Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thankful, Grateful & Still Hoping Someday..

I wasn't going to blog this... because I thought that it
was a bit to depressing... then I read a short story..
that made me realize how blessed we are here in America..
The day before we left for Utah.. I read an article
about Zimbabwe..
I saw pictures of children

searching through dumps and Roach hills
for food and scraps to take to their families
to eat.. It was so sad.. These pictures were not
a long time ago.. They were taken this last month..
I cried thinking how hungry they must feel..
How hopeless there hearts must be..
Then I read this short story.. and I thought
that they must have some kind of hope..
some kind of spirit that makes them search
through garbage to find their food...
Something tells them that life is worth living...
That our Heavenly Father wants them here...
I mentioned to Bart how sad it was..
and I worried about Cort for a bit.. but then i got busy.
planning and packing for Utah..


This Thanksgiving, I cooked
a wonderful meal.. I had my little helper..
and my big helpers. We had so much fun
working together.. We set the table..


There was an empty seat across from me..
it was suppose to be for a friend of Matt's
that ended up going to another house for dinner..
As I finally sat down to eat..
I looked at the empty place at the table.
My thoughts immediately went to my
Baby Boy In Africa...
Where I know he does not get to much to eat..
I looked down at my full plate..
I felt a little ashamed to have such a plateful..
I picked at my food.. and was Sad..
I was trying real hard not to show it
to the others at the table..
I struggled with eating such a bountiful meal..
Then something told me to be grateful for what I have..
I know that I can't change the conditions in Zimbabwe...
And I know that I should not let it affect my hope.
I pray that they will get a leader to help them again be
the productive Country they once were..
And I know that we should always be
grateful and thankful for all that we are given.
and say thank you..


As the days in Utah were getting closer to us leaving,
I was again feeling sad that we had to go..
I did not want to leave..
I want my grand kids to know
Grammy's house...
I want them to come to my house
and get spoiled with hugs and homemade cookies..
I can't help those feelings..
they are my hopes and dreams..
But that does not mean that I can do it right now...
which brings me to the story that made me think...
And tells me that I need
to think about what I do have
and not what I don't have..

The Story..!!
According to legend, a young man
while roaming the desert
came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water.
The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen
so he could bring some back to a tribal elder
who had been his teacher.
After a four-day journey
he presented the water to the old man
who took a deep drink, smiled warmly
and thanked his student
lavishly for the sweet water.
The young man returned to
his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water.
He spat it out, saying it was awful.
It apparently had become stale
because of the old leather container.
The student challenged his teacher:
"Master, the water was foul.
Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied,
"You only tasted the water."
I tasted the gift.
The water was simply the container
for an act of living-kindness
and nothing could be sweeter."

Self-motivation without gratitude is impossible.
Our energy is "sapped" when our entire focus
is on what's wrong instead of what is right with our lives.
One of our greatest challenges is to live and love
in spite of pain and disappointment...
to find gratitude in the midst of it all.

Reflect for a moment
on this beautiful quote from Melody Beattie:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough, and more.
It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,
confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast,
a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past,
brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow.

I know that someday I will have my Grammy House..
But I also know that
I cannot dwell on what I don't have..
And at this moment, I have a beautiful home
and a Husband that loves me and takes care of me,
9 Wonderful Kids, that love me..
and a Grandson I get to go play with once and a while..
I am Grateful for what I have now...
AND I HAVE A VISION FOR TOMORROW

"SOMEDAY"

2 comments:

It all began here said...

Carrie, that was so heartfelt! Touched my heart with the truthfullness of the message. I so appreciate you and your family in our life. Our relationship even from the very early days before Brian and I were married has blessed and enriched my life.

Love You

Grammy said...

Thanks for sharing the feelings of your heart, Carrie. Truly we are blessed in this abundant land. Did you know that Asplunds are serving am mission in India. I have been worried for them with the civil strife there over Christianity. Here is a link to their blog.
http://www.adasplund.blogspot.com/
I loved the story of the water. So much of what we experience is totally in our perception of things. You are so wise.