Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Stretch your limits!



I love that my mother is setting this wonderful example for my children. Stretching our limits helps us get rid of that "Woe is me" outlook on life and realize that other people have actually gone through what we are going through and more. A few nights age I heard on the news about a woman who was kept in her basement for 24 years by her father. She bore 7 children to him. Four of them were left with her in the basement never to see the light of day for their entire lives. The other three were taken from her and raised by her father. As a mother it is impossible for me to even imagine how to raise a child in those conditions, let alone four. Sometimes I complain about my situation living in an apartment. After hearing about that awesome woman I can't even listen to myself complain about my life. It's emabarrassing. It's almost disgusting to think about how ungrateful and spoiled I must sound at times.

I am amazed at what some people have done and are still doing with what their lives give them. We don't exactly plan everything that happens to us, although I would love to. It's sure great to know that we can stretch ourselves in whatever situation that we find ourselves no matter how little or how much we have. We can always be more friendly, more positive, more healthy, more charitable, and more grateful. In my mother's case, she was less fearful. I think the most difficult thing that she's done this year is take this trip to visit me. The scariest part of her trip is yet to come. She does have to fly home on her own. She's really scared of getting lost in a foreign airport. I know, I know what most of you are thinking. What's to fear? You must realize that other people's fears are not ours. It is hard to understand why other people fear things that we don't. Like spiders. Anyway, by buying her round trip ticket she's entered a one way path. She can't go back now. She must and will face her fear on May 19th. Pray for her. Meanwhile she will continue to read the second book in the Twilight series and secretly long for dear Edward.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I love that pic of your mom! I will praying that all goes well for her return flight.

Jill Hunt said...

I just LOVE that picture of your mom! Priceless! It looks like you guys are having a great time with her there. I am glad she got to go visit you for a while.

Peter and Wendy said...

Hi guys

Tell "a" Claudia we send our love and we will have her in our prayers. We miss you all.

We love the stretch your limits picture of your mom. It is now my computer's desktop background to remind me to stretch.

Holly Messenger said...

What a classic picture! I love how your mind works, Christine.