It's a Good Day to be Alive

This morning when praying with Hannah in the dorm, she laughed at me.
 "What's funny?" I asked.
"It's just that you say that every morning. It reminds me of when I was in fourth grade and my teacher would say, 'It's Friday so you all need to be quiet." Then on Monday she would say, ' Children it's Monday so you NEED to be quiet."

I loved Hannah's laugh as she finished her little analogy comparing my daily comment, "It's a good day to be alive." It's true... I guess. As I thought about it... Everyday I do say, "Its a good day to be alive."

College life is a whirl. It's a beaut, a treasure, a dream of sorts. What I mean is everyday is a gift that comes and goes being replaced by another. But more than that I realize, sometimes just for an instance, that this opportunity is a blessing from my Heavenly Father. Why I've been 'so blessed'? I have no idea, no comprehension. However I do know this - It's a good day to be alive.

Let me try to explain. I'm studying Elementary Education, or rather how to be a teacher. It's an ambition that is growing within me. I've come to see it as the 'best' vocation to study. Others seems to disagree with an odd sort of smile when I mention that. All the same, this semester I've been taking four excellent classes - all of which teach me how to teach. One class has to do with teaching mathematics. Another with focuses on literature, another on curriculum... Then on top of that I get to discover new things of interest. Through choir and private voice lessons I am being shown the wonder of music. Through Danish gymnastics and Frisbee, I am being taught the joy and challenge of being outside my comfort zone and working with others to learn a challenging thing. I mean, "I am the girl who struggles to do a cartwheel and now you want me to do a back flip?" Through work, I get the joy of learning an old art - broom making. Who makes brooms these days? (And it used arm muscles I don't have ...) Through morning prayer, CRU bible study, and random conversations I am blessed with Christian fellowship. Oh, and did I mention, classroom observation at the local elementary school or drumming with the African-Latin percussion ensemble?

Now I don't mean to gloat; my point in writing this is deeper than that (I hope). Yes, I do feel blessed and rightly so. The truth is that I have been. But what is interesting to me is: "Why am I not everyday awed at God's provisions?" And further still, "Would I in different circumstances see God's goodness and provision?"

Many a day I state, "It's a good day to be alive" out of habit. However, I on the inside am stressed about the 40 page admission portfolio I am writing for my education program, or complaining about the fact that I'm still single, or worried about voice lessons because I didn't practice more than twice that week, or feeling lonely because college friendships are not like a family's. Why do I not everyday recognize the blessing God has bestowed rather than focus on the little petty circumstances of life that my self-center, fallible nature wants to change.

I was writing a friend who is living in difficult circumstances and feeling a little on the guilty side about writing about how awesome college life is when it struck me - No matter the circumstances, my nature will complain and focus on the negative unless my heart is focused on the Lord my God. Scriptures say, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). My heart is deceitful and will complain even in the midst of immense blessing.
The truth is without Jesus my heart would and does become calloused with the lies of materialism, education, and my own goals and career..."For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Matthew 13:15)

I desire to allow Jesus to heal my calloused, dull heart and blind eyes when I go through a day without recognizing His presence, blessing, provisions and promises. That is why I must exercise the exhortation, "Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8. With a mind thinking on what is good and true, then I will see... Then I have another question. Would I be able to praise my Heavenly Father when the circumstances are not good? Could I like Elizabeth Elliot who was widowed at as a young mother say, "The secret is not me in a different set of circumstances but Christ in me." Could I have that confidence in Christ's goodness? Could I like Corrie TenBoom say, "Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him." Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available - there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love - whatever the circumstances." ? I am challenged to live each day in the blessed assurance of God's goodness no matter the circumstances. Would you join me in saying, "It's a good day to be alive because the Lord is good!"