I was jolted awake for no reason after just 3.5 hours of sleep. I was trying to recover from a long 13.5 hour day at work that ended with a 1.5 hour meeting. I rolled over after waking up and for some reason checked my phone for a text message. My wife Jody had sent me a text just moments before to say that her van had “died” and her phone was almost at the end of it's battery charge. I groaned inwardly. I lied in bed trying to rest for a few moments to gather my wits. I finally got up and called Jody. My phone hesitated, then lost the signal. I tried again and connected. Amidst the crackling and uncertain connection on my phone, I heard Jody say that she was at a repair facility and getting the van fixed. I lost the signal again. I groaned inwardly. I rolled out of bed and walked to the front of the house and called her back. Thankfully, Jody and our sons Jake and Samuel were O.K. and not stranded somewhere unsafe. I immediately groaned inwardly again because I realized that we now had an unknown repair bill that was an unplanned expenditure.
Money is tight as it often is with a large family of growing children. I realized that our daughters Miar and Leslie were on their way home from Young Life camp and should be at the church shortly. I learned from Jody that one of their youth pastors; Marissa, was bringing them straight home. How generous. As I tried to get myself awake, navigate through the frustration of an auto repair bill, and start dinner while I waited for Miar and Leslie to arrive, I realized that it has been an emotionally difficult few months with Jody's Mom passing away and just within the past week her nephew had been killed.
Miar and Leslie arrived energetically and loudly and sprung out of Marissa's Subaru. They appeared to have had a great time and learned much about God's Generous Love Through His Son Jesus Christ. As we drove to pick up Jody, Jake, and Sam, I heard about how the Young Life staff and their Youth pastors had explained and illustrated the Good News of the Gospel in terms a middleschooler can relate to and understand. Despite their apparent tiredness, both Miar and Leslie were extremely animated as we spoke about their time at camp.
Despite the difficulties of a significant lack of sleep, the headache of having to get a broken car repaired and paid for, the “chore” of cooking dinner, and all the other emotional baggage from the recent moths, I realized that I am grateful. I am grateful that others help Jody and me teach our children about God's Generous, Life Saving, Embracing Love. I am grateful for the scholarship money somebody provided to our daughters so they could attend Young Life Camp. I am grateful that I actually sometimes have to work 13.5 hour days capped by a 1.5 hour meeting at the end. I am grateful that one of my co-workers thought enough to give us some clothes that her daughter has grown out of recently. I am grateful to be able to have the resources to cook dinner for my family. I am grateful to have extended family. The list goes on and on and on. I am grateful. I am grateful. I am grateful!
Having a grateful heart and realizing it makes all the difference. I am reminded of a “Veggie Tales” song that says, “A grateful heart is a happy heart.” Today, despite all the nagging baggage – what I'll call the “naggage” of life, I have a grateful and happy heart!
What about you?
