Stop and Take a Moment

In life we usually take every day things for granted.  I am guilty of it too.  Sometimes we just need to slow down and take a moment and say Thank You God for this beautiful day and for being able to live in this beautiful world.  Let me tell you a story.  Last year at on Christmas I was sick I was really sick.  I had the flu an aggressive form of strep and an aggressive form of pneumonia (a triple threat).  I went to the hospital on December 26.  I was so weak I could not stand for more than five seconds without collapsing.  I had so much toxic in my body that I got an infection in my blood (which mean my blood was literally poisonous) it was so bad that I got toxic shock.  It has a 50/50 survival rate.  I was released was released from the hospital January 1^st 2015.  When I found out the survival rate of the toxic shock I felt so blessed and thanked God for being alive.  I realized how I took everyday day things for granted.  If we are sick we can go to the doctors, but you never really think about what it would be like if we did not have doctors.  Here are some things we sometimes take for granted.  Siblings (I know I know siblings really, but think about it no matter what you are going through your siblings are always there for you.), medicine (back in the day doctors did not have the medicine we have now a days.), and internet (we did not always have the internet if someone wanted to know about something they had to ask someone who knew about it or read about it.  They did not have Google.).  I cannot stress enough how important it is to slow and think thank you God.  It could be about anything your family and friends, the day, or even just being alive.  I thank God for being able to help run this blog with this amazing group of girls.  Merry Christmas

Trust in the Lord

     Typically, I am a shy person.  I don't enjoy talking to strangers, saying speeches, or performing in front of a crowd.  I have been trying to overcome this weakness (and yes, being shy is a weakness, not a personality trait exactly), but it doesn't always feel like it gets easier.  

     Anyway, one day I was in town with my mom and sisters shopping at a consignment store.  (my kind of shopping) =) I felt like God wanted me to talk to someone I saw across the store!  My first instinct was, "No way!  I can't do that!  What would I say?  We are about to leave anyway, so my family would have to wait for me.  There is NO way I am going to do this!" 

     But then I remembered.  I thought about the times that I have said no.  I realized that when I got home, I would feel bad that I had disobeyed.  I would always remember how I failed.  And I would be ashamed that I had really just said "No" to God, the One who had given me the very air I was breathing!  It was a hard struggle, but eventually, I forced my feet forward and walked over to where the elderly, African-American woman stood with her daughter trying on shoes.

     "I just wanted to tell you that God loves you."  It was more of a whisper than anything else, and I am not even sure that she heard me.  But I do know that she felt the hug I gave her and the smile I forced to my lips.  My heart was pounding harder than it ever had, I think, but I did it.  I obeyed God and was glad that I did.  Even as I walked out of the store, I could see the woman staring at me in wonder.  I don't know what she thought, or if she even heard my words, but it doesn't matter. I trusted God, and I am so glad that I did.  Even a month later, it makes me smile to remember how scared I was and how I relied on God.  That is all that matters.

     Next time remember that.  All that matters is that you obey God.  You don't have to be scared, and you don't have to hesitate.  You just have to trust.  It sounds so easy doesn't it?