This morning I was reading about a young man from Idaho who was in a terrible car accident.
He was the only survivor, that is sobering enough, but add to that his injuries are very extensive, many broken bones and brain trauma. His recovery will be long and arduous. I didn't know where to focus my thoughts, on the three young women who died in the accident? What their families were going through? Or on the young man and the difficult road back he will have. One accident, in one minute life goes from happy teenagers driving home from a church function, to unbelievable sadness, and a life change no one saw coming.
It is easy to forget that about life, that it can change so quickly. Just one phone call can alter your life forever. I have never appreciated it when people say, "It could be worse." I don't like that philosophy because whatever trial you are experiencing is valuable, and should not be discounted. We minimize the experience when we say that. It is not easy to embrace the trial, but most healthy minded people eventually do. We are hard wired to survive, so we find ways to not just make the best of the situation, but to make it our finest hour. That is why my motto is,
"There is no education in the second kick of a mule."
It is a great old fashioned, Texas way of thinking. I appreciate the hard times my family has survived....but I am embarrassed to admit I have not embraced my trials as I could have. I have whined, pouted and complained....when I should have been grateful for the amazing blessings I do have. So when I read about the young man from Idaho, or the people who died in Joplin Missouri from the tornado, or friends I know who are going through difficult times, I know it is time. It is time to change, to find a way to avoid being miserable, a course correction of sorts. John Longden wrote years ago about time. He said,
"I refuse to waste my valuable time. Today has one thing in which I know I am equal with others, Time...all of us draw the same salary in seconds, minutes, hours, 24 golden hours each day. Today I will not waste my time because the minutes I wasted yesterday are as dead as a vanished thought. Today I refuse to spend time worrying about what might happen. I am going to spend my time making things happen."
Isn't he so right about worrying about what might happen, and isn't it so inspiring to believe you can make things happen? Earth life is tricky, it is filled with all kinds of road blocks, problems and obstacles. And it could be tempting to think the odds are too great and simply give up. When we hear the news, it is all bad. The economy has kicked our collective butts, and everyone has been affected. Instead of retreating and being hopeless, it is time to pick up the gauntlet. It is time to start a business if you can't be hired. It is time to lend your resources to others when you can. In essence it is time to realize how powerful we are, together, and how much of a difference we can make, together....To simple believe and be hopeful.
President Dieter Uchtdorf said, "Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness".
I believe that. I know that when one person refuses to see a half empty cup they inspire the next person, and the next and the next. That is what hope is.
Can't this be our finest hour?
I come from a long line of survivors......I just forgot that for a while.
great thoughts, Donna! That's terrible about the young man and the three girls. So sad. :o\ But I love your mule wisdom~ ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteI always give my children a turtle (another odd animal reference) when they graduate...slow and steady wins the race...hugs to you too!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes we must walk through the dark in order to see the light. But we must never fear the shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby. God is walking alongside and all will be well!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking a lot about the way life can change on the turn of a dime. I believe it's one of the hardest challenges in life. Acceptance. Submission to the Lord's will. Faith that he knows what He's doing.
ReplyDeleteI'll be working on it forever.
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Sis. T! I just love you!! You are definitely one of the women I aspire to become like. Thanks so much for sharing these thoughts. They are all too true. Hope to see you soon!!
ReplyDeleteAfter my husband died, a dear friend gave me a plaque that reads, "Faith is believing today in the light that doesn't come until tomorrow."
ReplyDeleteAs awful as trials are, they have become a bit easier as I've become older, because I get it now that the blessings WILL come.
Devin! You are the cutest ever!! Thank you...and to my Grandma Honey...thank goodness we have each other...there are still good times to have, right?
ReplyDeleteI'd comment but I am worried I might say the wrong thing.
ReplyDeleteI loved your thoughts today. While I haven't suffered a tragedy in the last few months (or ever), I've been having my own challenges, and it's been tricky to hold onto that elusive hope and faith. I think I did a pretty good job, but it's an acquired skill for me that I'll always have to work at because I'm a control freak. It's hard to let go and accept the hard things that can happen, and try to learn how to grow and improve by going through the process. And yes, there are ALWAYS good times to be had.
ReplyDeleteOn my way home from Daughter's today, I started to pull out around a slow car on one of those desolate stretches between LV and AZ. I hadn't looked carefully and there was a car right beside me. When I swerved back I almost over corrected. The car tipped and wiggled so much that I thought I was going to roll it. Somehow, I felt this gentle nudge to uprightness. I still am shaken by this, but I realize as I read your post that I barely missed one of those devastating few seconds that could have been tragic. I don't know for sure why I was saved from disaster, but I hope I can learn from it. I love your attitude and faith. Wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteDonna, you are a very wise woman. I think we all 'forget' how to be grateful, to be resourceful, to be hopeful... to make a difference. The motto in our house is to move from surviving to thriving. I need to work on that some myself. Thank you for this wonderful reminder.
ReplyDeleteYour telling about the young man surviving this horrible accident reminds me of a similar one where the brother to a young woman was racing and broadsided his sister's car killing her and her three friends... on the last day of school. I can't tell you how many hours I have spent worrying about that young man... and his family. Just makes me sick with sorrow everytime I think about it. How do you ever thrive after that?
blessings ~ Tanna
Thanks for your visit...that profile pic cracks me up! Well, I come from a long line of great people too and many times I do really look at what they did..and it truly does inspire me! :D
ReplyDeleteWow. How sad. Aren't we so grateful to have hope in these situations and to know the truth about life after death?!
ReplyDeleteLife definately should never be taken for granted.
ReplyDeleteI had alot of really intense trials growing up - it just seemed to be a way of life. I truly learned that things happen and you deal with them so as an adult I have not been much of a whiner. Because of that I am now happy that I was able to go through those trials.
Life is life and you have to roll with the punches.
I like you motto about the second kick of the mule - I'm writing that one down.
My kids will tell you that my motto has always been: SUCK IT UP!
I don't allow much whining around my house!
Sometimes the only thing we can do after a tragedy is allow it to change us. Thanks for your thoughts.
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