Are you willing to pay the price?

valuable-lessons_greatest-cost1

Often
the most valuable lessons
come at the highest price
and the greatest cost…

Are you willing to pay it?

This is the thought that entered
my mind as I was driving home.
And I almost didn’t share it with you,
because I’ve got too many things that
I “should” be doing. I don’t have time to write.
And the part of me that knows better chuckles -
because I know that for the greater good,
the opposite is actually true.
I don’t have enough time NOT to.

I suspect most of you have gone through
times where life just wasn’t fair.
Heck, I know some of you may be in that place now.
I’ve caught glimpses of that person in the
mirror many times through the years -
and over this past year especially.
I think I have experienced more loss
and attracted more “chaos” into my life
than at any other time. Seriously.

And… I’m beginning to become excited about it.

A couple of reasons.
1) A wise and wealthy friend once shared that if you aren’t getting any flak, you aren’t close to the target.
Why? Because the enemy isn’t going to worry about you unless you’re getting close.
2) I’ve paid too high a price to not gather something good or learn something of incredible value from the experience, and the cost of the lesson tells me there is something incredibly worthwhile to be gained.

You see, from time to time I hear that
nagging little voice that says “It’s not fair.”
And every so often I fall for it and my spirit grumbles.
Clearly I am not in a state to receive the
gift of the experience if I’m too busy
complaining abut it, right?
So… guess what being ungrateful brings?
More things to be ungrateful for!!
YES!!! Congratulations, on to the next round.

You know, I’ve told my son a few times that
if I can’t trust him with the little things -
How can he expect me to trust him
with the really big things?!??
And if he isn’t grateful for what he gets -
why would I want to give him more?

I suspect it’s how any good Father
might look upon his children.

So, as I sit here looking at the various things that once seemed like unwelcome circumstances and situations, what I’m seeing in several are opportunities and blessings that would never be realized without having traveled the “rough road”.
As far as the other scenarios that have me wondering “Why?!?!?” – I just haven’t looked hard enough for the rainbow  ;)

A treasure awaits when I do, though – of that I’m sure