It Could Have Been Different (Part 1)

The other day I had a conversation with a friend and we were discussing enjoying life and to what degree we are enjoying life. We both ended up saying that on a scale from 1 to 10, our enjoyment was about a 7. As I was telling another friend about the level at which I felt like I was enjoying life, my friend responded by saying that was relatively high. I responded by saying that it was the simple things in life that keep me going and happy. Don't get me wrong, I like things and success just like everyone else but it's a lot of the simple things. And when I thought about it, in the world we live in, a 7 is kind of high. There are so many unhappy people, miserable people, depressed people, sad people, people always frowned up, people whose joy was stolen years ago and they've never recovered it. As I was thanking God for my happiness, I even had to ask Him why do I get down and frustrated only for a short time. Why do I bounce back from so many different situations, people, and things...maybe it's because I haven't had what one consider "a hard life"...but then I heard God say these words "IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT"  Well now!!! As I begin to think over my life I started remembering some things that I had somewhat forgotten and I realized it really could have been different... My mom should have died when I was in the 3rd grade and she asked God to take her, but God spared her and healed her...our family should have fallen apart when both my Grandmother and Grandfather became sick and disabled at the same time and we became their primary caregivers, but we stuck together...my Grandmother should have wilted away when she had to bury 13 brothers and sisters, 2 children, and 1 grandchild over the years, but she didn't...she managed to be the one to provide immense strength and unfailing love to the rest of the family...I should be angry and unforgiving toward the father I've never met, but instead I literally shrug my shoulders when people ask me about him and then start talking about the Grandfather, Uncles, Cousins, and Male Family Friends He gave me in place of a biological father...where 1 man was absent 10 men took his place...when the man put a gun to me early one morning 8 years ago and I refused to give up my money (I don't always have good sense, pray fa me, lol) and he chased me, but I got away...the many times when I've been disobedient to God, and He should have turn His back...God showed his unfailing, unconditional, everlasting love... *in the words of T.D. Jakes* when TRUTH was saying "Thou shall not, thou shall not, thou shall not"  MERCY was saying "If you do, if you do, if you do" So, you see my 7 is kind of high but in actuality it probably should be higher!!! Though I haven't lived "a hard life" I've still had to endure the ups and downs as we all have, but everytime I've come out on top! What I want you to know today is that no matter what your childhood was like, no matter how many failed relationships you've had, no matter what they said you couldn't do or what they're saying at this very moment, no matter what names you've been called, no matter how many people have judged you, no matter how many people have walked out of your life, no matter if you've been molested, raped, abused, put down, mistreated, persecuted, ignored, looked down on, rejected, no matter if you feel like you've hit rock bottom, no matter how hard life has been...IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT!!! Because if God hasn't turned His back on you, and if I remember correctly He said "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" then you're good to go!!!!!!!!!!! He probably should have turned his back a long time ago on some of us, BUT HE DIDN'T...So, look at the picture to the left. I choose to be a smile in the middle of a bunch of frowns because I know what it could have been like for me...Won't you do the same today?