This Morning...

This morning I am thinking about how blessed I am. I am warm, and safe in my home drinking coffee, and rambling away to you guys. Half way across the world, it's a very different story. I am thinking about my friend whose family is in Japan, and how worried I know she is for them. I am wishing there was something I could do for her and her family, and so I feel compelled to do the only thing I know I can do, pray. I realize I have spent far too much of my life being depressed and afraid or feeling sorry for myself. I know depression is chemical, and there is a physical reason why I feel the way I do when I am depressed. I also know that there are things I can do to counter act that chemical imbalance (exercise,  healthy eating, etc.), which renders that excuse (at least for me) useless. This morning I am acknowledging the spoiled, selfish ridiculousness of my lifelong whining and I am moving on. I no longer want to be the person who can't see the forest for the trees. I am waking up and smelling the coffee. I am taking time to smell the roses (maybe I should plant some roses, hmmm...) and they smell good! Looking back, I can see how every piece of the puzzle of my life has fit together. I see, time after time, that when there was a problem piece, it was always only just a matter of time before I was given the piece that made it all make sense. What I really want to say more than anything is, Thanks God :) Thanks for my family, and my friends. Thanks for my lessons. Thanks for my Mom and Dad (who always love me no matter what) and my sisters (who always listen to me, find the good in me, and point my silver linings out to me when I can't see them) and my brothers (who've helped pull me out of more scrapes than I will admit to), and of course my dear husband (who never puts up with my excuses. Rolls eyes). Thanks for my garden, this blog and the people who are reading it :) I didn't know what this blog would do for my life, but you did God. Thanks for persistently reminding me about it until I started it. Thanks for bringing my brother in law home safe and sound (check out my sisters blogs about his home coming. They are both precious and hilarious at the same time :)

http://areluctantdomestic.blogspot.com/2011/03/homecoming-part-1.html

http://areluctantdomestic.blogspot.com/2011/03/homecoming-part-2.html

Thank you for my beautiful nieces and handsome nephews, who seem to think I am great. I feel the same way about them :) I have A LOT to be happy for. Thank you for opening my eyes :)

Please bless my friend and give her calm. Please bless her family in Japan and the people of Japan in general. Please bless the people who are dealing with the nuclear situation that they will figure out how to fix the problems.

Amen

Finally, thanks for loving me folks!

I love you back :)

Stephanie H.