We all receive some form of hardships in our lives.  They can be a weekend with relatives or friends that we have to endure, financial strains, marital conflict, the loss of a job, a death in the family.

But how should we receive the things that we run into?

Take today for instance.  You are sitting comfortably in a chair (I am assuming) in front of your computer or laptop and reading this blog post (thank you by the way).  You don’t really know for certainty what today is going to bring you.  Perhaps within the next 30 minutes, something that will frustrate you, anger you, burden you, or just plain trip you up will arrive in your path.  Or perhaps you will end this day and look back and say, “It was a good day”.  Well, no matter what the day brings, you should look back on each day with that same saying.  Regardless of the circumstances. Why?  Because everything that you face, good or bad, makes you a better person because you have endured it. Grown from it. It has strengthened you.

Want a good analogy?  That is what today’s entry is all about.  This was one of the many forwarded emails that I get which I usually pass over and don’t even bother reading.  But this one for some reason stuck with me and I loved it so much I thought I would regurgitate it here for you in case you have not yet come across it yourself.  If you already have, then you should remind yourself of the meaning of this little story.  If you haven’t, read on….

Sometimes we wonder, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’ or ‘Why did God have to do this to me?’ Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she’s failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, ‘Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.’
‘Here, have some cooking oil,’ her Mother offers.
‘Yuck’ says her daughter.
‘How about a couple raw eggs?’ ‘Gross, Mom!’
‘Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?’
‘Mom, those are all yucky!’
To which the mother replies: ‘Yes , all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! ‘
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

If you like this, send this on to the people you really care about.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!”