For a day like today...God gave me Chugga Dude & Costco

Some days are just hard...emotionally exhausting even. I've had a lot of those, especially over the last many months. Sometimes I feel like I am at a crux where the momentum of life is taking a hard right to a new direction.

Today, I got the chance to come face to face with hard realities in life.  I am confronted with the fact that our children are never really under our control. They are created by our Creator and we are blessed with the opportunity to love and shepherd them for a period of time. Then they begin to make their own decisions and the best thing a parent can do is cry out to God and pray and trust. He made them after all. He had a plan for them long before a mother did.

Days like today make the good and bad memories of years gone by flood to the surface. Days like today remind me of my great need for total reliance on my Father in Heaven. Days like today I don't look forward to, but can later learn to appreciate and be thankful for. 

In the midst, I've been reminded to seek joy in all sufferings. That the rewards in heaven for suffering are far greater than temporal sufferings.  I've been comforted by friends. I am challenged to find things to be thankful for and to rejoice in the Lord despite the pain as I lay my burdens at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to take over.  Um...can I say...Jesus take the wheel?

As I pause towards the end of this day, I have a moment to reflect and to thank God for the little things.  I am thankful for the hug of a faithful friend.  I am thankful for the help of another to assist in something I could not do on my own.   I am thankful for texts from loved ones at just the right time.

And... one of the best things about today, was a little reminder from God to treasure the moments. Moments like seeing my Chugga Dude, my ever creating and non stop wonder, find excitement at Costco. I can relate.  For me, Costco means finding loads of organic and natural items to stock up on.  For Chugga Dude and my little Rose it means so many free samples that the pit stop for lunch before shopping was completely unnecessary.  For Chugga Dude and my little Rose, it also means a place where simple things, like empty boxes mean new creations.  Even a box can let your spirits soar as you imagine the fun your jet pack boy is going to have on his adventures.

So for today...God gave me Chugga Dude & Costco. 

Come on Chugga Dude....let's soar!