Blessings in disguise...

It has been a long time since I took a time-out from my mission. I really intend to get back to this more often, but I have been very busy. Life has dealt me some blows - I thank God that He has blessed me with the battle gear I need to make it through. Our family has pulled together and become a much stronger unit. That is what separates success from failure in families. When life pulls out that 2x4 and smacks you upside the head, there are two ways to respond. The first is to lose faith, to develop an attitude of "Why me?" and "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" The second is to remember that God will not deal you a deck that you can't handle. Look at the cards He has given you. Even if you feel like you have a pair of 3's, bluff - the devil doesn't know any better. Stare him down knowing that if all God gave you was those 3's, the most that anyone who is against you has is a pair of 2's.

Despite the rough times we have had recently, my wife and I can't help but be amazed at how incredibly blessed we are. Throughout the turmoil that was last fall, I managed to get a job I love, that has better pay and benefits. We have two beautiful little girls who, though they have their moments, are becoming amazing young ladies. We have a new dog, who we are finally getting to enjoy outside. And to top it all off, God willing, this summer we will welcome our third daughter into our home.

Sometimes God blesses us in ways which we can't quite explain. At the time, they may not seem like it, but in retrospect, they are blessings. We almost bought a house last summer, which given the fall we had, would have become more of a curse than a blessing. God closed that window, which turned out to be a trap door. I guess it turns out that He really does know what is best for us. I don't always like what the cards look like, but in the end, I know that the deck is truly stacked in my favor.

Gotta love poker metaphors, right? And now, enough of card games - I'm back to my mission...