My sister recently wrote a post about taking something for granted. I think we all do this in some form or fashion, it is simply our nature. For the most part we have all grown up in America where this is the only life we know. We have no earthly idea what it would be like to sleep on dirt floors, have to walk 5 miles to the closest market, to put our babies in their bed for hours on end while we go to work, to be able to only talk to God in our minds for the fear if anyone heard us say "God Bless" or "May the Lord be with you" we would be beaten or jailed....like I said most of us cannot comprehend this life.....we are free and I mean really free....it is so hard to believe there are people out there that are not free and their daily lives amount to how many of us might imagine Hell.
So about those things we take for granted; those days playing around the house with no agenda, the wonders in your our backyard, friendships, family, hearing your baby say a new word, ...
...just being silly, putting up a tent in the living room....
...just being silly, putting up a tent in the living room....
...just another day playing at the pool...
...and the smiles it brings...
....swimming all by yourself...Do you remember when you felt so small in the swimming pool? Trying to touch? Afraid to jump off the diving board?....
....simply spending time with family and friends.... Call your friend you haven't talked to lately, know need to take that relationship for granted....
....do the Hokie Pokie with your child....chances are they won't want to spend 10 minutes with us in about 10 years....
...remember wanting to move away from that small town...boy, did I ever take my hometown for granted....this weekend alone we enjoyed things I have done 100 times but it was so nice to feel at home....a feeling many of us take for granted...
....swimming in the lake...swimming areas everywhere..
...collecting rocks....sound familiar?...
...fishing off the bank with the smell of hamburgers cooking from the nearby pavilion...none other than a family reunion...laughs, kids running around, walking down memory lane, good food...take that for granted?
... catching that tiny fish...but it was sooo big to my little girl...
...how many fish have you caught with your children?....pull out your fishing pole and go out to the lake this evening...it might be in your our backyard...
...digging in the dirt...of course she needed my help...trying to help and letting her grow, a process I am trying not to take for granted....
...spending time my husband doing what he loves...watching him fish with our little girl...
...Claire discovering the tube of crickets...do you remember playing with crickets?...
...still fascinated... before she drops the tube....
...and crickets go everywhere...its hard to get mad at that one in Barbie life jacket....one of those moment you can't help but laugh.... look at those boys "cricket hunting"...
...playing at camp meeting...a week long camp out that is surrounded by friends and worship...this something I took for granted that was in my our backyard...I wish I would have spent countless hours at camp meeting during my younger years...
...there are so many places and things I took for granted at "home"...I would love to have all those things back...and there is so many more to "want back"...time, family, friends...
... catching that tiny fish...but it was sooo big to my little girl...
...how many fish have you caught with your children?....pull out your fishing pole and go out to the lake this evening...it might be in your our backyard...
...digging in the dirt...of course she needed my help...trying to help and letting her grow, a process I am trying not to take for granted....
...spending time my husband doing what he loves...watching him fish with our little girl...
...Claire discovering the tube of crickets...do you remember playing with crickets?...
...still fascinated... before she drops the tube....
...and crickets go everywhere...its hard to get mad at that one in Barbie life jacket....one of those moment you can't help but laugh.... look at those boys "cricket hunting"...
...playing at camp meeting...a week long camp out that is surrounded by friends and worship...this something I took for granted that was in my our backyard...I wish I would have spent countless hours at camp meeting during my younger years...
...there are so many places and things I took for granted at "home"...I would love to have all those things back...and there is so many more to "want back"...time, family, friends...I think the important thing is we try and savor the things that are important to us, even if they are daily routine...think of 5 things you think you might take for granted, they can be small or they can be huge...
1. Lakes and Rivers...I grew up on, I wish they were in my backyard now
2. Old Friends...the "ones" that will always be there...I need to call them more often
3.Changing my daughters diaper...this season of my life with her will soon be over, not sure if I am ready?
4. My pay check...I am grateful to have a job during this economic crisis
5. We no longer have 2 mortgages...need to continue praising the Lord for answering our prayers. When we sold our NWA house I told Nick I wanted to shout from the roof tops "Praise the Lord, Thank you Lord" he responded "There is a ladder in the garage"....I should have taken that as a moment of opportunity to shout "Praise the Lord" for the world to hear.
Has God answered your prayers??? Do you still praise Him? Let's all remember the good times He has shown up...taking Him for granted?
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
Psalm 40: 1-3
I might just go get that ladder and shout from the roof tops!!!
