Life is about thriving. Not just surviving.
It is about taking what you get and giving it your all.
It's about growing what you're given and watching it flourish.
It's about planting seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control... you know... all those fruits of the spirit... and reaping the results of your labor.
It's about finding the silver-lining... and making lemonade... and looking up.
It's about giving all that you have to give and then giving a little bit more.
I don't know about you, but when I have a bad attitude...
When I struggle through each day, wondering how I am going to survive the toddler years...
The temper tantrums, the sleepless nights and days, the emotional roller-coaster of trying to train up a child in the way he should go...
When I focus on all those little things, I lose sight of the big picture and I forget to thrive.
I start surviving each day, counting the minutes to bedtime, wondering how I will do it all over again tomorrow.
I forget to thrive. I forget to cherish every moment that is so fleeting. Every moment that I will miss so deeply when it's gone.
Someday I will long for these days. As hard as they can be, they are also so full of joy. Watching my children grow, and watching myself grow...
I hope to someday be able to look back on these years and say that Yes!... we did survive these years, but even more importantly... we thrived!
