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Sometimes in my moments where I actually get a mental break (rarely) I have a second or two to ponder on the situation of the world we live in. Not to get too deep on you, but man, we truly are blessed to actually wake up every day. If you are a person that finds themselves complaining a lot about your circumstances, I’d like to share a different perspective with you. Hopefully afterwards, you will be able to have a different outlook on life and find an appreciation for the moments and tines that things are both good and bad.

I used to work in the Public School System as a physical therapist working with special needs pediatric patients before moving to GA and eventually moving into the realm of long term care working in geriatrics. Coincidentally, there are many similarities between the two settings. One: some of the patients actually require briefs or diapers if you will. In the school based therapy, I found out that raising a child to develop and progress through the rigorous day to day challenges of being a student is nothing less than fatiguing. I have three girls, two in school and I am stretched to the limit sometimes. My children (praise the Lord) don’t have any special needs, but just doing math nowadays is a brain twisting nightmare. Now, imagine the struggles of a special needs parent. Their child may have a debilitating physical, emotional, or cognitive deficit that severely limits the amount of class participation they can have. On top of that, there is a real concern that their children are not getting the extra special attention that they need to ensure that they have the chance to develop the necessary skills to survive. Now, as in the other children who may or may not know the behaviors that they are doing that are detrimental to the learning process and you have the recipe for disaster. I often fund myself miffed at how so many great parents were able to function on a normal mental level after going through what I knew had to be a fatiguing daily grind.

Now, flip the script. What about mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, uncle, or aunt in the long term care setting? Some of them can’t remember you, their friends, or their own name (Alzheimer’s disease). Some can’t walk because arthritis has set in and many are totally dependent on someone to care for their feeding, dressing and even bathing needs. Not to mention that they are incontinent to bowel and bladder and must wear a brief for the rest of their lives.

If none of these situations describe the kind of life you live, please give God a praise clap. I’m not minimizing anyone’s struggle. I know that everyone has issues, no matter how rich, poor, famous, unattractive or beautiful hat you may be. God created us to be needy…needy for Him. His glory, grace, mercy and favor shines on both the godly and ungodly. He asks that we come to him screaming and pleading that we yield from our ways of doing things, and accept His bountiful plan and path for our lives. The sinner and the righteous are not different from one another. God requires that we all humble ourselves before Him and give thanks. The problem with being the sinner is that eventually you just stop hearing His voice. God still calls you even from your death bed, but sin blocks the transmission.

I appreciate all that God does for me, even when I don’t always like it. Things don’t go my way, but they always go His way. I just have to have the patience to endure and see the vision come through (Habakkuk 2:2). So can you. Cast your burden on Him because He cares for you and wants you to give them to Him. If things in your life seem down, remember the story I shared above. If you still have your mind, your independence and freedom to make choices and act volitionally without needs of assistance, chose wisely. Walk a different path and I promise you that you will find peace. Stop looking at the grass on the other side of the fence and make yourself comfortable in the lawn that your Father has given you. Look around, relax. You may find that it is trimmed, manicured, kept and fertilized with the same stuff that is across the fence. It just hasn’t matured yet. Until next time…