Reflections

This week has been a rough one for my family. My sister-in-law, who was six months pregnant, lost the baby this week. It has been a rough time for our family. I know that blessings come out of trials but sometimes it takes a lot of hurt to get to those blessings. I have reflected a lot this week about the blessings that I have and also a lot about trials.

I am thankful for the knowledge that I have that families can be together for eternity. I think knowing this brings a lot of comfort to my family, especially my brother and sister-in-law, at this time. I know that God loves us and that he is aware of what we go through. I am thankful that he has prepared a way for families to be together again. I know that my brother and his wife look forward to seeing their little boy again.

I am thankful for my two beautiful girls and for the medical intervention that made it possible for me to carry them to almost full term and to see their sweet smiling faces every day. I am thankful for the miracle of children and for everything that my girls teach me on a daily basis-especially about love and forgiveness.

I am thankful for an extended family member whom I have never met but who has become my friend. I am thankful for her willingness to stop whatever she was doing in order to talk to me when my week got especially rough. I am thankful for her words of encouragement and for reminding me that tomorrow is always a new day. I look forward to the day when we can meet face to face.

I am thankful for parents who taught me correct principles and who never gave up on me even when I chose not to live them. I am thankful for knowing that I am a child of God and that I can pray to him (however sporadic I can sometimes be with it) and he will listen. I am thankful that he blesses me even during my sporadic prayer moments and that he ensures that things always work out. They may not get worked out how we initially think they should, but somehow, Heavenly Father makes it okay.

I am thankful for the example of my brother and his wife and their unwavering faith in God. Even though they are dealing with something that is rough, they are not angry. They don't blame God and they haven't turned their backs on him. They KNOW that this is all according to His plan and that somehow, someday, He will make everything okay.

In a previous post, I had talked about a quote that I had run across that read -

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."

I feel like there are many storm clouds over my life right now. I hope that Heavenly Father will help me to dance in the rain.