Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Weights and Measures

When I tell people we're blessed, it's not just something to say. I mean it, we are truly blessed with a capital "B." It has nothing to do with quantity of material possessions, and everything to do with quality of life.

Lately my mind has been full of numbers, mainly because it's the dreaded tax season. My mornings are spent at my day job, a CPA firm, watching clients stream in and out the door, hoping that in between they'll find out they can expect a hefty refund. At those very same moments, I'm sitting at my desk trying to figure out if the number of hours I'm putting in will cover the amount of household expenses going out. Usually, it's a pretty close call.

Then in the afternoon, I come home and attempt to find creative ways to help The Shining Light Fund spin a few dollars of cash into comfort for thousands. That's no easy task, either. Thankfully, life cannot be measured in numbers. It's measured in meaningful moments, hope and faith, laughter and love.

Our blessing is being surrounded by people that God has strategically placed in our lives, people who care and help get us through. People like our parents who always have a hug to spare and make sure we know that everything's ok. People like Margaret, our landlord, who lets us slide on paying the utilites for a whole year (literally) until we get our tax refund. People like friends who e-mail out of the blue to say "keep going, you're doing great things." Not everyone has this kind of overwhelming support, and it is for that reason I say we are blessed beyond measure.

Sometimes in my humanity I wonder out loud to myself, "What would we do?" if we didn't have help coming in from this way and that. But God reminds me that He's already figured it out, and that's why the help is there. He didn't just close the gap by accident. He placed a strong a sturdy bridge over it with the utmost in care, considering all outcomes, as He always does in His most fatherly way.

And because I can trust Him to guide my feet, my mind and heart can get back to where they belong. Those simply amazing, fulfilling moments. There's no ruler long enough to measure moments like these.
Thanks for listening.