When Being Ordinary is a Blessing

One lesson my parents always tried to impart on us as kids was no matter how bad you think life is, just take a look around and it will not take you long to find someone else with bigger problems than you have.


It's not that I think my life is bad.  It is definitely not.  My complaint often is more that is just very ordinary.  I cringe at the thought of how many times that I have said, "I'm just a stay at home mom."  My day is filled with refereeing kids, running a chauffeur service and attempting to keep our home afloat.  Really very ordinary.  I have had many days where I have struggled with just how plain and ordinary my life really is.


Today is NOT one of those days.  Today was one of those days where I woke up and made a list of all the errands I needed to try to squish into my day around volunteering at the school to serve lunch.  The list was long, so long that I knew I had to write it down just so that I could plan the most efficient way to get it all done and not forget anything.  Nothing exciting - bottle depot, water store, bank, library, post office....  Ordinary and boring.


I arrived at the school a few minutes early.  I was met by a dear friend in tears.  Her marriage is in the process of unravelling and today her husband was moving out of their home.  Her sense of normal ws being shattered. 


Then shortly after another sweet gal that I have volunteered a lot with came in looking very pale and out of sorts.  What many people do not realize is, she is fighting for her life right now.  She has been battling cancer for over four years.  She has already had three surgeries.  She has another one scheduled for next week on the other side of the country.  The meds they have her on have her so sick, yet she wanted to be at the school so she could serve lunch to her son, like any other week.  She stuck around after lunch and helped me do up the deposit and take it to the bank. 


Everywhere I looked there was so much hurt, so much brokenness.


Today my ordinary, boring life looks very appealing.  Today I am thankful for my marriage, my kids and my health.


Oh, and just in case you were wondering...  No I did not get all my errands done.  Although I rocked out a record number of them this morning, I chose to spend time with someone who needed a distraction from her life this afternoon, someone who would needed just a little taste of ordinary.


Here are my YTD totals as of the end of week 34:
Push ups             23,829
Sit ups                27,220
Kempo                  229
Staff                      343
Sparring                530
KM                       525.1
AoK                     638
Personal Goals:
Gratitude Journal  658
Piano                     43.25 hours
Books finished       19 
Daily fruit - 163 days
365 photo challenge - 131 days
Daily journal - 205 days