A Depressing Blog

Have you ever read those blogs by people who always talk about how much their lives suck, and give you a horribly depressed feeling after the first three, long winded, sentences that do not actually say anything about what is really going on in the author's life?  I have; and I always told myself that I was not going to be one of those bloggers.  Instead, I would write about encouraging things, all the good stuff that happens in my life and the lives of the people around me.  But tonight I remembered something some wise person some where once said: without the bad stuff, we would not know what "good" is.

Growing up, everything was good.  A loving family, great friends, lots of interesting books to read, and many days filled with the backyard play set and glorious sunshine and ridiculous games and delicious home-cooked meals.  Sure, my Dad lost his job a few times and, with a stay-at-home Mom, we had no income.  We rarely went to restaurants, wore hand-me-down clothes and most vacations consisted of camping trips with other families from the church.  It was my job to go to school, do my chores, and get along with my sisters.  All fairly easy and entirely uncomplicated tasks.  Life was simple.  Life was good.

So when did that change?  Why did things become so much more complicated?  Why does the "good life" now require a cute hair cut, a sexy body, stylish clothes, and constant fun and smiles?

I put to the court that my life is good.  Yes, I have a full time job this summer and I have limited fun time.  Yes, academic scholarships are essential to making it through college and demand an intense amount of studying.   Yes, I cannot afford a car and have to take the bus everywhere.  Yes, my Grandma is sick with a disease that cannot be cured and my family is hurting. My life is still good.

At the rate I am going with the money God is providing, I will graduate college debt free.  I will owe zip, nada, nothing.  I get to read for hours on the bus, every single day and save a mammoth on gas and car insurance; or I catch rides and have insightful conversations with friends on the drive home.  And as much as my family is hurting, we are growing stronger.  God is doing things in us and through us and for us and around us, because of what my Grandma is going through.

My Mom and Dad still have a strong marriage.  My sisters and I are still very close.  God is still taking care of me, and talks to me all the time.  The sun still shines, the stars still glow, and I still eat good food.  Life is good.

Yes, you must have bad in order to see good.  But let bad things (human trafficking, starvation, thirst, crime, hate, abuse, drugs, natural disasters, terrorist attacks) be bad things and let good things (family, love, caring, sunshine, cookies, ice cream, pets, Jesus, books, mattress to sleep on) be good things.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

With all the good stuff to think about in the world, why would anyone write a depressing blog?  I promise, life does not suck nearly as much as your veiled complaints and ambiguous statements make it seem.