if a cliche could solve the world's problems, i'd be serious as a heart attack about finding it

Days like today. Oh jolly.

Happy Thanksgiving while we're on the topic.

So it's days like today. Days like today when I'm laughing so hard with my family that I literally am about to pee myself. Days like today where I get over 20 hugs and loving embraces. Days like today where I eat sooo much that I'm full beyond full. Days like today when I'm warmed by the thoughts and concerns of others that just want to know about me--my life--because they care.

...oh these days, they make me smile. They make me laugh. They make me cry. At first, I cry because I have tears of joy. I think, God, what have I done to deserve so much? That's just it, I haven't. Then, this cry turns into tears of pain and concern...as my heart breaks. I begin to think about all the little babies in this world that just don't get held enough. I think about that guy I go to college with whose dad abandoned him, whose mom is too concerned with her job and her girlfriend to make him a priority, the guy who because he aches so much for love is afraid to let anyone in. I think about the mother who wonders, on this day of great feasting for so many, where she will find the next meal for her child--not even concerned about herself. I think about the man who has hit some rough patches in his life, turned to alcohol, and can't actually remember the last time he laughed. I think about one of the people I love dearest--how he lost his father at a young age, and I wonder if he longs every Thanksgiving to be in daddy's arms again--to make up for all those Thanksgivings as a child that Daddy was never there.

And then I pray. I pray that God would give me wisdom and understanding. I pray that He would help me to know how to best change lives. I struggle with this. Some days I want so badly to just fix the world--to hold every baby there is and give them love, to give that woman enough money to feed a tribe, to be the friend that helps that man break his alcoholism, to be the breakthrough of love and understanding in that friend's life...and so on and so forth. But I cannot fix everything. I can't. It's not within my power, no matter how much I may want it. So I pray for this wisdom that God will show me what I can do to be most effective, not only in directly helping others, but also in inspiring others that they can do the same. I long to be the drop in the bucket that creates ripples that become tidal waves. Or heck, I'll even settle for being a ripple that causes another ripple. I just want to see God's great love spread and people to be fulfilled.

Sometimes when people see these horrible situations, they want to blame God. 'why do these horrible things happen, if He is in control?' we wonder. I've heard many valid explanations, and I don't pretend to know God's thoughts and ways (they are higher than mine, Isaiah 55)...but what works best for me at least is acknowledging that at the beginning of time, evil entered the world. Because of 'simple' sins like selfishness, anger, pride, greed, etc., we have the resulting consequences. ...so I'm not looking for perfection. But rather than attribute all that's wrong to sin and these things and just move on, admitting that that's how the world has been for so long, I pray that I put aside selfishness, pride, desires for wealth, attention, and comfort in the name of Christ's cause and to help this hurting world. I don't say this to look good. I don't even say this because it means I'll hold up to it.I sure hope I will, but I am not going to pretend like I don't have glaring faults. I'm on a journey and working toward the best me. But I say these things to keep myself accountable (I hope you'll help) and to speak the desires of my heart. I hope they will be contageous and impact others to do the same. I pray that these desires of my heart become greater than any other desires in my heart. And I pray this that people around the world less fortunate than I can take the wishes of 'Have a Happy Thanksgiving' and see them come true for perhaps the first time in their lives.

I pray for those hurting in this world. I hope you'll do the same.

And as Tiny Tim would say, 'God bless us, every one.' Happy Thanksgiving and goodnight.