!
May we all “look up” to God in prayer and thanksgiving, for we are all “simply blessed.” Courtney