Thankful To Be Alive
Every morning that I wake up, have the ability to actively move my limbs, and still have a sound mind, it is an absolute blessing! Those three gifts start my day off with a grateful heart because I have been given yet another opportunity to touch a life and to make a positive difference in this world. I was having a conversation today with a group of ladies, and I asked, "How was your day?" One of them responded by saying, "Great! Any day I'm on top of the ground it is a great day!" I totally agreed with her and thought about how much it really means to be alive and well in these times. I pray for those who have lost loved ones and suffered in ways that we haven't seen in our lifetimes. I hurt with them and pray that the Lord comforts them like only He can. I hope that they will remember the good times they've had with their loved ones, yet I realize that people just need time to mourn and to heal.
I also realize that for those of us who yet remain, we have a greater responsibility to give thanks in everything. We should be complaining less. We should be learning not to murmur over the small stuff. We should be shaking off minor offenses more and addressing things one-on-one with the person that may have majorly offended us. In a nutshell, we should be living a life that gives God the glory more than we EVER have in our lives. And, we should expect greater things for our future than what has transpired in our pasts.
Honestly, I don't expect the world to ever be "normal" again, but if the "new normal" allows me the opportunity, I will change a couple of things. One thing that I really wished I had done more before the pandemic was to travel. I had finally got my passport renewed after putting it off for over 5 years. I couldn't find anyone who wanted to go to Niagara Falls with me since most of the people I know either don't like to travel or have a well established group of friends that they travel with. So, I decided that I would go this year and finally see that majestic waterfall that I've only seen on TV. Unfortunately, I will have to wait even longer now. The many plans we had have been put on hold as we all went to the "Time Out" corner to think about what really matters. And admittedly, while I'd like to come out of "Time Out" RIGHT NOW, God is not allowing that just yet. He's allowing us all to prioritize, organize, be wise, and learn to thrive. He's even given me both a new song and a new book within the last week as He is awakening my spirit to better hear His voice and be led to listen instead of ripping and running all over the I-495 Beltway as I did before.
For all of these things, I'm thankful. Thankful for the life lessons. Thankful for the "Time Out" experience, and thankful for the infusion of inspiration that has come by learning to be still. I know that you too are gleaning some good things even in the midst of these challenging times and more than ever, I pray that you are simply Thankful to be Alive!
Catherine

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