Ordinary

     Today seems like a good day to just stop for a moment and thank the Lord for just plain old ordinary days. Oh, they don't seem that magical when you compare them to other days, but trust me, they are magical.

         Unfortunately we don't take time to really appreciate ordinary until it slips beyond our grasp.  How many times do we (I'm including me here too) complain because we have to deal with the day to day, mundane business of living when we would rather be vacationing on an island somewhere. Ordinary days include washing dishes, paying bills, folding yet another load of clothes, going to the grocery store again and spilling coffee on your shirt before work. These are all the little things that make up life.

      

Back in 2004, while they rolled my husband away on a gurney to open up his chest and try to fix what was wrong, I would have loved for us to be enjoying an ordinary day. On the day my oldest son was involved in a wreck that could have cost him his life, an ordinary day would have been more wonderful than a million dollars. On the day I said goodbye to my daddy and watched him take his last breath, ordinary would have been a welcome friend. As the people affected by these killer storms that swept through last night look around them at the devastation and destruction, they would gladly trade their plight for an ordinary day.

     I guess what I'm really trying to say is we forget to be thankful. Life comes at us fast and between washing another load of laundry, changing the oil in the car and arguing with the cable company because the bill went up and the service got worse, we forget to look around us and be grateful.  The old saying is "you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone." Unfortunately, it's often true. 

         So, while I look around me tonight at the pictures of my family that I have all over the house, I have paused to be very, very thankful. If the good Lord's willing, tomorrow night my husband and I will be the proud parents of another college graduate (that makes two! : ) My husband is snoring just a couple of rooms away (bedtime was hours ago), the graduate is fast asleep too   and my mother-in-law is asleep in the next room. She's recovering from being very sick and getting stronger every day. My mom is having a few really good weeks with no confusion or sickness.  My older son and daughter-in-law are doing well and we are all reasonably healthy and life is good.

       But we must never forget that it rains on the just and unjust alike. It could just have easily been our home, our town, our church, our family. If you wake up to an ordinary day tomorrow morning, take a moment to whisper thanks. Thank you God for ordinary days. Help us remember to treasure them because like the commercial says "life comes at you fast."  We have no guarantees that tomorrow  or the next day will be ordinary. I pray for those who are facing tragedy and loss right now. God be with them through it all and guide them with your love and grace until they can know the peace and contentment of another ordinary day. Amen.