I got home from work last night and everyone was already asleep. In the kitchen a found a note from James that brought tears to my eyes. He just thanked me for being his dad, that I make him feel special and that he loves spending time with me. How awesome is that. I teach, and have taught, thousands of teenagers in my life. So many of them believe that their parents don’t understand them and they struggle to communicate with their moms and dads.
I don’t have money in the bank, but I am blessed. I am 52 and don’t own a house, but I am blessed. Some months things are tight, but I am blessed. I don’t have close to enough saved up for retirement, but I am blessed. I don’t have any status, but I am blessed. I haven’t (yet) achieved anything great in my life, but I am blessed. I haven’t reached amazing heights in my career, but I am blessed. I don’t get many likes when I post something on Facebook, but I am blessed.
The secret is that I don’t find my worth in things that the world holds dear. Last night I was talking to some of my students about the meaning of life. They asked me what the meaning of it all is. My answer was, “It depends on what you believe.” Not one of them is a Christian. In fact, every single one is an atheist. They believe that this life is all there is, and that there’s no point to us being here. It’s all about enjoying your life as much as you can and living all for yourself. No wonder so many people are depressed and confused today.
Without HOPE there is no point. If we don’t have hope, we WILL give up. When we doubt that there’s a reason for us being here, our lens on life becomes blurred and we begin to see all the negatives. My hope is in Jesus and knowing Him is like having the test paper and the answer sheet. I know that life isn’t perfect, but I know that all my answers are in Him.
I have a wife who I adore and who completes me. We have the most amazing marriage, not because I’m lucky, but because we choose to see the good in one another. Neither of us are perfect (especially me) but we don’t focus on the negatives. I have 2 sons who I love with all my heart. They complete our lives. They aren’t perfect (pretty close though) but we focus on their many good points and encourage them to make a difference wherever they go. There have been times of tears when they were disciplined and there have been difficult times, but that’s part of the reason they are who they are today.
I’ve been through things in my life that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. So, I am not “lucky” that everything has fallen into place. My life has been very hard. It’s not a question of, “It’s easy for me to say you need to count your blessings, you don’t know what my life is like?” Things that have happened in my life, have caused many people to take their own lives, when the same thing happened to them. So I am not writing out of ignorance. But when you move from the position of “Poor me” to the position of “How blessed I am” because you choose to to make that move, everything changes.
“Christ alone. Cornerstone! Through the storm, He is Lord. Lord of all!”
Have an amazing day and be blessed.
Mark Davidson
