I went to a birthday party last night for Josh.  He turned 41. He works for my daughter Becky. I probably should say that he works "with" her, because when Becky has a sale, she turns over a large section of the sale for Josh to stage, clean, price and sell. She doesn't have to worry about any of that portion of the sale because Josh is dependable, works really hard and gets the job done.

He had a very hard life, but has made the transition by pulling himself up by his own bootstraps because he works so hard.  I dearly love him.  He has such a kind heart.  We have all adopted him into the family. 

There were fourteen or fifteen people at the party.  I was sitting next to Josh as he opened presents (Lots of presents), and I asked him how many birthday parties he had had before.  He said, "Counting this one?"  I said yes and he said, "One."  It was the first birthday party of his life.

I take so many things for granted.  I'm sure you do too.  Just being born into the family I had was such a blessing.  It gave me such a "step up" on life.  You don't have to struggle as much when you have Christian parents  who encourage you and take care of all your basic needs.

I was reading Time magazine the other day about the women and children in some African country who have to live their lives in the middle of civil war, threatened, beaten, raped, brutalized and unable to protect their children from the same brutality.  Why were they born there, and I was born here?  Why do they have to suffer?  Why is my life easy?

I have no answer, but I do know this:  I am so thankful that God has given me the life that he did.  I do not deserve it.  So when you are thinking that things in your life aren't going well, give thanks for what you have.  You don't deserve any of it, and neither do I.  Thank you Father for your goodness.  Give thanks.