Journey to Gratitude 6/26/2020

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by Sherry Chamblee

I know two people who stand in stark contrast with one another.

One has had some bumps in life, relationship setbacks, career failures, been hit hard by some people who failed him I think.

The other has a serious disease that will eventually take his life most likely. He’s lost relationships over that illness, had to change careers because of it, had some really epic setbacks and lives daily with pain that he knows is only going to get worse.

The first lives life cynical. I see what this person says, how they react to the world around them. I know what they used to be like, too. They used to be upbeat, friendly, outgoing… though sort of always had a darker streak, something grim about them that now that I look back might have indicated that much of the upbeat aspect of their personality was them trying a bit too hard to convince the world that everything was okay.

The second is serene. This person has struggles, daily. I see their comments, how they react to the world around them. I see that this person admits to feeling down sometimes… but at the end of each day, this second person gives God praise. They admit to the down times, but are uplifted daily by God’s grace and they uplift others just by declaring God is good in the midst of that pain.

These two stand in stark contrast in my mind. I’ve known both for about the same length of time. I’ve seen them when they were young, and I see them now.

There’s another older woman I know. She’s had a life of extreme highs and lows. She came out of severe poverty to eventually living a very comfortable life. She’s lost everything, then worked hard to get her feet under her again. She’s had ideals, then been met with finding out things were never going to be what she’d originally dreamed. She’s had a huge house with all her needs met, only to lose it all and live in a rented room far from any other family.

This woman is one of the most grateful people I’ve ever met. Everything around her is beautiful. She sees the wonder and joy in everything, from the small apartment she has all to herself right now, to the moments she gets to sit and watch the water in a river stream past. She reminisces about the wonderful life she’s had. She talks about how lovely life is. She gives God all the glory for all of it.

The different examples of these people are what I’m thinking about these days. Am I following a path that will lead to me being joyful? Or bitter? What journey am I on right now?

Whatever I’m grateful for now is determining what I’ll be grateful for as I get older.

God deserves all praise, even when we don’t understand His hand. Even when everything is taken away from us, there is still going to be something beautiful in our life.

About the Author:

Sherry ChambleeSherry grew up in various cities around northern and central California. This gave her all sorts of stories that sat and festered in her brain, waiting to be let loose. She eventually went to college in Wisconsin, where she met her equally frenetic husband, Rich. They have six (yes, count them) children, two dogs and a cat, and currently reside in a madhouse in the southern California area. As a family, they enjoy being active in their local church. Sherry spends her time writing when not caring for Granny, the kids, the dogs, the cat and any number of strays in the neighborhood.

Sherry Chamblee can be found at http://www.sherrychamblee.weebly.com Or check out her books at http://www.amazon.com/Sherry-Chamblee/e/B00BA06RJ2/

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