Perspective: It's a Beautiful Thing

Recently, my life has been a roller coaster. Each day there is some new issue or change, completely lacking consistency. I go through about 20 emotions in a day and find myself on different highs and lows throughout the same day. While this could definitely be contributed to pregnancy (third trimester, at that), I've always been one to give in to emotions and let them control me. I get sucked in to how I feel in the moment and forget to hold tight to reality. The older I get, the more I am realizing that life (a joyful one) is all about perspective. Lately, my life has been hectic, but I've also been so very blessed. I've had a few stressful situations arise, but I've also seen God directly answer my prayers. There have been things that haven't gone my way, but my friends and family have stepped up and shown so much love and support. Money has been tight, but God has provided in incredible ways. There has been so much good that it's hard to even acknowledge the bad: that's perspective and it's a beautiful thing.

The Bible says to, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." In the world we live in today, that's not always the easiest task. In the past month alone, the news has been filled with cases of Ebola spreading in the U.S. and the latest ISIS attack and capture. It's a scary and not always so pretty world that we live in. Despite the negative images and conversation that surround us each day and can so easily entangle us, I still think there is so much good left in the world. If you take the time to look for it and meditate on it, you will find it. You will see it in the young cashier helping the sweet older man carry his groceries, in the mother kissing her children as she sends them off to school, and in someone taking the time to bake you some cookies to show their appreciation for all your hard work. You will see it when you remember how quickly life passes and how you are one of the lucky ones that is still alive and given the opportunity to make a difference today. I have been reminded so many times recently that no matter how bad our situation is, someone else always has it worse. So yes, those are simple examples, but hey, some people don't even have that to pull from. For me, each time I feel my baby kick, I am reminded of how good life is and how blessed I am. Having a little miracle growing inside of you quickly puts your life into perspective. The problems seem so insignificant compared to the simple joys we have been given. These are the things are need to remember when life gets tough. We are the lucky ones. Again, perspective.

Some days it's so difficult to find the good. We stress and get so flustered about a particular problem and once that issue is solved, we move right on to the next crisis. We forget to give thanks for the answer to our previous problem and the things that are going right in our lives. For me, it's been medical bills, work, baby preparation, and so many other things that consume my life and sometimes derail me from an attitude of praise. Despite anything difficult I've experienced recently, when I step back and put my life into perspective I can honestly say that I've never been more blessed. Josh and I have had so many people help us in more ways than I can even count. Our family, friends, church members, and co-workers have given their time and energy to us to make us feel so loved and appreciated. They have saved us and supported us when we had so much to get done that we couldn't even see straight. We have felt encouragement from all sides. Our baby hasn't even arrived yet and is already so loved and prayed for. I am lucky enough to carry my baby, have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby which is more than many can say. People have been so incredibly giving and generous to our family that it blows my mind. God has made a way for us when there didn't seem to be one. All that to say, God has been so, so good to us. And we can't forget that when the first hardship hits. We must cling tightly to perspective and an attitude of gratitude.  

Yes, it's easy to get caught up in all the things in life that aren't true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. But putting your life in perspective is one of the best things you could ever do for yourself and your family. That's what I've been learning lately. I'm alive and healthy. I'm loved and cared for. This is all I need. Everything else is just icing on the cake and when I put my life in perspective, I have a lot of icing! :)