Life is a Blessing

By Tracy McCoy

Imagine Joy!

Note: There are times when the articles just don’t come, this month was one of those times. Under the weight of the chaos RIDSDQGHPLFFLYLOXQUHVWSROLWLFDOLQVDQLW\DQGXQFHUWDLQW\LWōVKDUG WRƓQGMR\6R,GXJXSVRPHROGFROXPQV,KDG ZULWWHQDQGFDPHDFURVVWKLVRQHZULWWHQLQ,UHDGLWDQGWKRXJKWWRP\VHOIŏZKHUHLVWKLVJLUO"Ő,ZRQGHUHGLI,UHDOO\ ZURWHWKLVEXW,GLGDQGWKHJRRG/RUGNQHZ,QHHGHGDUHPLQGHURIZKHUHWRƓQGWKHMR\,DPVRKXQJU\IRU0D\EH\RX GRWRR,ZLOOH[SORUHP\DELOLW\WRLPDJLQHWKHOLIHWKDWLVZLWKLQP\JUDVSDQG,ōOOGUDZFORVHWR-HVXVIRUMR\

Imagine. It’s a simple command which requires that you close your eyes and draw from your mind’s eye. Imagining is something we don’t often do because three things happen, two of which are not pleasant.

1. When you delve into your imagination you may imagine a better day when you were happier and that may lead to sadness or disappointment. 2. Imagining can take you places that you may not be able to go because of physical or emotional limitations, in which case you feel similar sadness or disappointment. @V\YPTHNPUH[PVUJHUZPUN[V`V\YOLHY[HUKSPNO[HÄYLPU[OLKLW[OZVM`V\YZV\SVMMLYPUNLUJV\YHNLTLU[ and hope beyond what your “daily” mind can picture.

.V^P[OTL[VU\TILYPTHNPULUVSPTP[H[PVUZLP[OLYWO`ZPJHSVYTLU[HS3L[`V\YOLHY[HUKTPUKQVPUOHUKZHUKZVHY[OYV\NO the negative reality of your circumstances. (ZSP[[SLNPYSZHUKIV`Z^LOHKNYLH[PTHNPUH[PVUZKPKU»[^L&0JV\SKWYL[LUK[VILHU`[OPUNT`TPUKJV\SKJVUQ\YL\W0 could be a princess or a cowgirl in a split second. I could imagine myself a singer with the front porch as my stage, singing to the masses in the yard. If I closed my eyes I could even see them or I could be a doctor with my little red bag working on my grandpa’s broken arm. The sky was the limit and I was reasonably sure I could go beyond if I wanted to. If you could shed those SPTP[H[PVUZ^OLYLJV\SK`V\NV^OH[JV\SK`V\HJOPL]L&1\Z[PTHNPUL @V\ TH` IL Z[YHWWLK ÄUHUJPHSS` WO`ZPJHSS` SPTP[LK Z\MMLYPUN MYVT KLWYLZZPVU `V\ JV\SK IL MHJPUN ZVTL[OPUN `V\ UL]LY [OV\NO[`V\»KILMHJPUNHUKMLLSZVHSVULHUKHMYHPK0THNPULPM[OLYL^HZZVTLVUL^OVJV\SKIL^P[O`V\^OVJV\SK take your worries and who you could trust with every care. Your problems would not be non-existent but you wouldn’t be facing them alone and you wouldn’t need to be afraid. I want to introduce you to my Lord and Savior, Jesus. He is that someone. He has all of the answers and He loves you. Imagine what it would feel like to place your cares in His capable hands and be free [VSP]L`V\YSPML^P[OV\[MLHY-LHYKVLZU»[JVTLMYVT/LH]LUP[OHZUVWSHJLPU`V\YSPML

Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God, the one who put that natural wonder and ability to imagine in your heart while you were yet a twinkle in your mother’s eye. We, as a people were created in the image and SPRLULZZ VM .VK 5V[OPUN PZ impossible for our Heavenly -H[OLY HUK [OYV\NO *OYPZ[ nothing is impossible for you. You may have physical limitations or emotional challenges, but within you there is greatness beyond anything you can imagine... so while you may need assistance, it is possible for you to live and to L_WLYPLUJL\UILSPL]HISLQV` 0THNPULQV`9LTLTILYQV`&@V\ have experienced it, maybe even lately. When you strip away the bank account, the car troubles, the broken heart, the sickness, the KPZHIPSP[`[OLYL`V\»SSÄUKP[[OH[ QV`[OH[THRLZ`V\YZV\SYPZL*HU you imagine living each day or the SHYNLZ[ WVY[PVU VMP[^P[O[OH[QV` on top of the stack of problems. You have the ability to pick it up and run with it while leaving the stack of problems at the feet of someone so much bigger and stronger than you are. One who loves you enough to take them and carry them for you? I am here today to tell you that T`.VKPZ)0..,9[OHU^OH[L]LY you are facing, this life is not eternal but life in Christ is. I have UVTHNPJ^HUK[OH[^PSSÄ_`V\Y problems or mine for that matter. 0 JHU UV[ ÄSS `V\Y OLHY[ ^P[OQV` but I have a friend who can. 0 RUV^ ZVTLVUL ^OV JHU ÄSS `V\ ^P[OTVYLQV`[OHU `V\ JHU stand. When was the last time you laughed until you cried in spite of the stack of bills... the last time that you smiled till your face hurt in spite of the diagnosis... the last time that you felt the sun and the IYLLaL VU `V\Y MHJL ^P[OV\[ H care in the world in spite of your sadness. The outstretched arms of HSV]PUN :H]PVY H^HP[Z `V\ ÄUK `V\Y QV` [VKH` 3PML PZ H ISLZZPUN in Christ.