Opus 2013-369: Why Me?

I hope you have a happy thanksgiving. 

It is so easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the struggles, failures and shortfalls of our lives.  I do it often enough but by making it a habit of starting every morning with, “Good morning, Lord” I start off on the right foot.  I am working on meditating and writing on Proverbs at the beginning of every day.  Between the spoken words and the studied Word it puts a spring in my step.

Today is the big pause that refreshes.  If you don’t have a personal faith I guess you can be grateful for the previous generations that have built our world.  I can do that and also see the hand of God in the general peace and prosperity I am surrounded by.

I often wonder, “Why me?”  Not in sorrow and complaint but in wonder and gratitude.  I could have been born in the middle of the chaos of the French Revolution, the Mongol invasion, Haitian slavery, the Black Death.  I could have been born in a poverty stricken third world country controlled by a crazy tyrant.  Without pride or arrogance, I can be grateful and continue to wonder, “Why me?” 

To that I add thanks.

Will things fall apart in the future?  Will sickness or poverty come?  Will tragedy stalk my footsteps?  Maybe.  I hope that I still trust my God and know a spirit of thanksgiving.  Remember that when the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving in the new world, they had suffered tremendous losses.  Yet they were thankful.

“Why me?  Thank you, Lord!”

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