Swimming Lesson

Today is a gift from God. Often, I am so bogged down with the burdens of my circumstances that I forget to stop and appreciate everything that I do have. It's so easy to wallow in self-pity and drown in depression and beautiful, gifted, fortunate moments can slip by almost without notice. Yesterday, I spent the morning with my son and my girlfriend at a local pool. It was baby's first time and he had a blast. As I look back on that experience I marvel at the fact that we could go to a pool complete with a water slide, fountains, baby pools, simulated beach, a giant tug boat to play on and even a little 'river' where you can lay back and just ride the currents. And then I think about the children of this world who don't even have enough clean water to fill a cup for a cool drink, and there goes my little sweetheart, around the little river for another ride. Gallons and gallons and gallons of water, just to play in! Oh, we are so incredibly blessed. Oh, we are so often forgetful of what we have. Oh, I am so often ungrateful. Please forgive me Lord! So today, I have made a decision to not worry, fret, complain or take for granted the blessings in my life. Instead, I'm going to praise my Father for His goodness to me. I'm going to ask Him to make me truly mindful of all I have. I'm going to enjoy my moments with my son without tears and sadness. A day without self-pity. A day without bitterness and anger. A day ruled by a grateful heart and a blessed spirit.