From Grumble to Humbled

Why do I grumble?

Why do I complain or groan or bellyache about anything?

As I watch my sweet girlies and their daily struggles...

I am humbled and reminded of all the reasons why I should keep my grumbling mouth shut!

All three of our beautiful daughters from China have had their fair share of challenges and there are days when I am ashamed of the things that I think are worthy to complain about.

Walking for my precious Lucy is hard...

as determined as she is to get those sweet little legs of hers to move the way she wants them to...

it is just hard...

and I watch her struggle.

 I watch the effort it takes for Lucy to just stand up straight and take a step forward.

 I watch the effort it takes for our sweet Maggie to just - utter - a - word...

or to keep her body still...

even long enough to hold a smile for a picture...

and I am reminded of the ease in which I move, the ease in which I speak, the ease in which  I do anything...

and I am refined just a little bit more...

I am molded and shaped and tweaked into an image just a tad more Christ like and a little less "world like"...

and while the "world" may look on and wonder "why"...

why would we choose to take this on...

and while we sometimes look within and wonder "why"...

why did we choose to take this on...

I am drawn back to the place of peace...

that place of understanding that only comes from trusting the path that HE chose for us.

I can look back now and recognize all the blessings that we would have missed had we not acknowledged the burden that had been placed on our hearts.

I can tuck those blessings away for the hard times yet to come...

cause they will come.

My girls live in "hard" everyday, but...

they no longer have to live it alone...

"God sets the lonely in families"

and that is the answer to the "why".

Have you asked yourself what burden the Lord might be placing on your heart, the blessings you might be missing?

When I see these faces...

even when it is hard...

and especially when it's not - grin...

I am so very glad we asked...

and answered.