Maderville

Attitude - part 2
A little while ago I had a conversation with a good friend of mine and we were talking about hardships in our lives. I was thinking of all the cliches' that people say when something goes wrong like....If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger or God doesn't give you more than you can handle....yada yada yada. While these are mostly true, I feel like we also have the ability to choose our attitude and how we deal with these bumps in the road. When Sophie died, my greatest fear was that people would forget about her. I just couldn't let that happen so I chose to memorialize her in a way where other children would benefit from her memory...not from our loss. I know not everyone can do build a playground...or whatever but I do think that you are ultimately responsible for the WAY you handle things....not necessarily the way you feel about a situation. For me, I went to the cemetery EVERY day to visit Sophie until Landry got here. It was 21 months of daily visits to see her. I know she really wasn't there but it made me feel better and I am thankful that I could deal with my pain with a simple visit to see her. Some people thought I was losing it for going every day but I figured that there were a lot worse things I could do! I knew that when I had Landry that I wouldn't be able to see her everyday nor would I need to anymore. I know that many people get mad at God when tragedy strikes and often times, they stray from the one thing that will save them them most. Bad idea.
There is a song on my play list...you may have heard it on here before by Mercy Me. When I heard this song, it made me think of all of the situations in my life that were painful and difficult to deal with and how I have tried to handle them. The lyrics are:

Bring the Rain by Mercy Me
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain
Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Is the Lord God Almighty

I know I can handle any thing as long as I have Jesus but I will take sunny skies as long as He wants to send them my way!