Where are you at right now in your life? Are you jubilant and in an outstanding place? Are all things going your way and blessings falling on you by the bushelful? When you look down do you see $100 bill laying on the sidewalk? Do you hit every green light in your daily commute? OR are you stubbing your toe on every piece of furniture in your house? Maybe your voicemail is full of bill collectors wanting past due payments.
No matter where you are right now in life you must be grateful for any situation. I have been in seasons of my life when I didn’t think it could get any darker. When I suffered at every turn owing more and more money and not making enough money to pull my head out of the debt that was drowning me. Every envelope I opened I would give me a deep papercut, every red light had my name on it, if it was negative it was happening to me.
Then I learned how to be grateful for any situation no matter how miserable and I learned that through prayer. Yes things were bad but I asked God to help me find good in the darkness. There is always something positive in every negative and that is because positivity is 1,000 greater and stronger than negativity. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you a story.
Several years back all of our family got together for a cruise. There were aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. along for the voyage. We had a marvelous time until we arrive home. It was just a short period of time before we found out that one of our cousins was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a grapefruit. He immediately went to the Mayo Clinic for surgery and chemo. They could not remove all of the tumor for obvious reason but they did the best they could.
He was hospitalized for a short time and sent home to recover. This was a very restrictive recovery. No lifting more than a few pounds which was difficult because he had two very small children. Children the age that couldn’t understand why daddy couldn’t lift them and throw them around in play. No exertion and again difficult for him being an athlete and runner.
As he recovered he went back to work as a Spanish teacher and coach. Days were difficult and he constantly continued to have setbacks and issues dealing with the recovery. He began to normalize his life and add regular routines back into his days as to move on from this bump in the road.
He remained positive through the whole process and posted updates often always about beating this cancer. He was inspirational. After a few years of struggling came a good prognosis and then a new problem would develop and the process of fighting began again. He was put on hospice on a Thursday and passed away at home with his family by his side the next day. He lost his battle in May 2017. He was 34.
Now you may ask me where the positivity in that story is and it probably all seems negative to you. A young father losing his battle with brain cancer and leaving behind a loving wife and young children.
I want to tell you exactly where I see positivity with my cousins death. I lived out of town and wasn’t exposed to this remarkable man but just a few times. He was a very handsome man that looked like a young Dermott Mulrooney.
He was bright and had a heart of gold. His influence on young students was incredible.
When the day of the funeral came the turnout was overwhelming. There were people lined up for over a block to get in to pay respect to his family. He left a true legacy for those left behind. People still honor him with quarterly runs since he was a runner and that was a family activity. People still post on his Facebook page beautiful memories of how he touched their lives here on earth.
According to Living on Purpose your personal legacy is more than simply a statement of how you wish to be remembered after you pass on. It is something that enriches your life and reveals you and what your life is about to your family, friends, and your community. His legacy was more at 34 than someone 100 years old may leave when they pass on. He made a difference in people’s lives and continues to do so from heaven.
Back to prayer and gratitude. After he left us, I prayed to God to help me to understand this loss that his wife and family were enduring. I asked to find gratitude and thankfulness in this tough situation. God answered my prayers. He reminded me of the students my cousin influenced to make good Christian decisions. He reminded me how he connected and resonated with so many different types of people and most of all, God reminded me of the beautiful children he brought onto this earth to support his wife through the tough times ahead. Their son is the spitting image of his dad.
So I beg of you when you are in one of those dark times. Turn to God and pray to him for gratitude somewhere in the darkness. Ask Him to help pinpoint what good things can come from the situation. When I was going through my hell in my first marriage I thanked God for preparing me to have a better life and for giving me my daughter for the extra strength I needed. When you change your mindset and prayers to be more grateful God holds your hand and brings you through the season. He will never turn His back on you.
All my love and gratitude for you-LoLo
Proverbs 13:22: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
gratefulgratitude.net 