Lepers?? Already? I almost sighed when I sat down to do this week's Sunday School lesson. If there is any story I think I have taught as much as Jesus' birth and death, and Noah's Ark...it's the lepers. [the abridged version: 10 lepers healed, only one comes back to say thanks].
It's all about gratitude. And, I got to thinking - well, that's one area I do OK on. I've got other issues, but I got very full of myself thinking how well I think I do with gratitude. But can we ever have enough? Should we ever be content that we have shown enough gratitude? Not really. And I was reminded on this dreary day of some of the things I'll be forever grateful for:
1) Five years ago I was in the midst of packing up our life for a brief stint 600 miles away from my children. A medical crisis would keep us apart for the better part of 2 months, and it would take our family a long time to get back to "normal", but in the end healing had occurred. Our life was changed in many ways. And for that I am grateful.
2) A year ago I was wallowing in self-pity, as my life "plans" had been dashed and I was about to have surgery from which I feel I have really only just fully recovered. But in the end, healing had occurred. And again, I was changed. And for that I am grateful.
3) Last weekend I spent 48 hours with children many of whom could not speak, would never ride a bike, or be given a list of chores. Simple every day things I watched my kids do last Sunday when I got home. I am not sure if I was overcome by grief or gratitude as the tears poured down my cheeks. But I was changed yet again. And for that I am grateful.
Most people don't like change. I don't either. It's not exactly enjoyable. But funny, in the end I seem to end up grateful because of it.
What changes are you grateful for?
