Ordinary Expectations

The majority of us almost can't help but take things for granted. We are the lucky ones. The ones that have progressed thus far in life without any major hiccups, losses, and/or trials. We wake up each morning to a house with four walls, food in the pantry, healthy babies with sweet smiles and full bellies....There are so many moments and situations in our every day lives that we should praise God for, but so often, whether it be because of routine, exhaustion, a sense of entitlement, or whatnot, we count them as ordinary and lose sight of just how much God is working for good in our lives.

What are genuine blessings, we view as ordinary expectations.

Someone once told me those with the greatest faiths have faced the greatest trials.

I recently came across a blog entitled Avery's Bucket List which is about a precious child who was born with muscular spinal atrophy and whose parents have been told she will only live for approximately 18 more months. Here is a quote from her blog:

"Imagine you've been diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease and you are told you will not only lose your ability to walk and move your arms, but you will die between now and the next 18 months. What would you do?"

I spent an hour or so reading through her blog, with tear-filled eyes and an aching heart, looking at her sweet pictures, and reviewing her "bucket list" of things to do before she leaves this world.

Did you take time today to thank God for your ability to walk, to use your arms, to hold your children? Did you take time to pray about how thankful you are for the good health of your little ones? For their ability to zip through the grass, to reach out to you with open arms, to feed themselves their food, to give you precious smiles?

So many things in our lives we view as ordinary expectations.

April 27th 2011 was a devasting day for so many familes. The tornadoes that ripped through numerous states caused catastrophic destruction, particulary across the state of Alabama. A total of 208 tornadoes were confirmed that day. I was in Arab visiting my family when a few of the tornadoes touched down in areas in and around Arab. I have never been more fearful in my life. A tornado several years prior had destroyed a home a few down from ours, and flashes of that memory echoed in my mind as we put a mattress in the foyer and knelt together with our twins. Later that day, a family with a set of twins that share the same birthday as ours would lose five family members, including one of their precious twins. Through the grace of God, the other twin survived and went on to make a full recovery. This past Friday, on the anniversary of those tornadoes, I spent a few moments in tears thinking about that particular family, as our twins are the same age as theirs on this date last year (they are a year apart). So many people started that day like any other day, making coffee, grabbing a shower, heading to work...

So many things in our lives we view as ordinary expectations.

Take time to tell your spouse how much you love them today. Give your child an extra kiss and hug. Hold them a little longer before they go to bed. Write the thank-you note you have been meaning to write. Go enjoy ice cream with your family. Put down the computer and turn off the tv and focus on your precious blessings from our Lord.

May we never lose sight of just how much the Lord loves us and has blessed us. May we not take one single day for granted. May we love, cherish, and appreciate those around us in the way God intended us to do so.

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for my wonderful husband and for my two precious children. Thank you for providing me with a husband that works hard every day to support our family, who sets the alarm clock to get us up on Sunday mornings, who loves me unselfishly and tells me I am beautiful when I haven't had a shower and am in pajamas with no make-up on. Thank you for providing us with two healthy babies that we cherish, love and adore with all our hearts. They are the two biggest blessings of our lives. Please give them long and fruitful lives in your service. Please protect our family and help us to focus on you each and every day. May we always give you the glory. Amen.