Day #12- I am grateful for perspective

The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is
whether you are cursing your bruised knee or admiring the view.
With my life in a bit of a whirlwind right now, I feel like I am not fully centered and that I am constantly dropping the ball here or there.  I am so grateful that I have amazing family and friends that are right around me to pick up the pieces.  I am so sorry that I am leaving such a trail of disaster for them to try to put together, but I am so grateful that I have you to help me.

With the last minute nature of the surgery, my family has certainly kicked it up a notch to help me.   Like I mentioned before, it is a very sensitive surgery with so many physical limitations.  My whole family has pitched in to help.  As I speak, my dad is sleeping on my couch so that if my children wake up in the middle of the night, he can attend to them because I simply can not.  My mom did the same thing last night.  I am so grateful for them.

This afternoon, after school, the kiddos took off with their dad to go rollerskating and have dinner.  This left my mom and I here at the house and we started to chat.  The conversation quickly veered towards my current situation, how I got here and what I am going to do with the rest of my life. 

I am a very firm believer that things happen in this life for a reason.  My mom doesn’t believe that as firmly as I do.  However, as I sat and explained to her how events lined themselves up in my life, it was pretty hard to deny the fact that these seemingly coincidental moments actually played key roles in my being where I am.  There are no coincidences in life.  There aren’t.  Every twist and turn has a purpose.

I have looked back on my life and seen some mistakes that I have made and sometimes get really upset at myself for making them.  However, it is through those mistakes that I have learned and grown and changed.  I am not perfect, but I am striving to be better.  Our mistakes are part of the refiners fire that help us become perfect. 

Thomas S. Monson has said “The principles of living greatly include the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and trial with humility. ” I am so grateful for this perspective in my life. 

Where much is given, much is required.  I know that in this life I will be asked to bear a lot and that I have taken on a lot of obligations.  I know that I am going to pass through hard times.  I know that I am going to be tested and tried. 

I know that I am a very richly blessed individual.  I often times feel like the Lord is just waiting anxiously to give me the righteous desires of my heart.  He is just waiting for me to do my part.  My prayers are often times answered before I fully put them before the Lord.

I am grateful that I had this quiet afternoon today where I could sit and talk to my mom.  I am glad that I have been blessed to see my life with a bit more perspective before.