Gratitude

Lately I've been thinking a lot about Gratitude, and how much I am thankful for everything in our lives lately. How determined I am not to let bitterness take root in my heart and steal my joy. Even though the past year has been one of the hardest years of our lives. I still praise God through it all, because Jayson & I have become closer to God & each other. At the end of the day that's all that really matters. I had a great friend (thank you) point that out to me. That even though I feel like nothing is going right in our lives but that. Well, in the end that is the only thing that matters. 

I know that there will always be sadness in the world and bad things will happen to good people. So I don't really read much of the news, but this one article really struck me as such a powerful message. It was an article about a little girl with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy).They made a bucket list for this little girl. Even despite everything these people still saw the good in life. Instead of dealing with her disease in hopeless way, they turned it around into something positive. That made me think, what if we all did that. Instead of letting the hopeless situations pull us down and tear us apart. Turn it around and see the good in it, even though it's an unchangeable situation, that doesn't matter to an unchangeable God. He will always win. Don't get me wrong I struggle everyday with this. But one thing I have learned in the past year more than ever. When a door closes a window will open.  

When Jayson got out of the Marines last summer, I was devastated when we had to move. The life that we had built in the 4 and 1/2 years we had been there was going to be gone in a month. I had to quit my job, leave our home, leave our friends and leave our god-daughter and her family. Everything that I held dear was going to change. All my dreams crashed and burned. I was angry with God. Don't get me wrong, I was still grateful that I had a loving husband and a very happy, healthy little boy. But I am still trying to let those ashes go and give them to God. Because I know that He is going to do something beautiful with them.  

Isaiah 61:3 "To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy, instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

It has taken me almost a year to see the good in moving... But I am starting to see the light at the end of this tunnel and finding peace through all this pain. 

I have been blessed to be home with Jacob on a daily basis. I have been blessed to see our amazing little boy grow and change every day. I still have been able to get to see my beautiful god-daughter and her family once a month. We now have a church to call home and we have met some incredible people. Jayson has a good job. We have a roof over our head and two cars. I have a lot to be thankful for. So I will continue to praise God through this valley, because I know this is only a season in our life. There is more to come. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Sorry it was a long one. 

Always,

Ash