Count Your Blessings

Each day I am amazed at the things we take for granted. I hear coworkers, students, random people complaining about something. It seems we tend to often complain about all the minor things: nails breaking, bad hair day, weather, other people, the way a person looks, talks, chews their food, acts, the trash is overflowing, food isn't cooked just right, wanting to sleep more, life is just too hard. We often complain and wish our lives away. I am so thankful for each day that I get out of bed. Just since Sunday, three beautiful people that I know passed away. One was a member of our Wednesday night nursing home church. She was a very sweet, older woman that loved the Lord with all of her heart. Even at her age, I'm sure she still had many years to live down on this earth. The other two were from a sister church of our's. One died from a sudden stroke and heart attack, the other died of cancer. One had a short battle, while the other had a long battle. Both of them were loved and are missed. All three women are in heaven today. So many people don't get a tomorrow. Or something happens suddenly, and their life is over way too soon. We need to remember to count our blessings and really start living every day as if it is our last.We need to make every second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year count. It is over in the blink of an eye. It seems like yesterday I was five years old and just starting kindergarten. Now I'm almost 24, married, and teaching. Time passes too quickly. Each day is such a gift. Life isn't always easy. It has a lot of moments that we would rather not have to go through. In fact, to quote from a book I am writing, "Life is full of both tragic and beautiful moments. And there [have] been plenty of both in [my] life. Some [I] [want] to hang onto forever, others, [I] [want] to let go. But they [have] all made [me] a stronger person. " Don't let the tragic, difficult moments keep you from enjoying each day and counting your blessings. There's always a rainbow after every storm. Even though all three of those ladies, in my opinion, went to heaven too early, they left a legacy here on earth. Their lives and death spoke volumes to people about their love for Christ. There is so much rejoicing in heaven because of them coming home, and their work here on earth. And that is beautiful.