Lemons into Lemonade

Thoughts for the day:

Do you ever realize that we contribute the words, why me, to a negative action? Why did I lose my job? Why are we so broke? Why did I get cancer? Why won't my kids behave? We never ask why something happened that was positive in our lives. We assume that God should just hand us the good and we should wallow when the negative comes to play.

I guess this all came to me after my OB appointment today. The doctor told me how I am looking exceptionally good, how my weight is still low and my baby looks and sounds fabulous. I left expecting to hear all these good things. I didn't ask God, why me? Why am I being blessed with another healthy baby when I have friends who are struggling to get pregnant? I just assumed that God would give me a normal, healthy little girl.

I know this may spark some anger, that's okay, I truly believe that my generation and possibly the one after me feels entitled. This age group, 18-30ish, has had everything handed to them. The economy was great while we were growing up so our parents weren't struggling to find work, if they wanted a job, it was there. We all had stuff. We all did things. None of us really ever thought, why me?,while things were good. We just assumed it was the way it was supposed to be.

Things have changed. Many people my age are losing jobs and gaining debt. We ask, why me? now that things are bad. Mom and Dad can't help us out because, let's face it, they took a hit in this economy too. My parents are very smart with their money. My dad understands stocks and when to buy and sell. He and my mom took a hit 2 1/2 years ago when the stock market crashed and just last night my dad made a comment they finally made that up. They are approximately 10 years away from retirement and they lost half of their money. They didn't ask why me? they just got back on that horse and recovered their loses.

I want to ask why me? in a positive way and find answers to the negative why me's? Here's my chance:

Why did I get cancer? (My biggest and daily why me for a long time) Cancer wasn't a gift but God gave me that cross to bare for a purpose, to see that I was worth something. It took a long time to see but my self-esteem is much higher after realizing that there are people out there who really would miss me if I was gone. It also made me realize the type of man my husband was. He didn't run. He didn't leave. He sat by my bedside every night. He told me that I was beautiful when I had no hair and the blackest circles under my eyes.

Why have we gone through financial struggles?
Well, honestly, a lot of it was stupidity. Thinking that we needed a lifestyle we couldn't support. Living beyond our means (that entitled thing again). I also think that our financial struggles have allowed us to bare it all to each other. It's hard but our "how are we going to pay this" talks actually make us get real with real issues. It's made us decide what is important for our family and what isn't. It's given us the chance to set goals for ourselves and it feels good when we achieve them.

Why am I blessed with an amazing daughter?

Well, obvious, I'm amazing! OK, not really, but I do wonder this a lot. And then I realize that she is an image of God. She is Christ-like. She is still innocent and pure. I hope to raise her to have the confidence I never had and the love I did have. I want her to know that even in her darkest days, I am there. She's pretty cool, I guess I'll keep thanking God for her!

Why do I live in Iowa? (seriously, WHY?!)
Maybe it's my inability to change but Iowa is definitely been my biggest why as of late. The other night I was trying to find a Bible verse for someone and stumbled across an old youth group study we did at Chi Alpha at UMD. It was about how God has a plan for us (duh) and that sometimes we don't agree with His plan (double duh) but that this plan is for our own good (okay, whaaa?). Then it hit me. Billy and I, although always strong in our marriage, were starting to live separate lives. We didn't spend a lot of quality time as a family. He'd work during the day and I'd work in the evening. He had bowling on Monday nights and softball on Wednesday nights. I had book club on Tuesday nights and worked Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Moving here has allowed us to spend some quality time together, maybe even too much! We have set a routine and it gives us time to catch up on our day. Although mine is pretty much the same everyday, he enjoys hearing the new things Addie and I did or the funny "you'll never believe" stories.

I guess what I am saying is that we need to stop taking the why me's? in life and making them negative all the time. We, as a generation, need to realize that there are people who have it A LOT worse then us. We need to make lemons into lemonade.