This picture just makes me laugh because it is so true! Sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and carry on! Life does not always turn out the way you plan, and you just have to figure out how to take the next step forward. And I’ve learned that you can be miserable and complain while you do it, or you can be positive and happy, but you are still going to have to do it!
I have a good friend who was so excited to have her son come home from his mission this past week! He had been serving in Chile for two years, and they anxiously awaited his arrival home. They cleaned the house meticulously, and even rented a carpet cleaner and scrubbed all the carpet in the house. Finally the day of his arrival had come, and they were up early having breakfast, excited to go pick him up from the airport. In the middle of their breakfast they heard a funny noise coming from the bathroom and went to check it out. To their horror, they found both bathrooms overflowing with backed up sewage!!!! Within minutes a foul smelling black sludge covered the floor of every room in their home!
Here’s the short version of the rest of the story – they had to immediately evacuate and find a new place to live! Most of their belongings were contaminated and had to be thrown out.They spent several days wearing face masks, heavy rubber boots, and rubber gloves as they sorted through their belongings seeing what they could possibly salvage (like pictures and artwork on the walls, items in the tops of closets, etc.) What a nightmare! Seeing their home like that, and helping them with the task of saving whatever they could, brought me to tears several times. How depressing and frustrating and horrible!
But my amazing friend and her family (including her son who arrived home to the disaster) just picked themselves up and carried on. They were even cheerful in the process, and so grateful for all the help they received, and thankful to their Heavenly Father for all of the tender mercies He had provided. TENDER MERCIES? Perhaps most people would not be able to see the tender mercies in this situation, but they did. They have a long list of them! They are actually still right in the middle of all of it, still trying to make heads or tails of everything, but a huge snow storm yesterday has haulted their efforts. I’m sure they saw that as a blessing too.
This is a good reminder to me of something I have told my children often, “You can do it kicking and screaming, or you can do it with a happy attitude. Either way, you are going to have to do it! And happy is such a better way!”
Photo Source: I could not find where this originated. I saw several sites that had it and gave permission for it to be shared. What a cute photo!
Thanks for your kind comment Deedee! I am sorry to hear that you are going through difficult circumstances. I'm glad you know that God will help you through it all – that knowledge is the key. He really does love us, and He really does send help. Hugs to you!
Thanks for your kind comment Deedee! I am sorry to hear that you are going through difficult circumstances. I'm glad you know that God will help you through it all – that knowledge is the key. He really does love us, and He really does send help. Hugs to you!
I don't think that you could have posted on this on a more fitting day. So many changed are occurring in my life (not ones that I wanted to happen) and I am feeling so overwhelmed with all of the life changing events. I keep telling myself that I need to just keep going and know that God will help me through it all. The photo and quote are awesome and the story of your friend is inspiring. Thanks so much for your wonderful blog!
I don't think that you could have posted on this on a more fitting day. So many changed are occurring in my life (not ones that I wanted to happen) and I am feeling so overwhelmed with all of the life changing events. I keep telling myself that I need to just keep going and know that God will help me through it all. The photo and quote are awesome and the story of your friend is inspiring. Thanks so much for your wonderful blog!