On a Sunday in mid-November, I remember feeling restless in the afternoon; bored, longing for something 'new' in my life. I recall saying to Tim in a complaining sort of way, "Everything is just THE SAME".
Little did I know what was going to happen on the following Thursday; I'd get the sad news that a life-changing event had happened: my dad had a stroke. Suddenly, nothing was the same; everything had changed, and it was not for the better.
Recently I have expressed myself saying that I liked life a lot better as it was five months ago... :)
I'm writing this on Thursday, March 19th, and it's been exactly five months ago today, on Thursday, November 19th, that Dad had his stroke. Life for many of us has changed a lot since then, and while we have much to be grateful for, life's been quite challenging and rather difficult since that date.
Last weekend, as I consulted the calendar and booked flights for my upcoming trip to Florida to once again spend time with Mom and Dad around the dates of Dad's next surgery and recovery, out of interest I was counting the number of days January 1st-April 2 that I will have been home vs away. I've been home 59 and gone 27. That's only 2 days home for every 1 away.
My reflection this morning is: let's celebrate the commonplace. As I prepare to leave again and be gone from home for another ten days, I am savoring sleeping in my own bed each night, relishing having a friend come over for a chat and a cup of coffee, loving having my dog Jake follow me loyally around the house, enjoying watching my teens Tyler & Emily live their lives, soaking up the music that they play on the guitar and piano, thankful for wisdom and insight that my wonderful husband Tim shares with me, so thankful for his willingness to connect and communicate with me; loving the sights, sounds, smells & feel of HOME.
Home is a beautiful place. Yet it is also where the "ordinary" can sometimes seem lack-luster and boringly common, and we tend to take home and our loved ones for granted. Indeed we take out our frustrations on our most loved ones in the entire world; the ones who live with us under the same roof.
I challenge myself and you today to thank GOD for the ordinary. Thank God if your life is without undue drama and change. Thank God for stability and cultivate appreciation for the commonplace.
If I had it to do over again, hindsight teaches me that I should have made the statement "Everything is just the same", not negatively-toned, but stated with gratitude.
Gratitude is the title of a song I wrote a few years back, and it seems appropriate to end this entry by sharing those lyrics with you:
GRATITUDE
With gratitude to You for all You've done
And all You're going to do,
O Lord, I thank You.
You're in it all, working out Your plan,
Though I cannot see Your hand,
My hope is in You,
Accept my gratitude.
With gratitude to You for who You are,
Mighty King who won my heart,
Beautiful Savior.
I was bound in chains until You set me free,
Once was blind but now I see,
Gracious Redeemer,
Accept my gratitude.
You have blessed me, Lord,
So much more than I deserve.
With gratitude to You for all You give;
Every day of life I live
Flows from Your mercy.
Your gift of grace is far beyond belief,
Providing all I'll ever need,
You are so good to me,
So good to me!
Your gift of grace is far beyond belief,
Providing all I'll ever need.
You are so good to me,
You've blessed me so abundantly.
Accept my gratitude.
(c) Head For Home Music - w/m Paula Davis-Stitt
Amen and Amen. For some reason it seems I don't always learn to be appreciative until something goes very wrong. Home, being able to breathe without pain, walking without tiring,sharing without whining,sleeping fitfully and all the little things have become meaningful to me of late. I am grateful to my Lord for meeting EVERY need, but especially those needs that I have taken for granted.
ReplyDeleteGail
Hi Paula,
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity I clicked on the link to your blog and I have to tell you how blessed I was by it!!! Esp after just complaining to you in my e-mail about the monotony of my life right now. God sent me here and I'm glad. I love the lyrics to your song. I'd love to know if there is a way to listen to your music as well. Let me know when you have a chance. My friend, Monica Pasquale is a Worship Leader as well and you remind me of her often.
I'll be praying for your many trips and for your Dad's recovery!
Kate Weatherwax
Thanks again, how blessed we are should be for our homes God has given us. It does not matter if our home is large or small HE gave them to us.
ReplyDeletePatricia
I am confused sometimes when I read your blog Paula, for example you write about being away from your family for 59 days since the first of the year and gone 27day...where do you go? Do you not go to see your family that brought you into this world, who cared for you when you were sick as a child and who love you very much...your Mother and Father. Do you not think that their world has turned upside down also!! Life changes in an instant constantly as God planned it to be ...to test us and make us worthy of his love. For the past few months i have read your blog and never see you write what God has provide you with but only how this has affected your life.. this last entry now with how you had become bored. Your mother's mother (my grandmother)said idle hands are the devils workplace so you must find a way out of this boredom. I believe God provide you assistance from many relatives Your Uncle John and Aunt Carol, Becky and Blaine, and Gail. These people gave unselfishly of themselves with time,love and money to ease your burdens after your Dad's stroke. So I am worried sometimes when i read your blog that to honor your mother and dad is a chore for you and not something you are doing out of respect and love for them. You may not realize this as you write your blog but i believe you know the right thing to do for your parents as the next few months unfold and changes begin to occur. Don's dad died when he was 10years old and his Mom died when he was 22 years old and he would love to have them back to take care of as they were aging, it would be little payment for all they did for him and I also feel that way about my parents. Think how difficult it is for you mom and dad as they are aging to not be able to do the things that once were easy but now harder. I have commented in your blog not to upset you but to have you think more of what life is like for your parents. I have seen many patients in a nursing home tell there child that all was fine and then cry after they left because it was not. Pray with your folks as I will be praying for you, your dad and mom. May God contine to watch over you in these difficult times..Darlene
ReplyDelete