Sacrifice is never easy!

I spent most of the day in pain yesterday.  This little man is sitting funny and my only hope is to hold on and enjoy the ride!  "Enjoy the ride?" you say. Yep, not long from now I will be holding this precious one in my arms but for now I am looking for beauty in ashes.

There is something about pushing through the pain that makes you appreciate the little things in life.  I had to run 5 errands yesterday.  Minor to say the least.  However, with every stop of the car I would have to mentally prepare for getting in and out.  The pain so excrutiating I had to mentally rev up before fighting back the tears.  With every step through the parking lot, telling myself to wipe the look of pain off of my face.  Others don't need to see it.  By the time my errands were through God had sustained me!!!  I now had a new appreciation for elderly people who can't make it to a store or in and out of cars.  Thank you Lord that every day of my life is not like this. 

We have a woman at our church who lives in constant pain.  My heart goes out to her as I rest and begin to pray for a pain free day for her.  What a welcomed relief that will be for her.  How she must long for even a small break in the pain. 

God takes our suffering and turns it into beauty. 

As I looked around last night surrounded by my children and reflecting on the sacrifices we have made this year.  I think hard and long about the physical suffering.  It is nothing and yet my children are so understanding. So willing to help, ok not always excited about it but still, willing.  They get sacrifice.  They get that family is more important than stuff. 

I can only pray that as they grow older and wiser that I too can keep that at the forefront of their minds.  That sacrifice is never easy but always worth it in the end.