Two lives

I started a post this week about all of the things that are hitting Jon and I right now. We are having home, business, and other issues. Jon made the comment to a friend about no matter how hard we try to be honest and fair in our business dealings we'll never come out ahead because the bad guy always seems to win.

My blog post was a scream (quite literally) of frustration. Life is incredibly unfair right now and I had reached my limit. But I forgot something very important. The people who are corrupt, unkind, thoughtless, and cold are living their life. And if they don't change, this is going to be the only life they get to live. I have the beautiful privilege of living two lives. I get this life, which is actually really good, and I also get a new life when Jesus comes again. 

So I didn't post my venting blog of frustration. I'm going to let it sit in my drafts folder as a reminder that I have some awesome amazing things just around the corner. And right now, in my corner, I have God and my family. I have friends, blessings, a home, and a church family.

My family and I are healthy, clothed, well fed, and happy.

I am truly blessed.

What a family!!! I couldn't have imagined or asked for a better family for me. They get me. Some of that is perhaps because I helped make two of them. ;) But regardless, I'm incredibly blessed, thankful, and a bit proud to call them mine.

Just an example from my week - 

I had a woman (who professes to be Christian) say some rather hurtful and unkind things about me, to my face. She did it under the guise of "being truthful" and "saying it like it is". And while I laughed it off, I was shocked that she would openly say something so rude and disrespectful out loud. She would be hurt, mad, and perhaps devastated if I'd said those things to her. She's the type that takes offense very easily. I can honestly say that I've rarely seen her smile. She's constantly saying unkind or hurtful things to people. She's made both of my kids cry. 

My gut reaction when she said these things was shock and then disgust. Because she was disrespectful to me, I couldn't find any respect for her in my heart. But then I began to feel sorry for her. She's a miserable woman that is clearly hurting inside. And that hurt comes out. She can't help but project it onto others in an attempt to rid herself of all of the hurt, hate, and sadness inside. I don't know why she's that way, but I can definitely pray for her. Because while those things smarted, I'm still happy and blessed to be me. I knew that everything she said was untrue and so I can go on with my life. But she's still hurting and bitter.

So my goal for this next week is to try to find the blessings in the negative. But it's also to try to spread a little bit of that joy to others. We have no idea what goes on in a life that we aren't living. Perhaps our little ray of sunshine will hit someone just when they need it the most. It might be the only bright light in their total darkness.