Tough Times

      You might find this blog post a little different than normal.  This has been on my heart for a long time, so I wanted to share my thoughts with you.  When times are hard, what do you do?
     Times are very hard for me right now. I am not going to go into details, many of you know the details so I won't share them.  What I do want to say is that I have a choice to make, as most people do.  That choice is  my attitude and actions toward the tough times. I can blame or try to squirm out of the situation as I have in the past or be proactive.
     Part of being proactive is facing the consequences of actions that were ill advised or foolish. I totally accept my actions and foolish decisions of the past and will "face the music" as I am doing now.  It hurts and I want it to stop! Fact of the matter is, it will stop and I will get through this much better and far wiser.  There is an end in sight.
     There is no gain without pain.  I know that this is a well worn idiom but with most sayings there is a lot of truth to it. Look what happens when the pain is over.  How do you feel? Something in your body breaks and then comes the pain.  Pain is the instrument telling the body that something is wrong and that you need to change what you are doing to bring it back to health.  When the pain goes away after healing, you feel much better.
     Right now, I have just been through life surgery, the symbolic morphine and drugs are wearing off.  I say this truly in the metaphorical sense as I haven't had physical surgery in several years when they fixed my stomach. The pain is nevertheless intense. I think you get the point though. The surgery I have just gone through is financial and related to my life's circumstances, but that doesn't lessen the pain of recovery.  The consequences are still there and just as hurtful. Again, after the pain comes the healing and good feelings.
     One more thing needs to be said.  My faith in God has kept me going.  If I wasn't able to rely on God, I would have not survived.  God is truly in control of my life right now and I know that he has a fantastic plan for me.  That plan is beginning to take shape and I am excited. The bottom line is though, I have to go through the pain before I get to the gain. God is getting me through it and has given me strength.
     I hate pain and try to avoid it at all cost.  That is the old me.  That is how I used to view life.  Not any more.