God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it

“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Love the ones who do not, just because you can. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.”

It is a simple quote that I picked up recently… and a good one to put into action. It is so true.

Sitting with a couple recently I heard the complicated route that had brought them together. There was so much that could have destroyed them. So much that had happened along the way to cripple them – yet today as they make the next set of plans for a future together – they are amazing. They truly live by what is contained in the quote.

The last part of the quote grabbed my attention… “God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.”

As I have been sifting through emotions again I have found this to be so true.

Last evening as I went through another old box of really old material – the box released a huge amount of emotions. It was as if the emotions were packed right along with everything that was in there.

The box was loaded with many of my old drawings and cartoons from all the years before. Some of the pieces are over 45 years old. As I touched them again memories flooded back over and over again. What a rush!

As I touched one, I stopped and held it looking deeply at what I drew on the paper. The memories flooded back of the moment that I created the piece. At that very moment in the past I was struggling with thoughts about the future and what might be. I was weighted down by the circumstances that existed around me. Everything had looked impossible. I remembered the thought, “How will I ever make it through this stuff that is happening?!?”

Life was not easy at that point in time. It was down right impossible and not worth going on. I was ready to quit everything and just give up entirely. “God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.” was oh so true as I look back now.

I have done very well. I have not only survived but gone way past the obstacles that I had planted firmly in front of me at that moment. I was a failure then – a complete and absolute failure. But that isn’t the way that I stayed.

Life has been more than “worth it”, life has been excellent!

Sometimes I wish that I was at the mid point in my life… and that I had another 50% left to live. At 65 years old that is probably not the case. I don’t really need to live another 65 years… I just need to enjoy deeply what I have right now.

Regrets? No way – not really. Stuff? I do not have a lot. I have enough. And realizing that is the most important thing in the world. I am satisfied. I have been blessed and I will continue to be so.

Yesterday…
Yesterday I had the joy of watching a boy of 10 years old discover something new. Devon’s eyes sparkled.

He is in my drawing class that I am teaching this week.

Like all kids his age they are able to do some things okay. They draw their own way… and have not changed much over the years.

With his pencil in hand he created something new on his paper. The deep joy as he saw something new was expressed by his words… “Oh WOW… Wait till I show my Mom this!”

He stopped what he was drawing and said, “You were at my Baseball game. I saw you.”

He was playing in a game that I attended with my grandson Clifford. Clifford was the Umpire and I sat over the way in my lawn chair enjoying the kid’s game.

Little did I know that Devon and I would share another moment through the art experience this week.

Life is not only worth it… it is much more. It is sharing what I have and am able to do. And when that happens… even just sitting at a Baseball game for kids has an impact on the boys like Devon.

But realizing that this is taking place and something powerful is happening… makes me very young at heart… and keeps me going!

I have to run now. I have about 15 wide eyed, fun to be with sparkling kids to draw some pictures with this morning.

I am alive today with the ideas and thoughts that are needed for now. Wooie… I can’t wait for today to get going!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/