Taking Things for Granted

How often do we take little things for granted? Things we don't even realize how hard it is to function without. Last night I was starting to lose my voice after a few days of being sick (although I was feeling so much better by this point)...I didn't think anything about it since it was like 1:00 am and I had been sick...then I woke up this morning and *OH NO* I had no voice...no I am NOT kidding...totally serious here! And of course this was the morning where 3 people called me within 20 minutes of waking up! Couldn't talk to a one of them - just wasn't happening...then after taking all kinds of vitamins, drugs and drinking lots of tea, it was back - not sounding like me - but close...oh wait...there's more...come about 600 tonight it starts heading down hill...I had lost a couple octaves of my voice, I couldn't laugh because nothing would come out. Then after church, I started sounding horribly disgusting...women are not supposed to sound like men and I am thoroughly distressed by the fact that I do. I have been popping cough drops like a kid with candy on Halloween. I have drank so much hot tea I have lost count and yet, surprise surprise, my voice keeps getting worse!

So here I am wanting to be social and realizing, I can't hardly talk and when I do people point out how horrid I sound, so eventually I just stopped talking..which made it worse when I decided to talk...for those of you who have spent any length of time in my presence, you know that I am a talker...no ifs, ands or buts about it. I am a talker. This is killing me! There is so much I want to say - but very little voice in which to do it with.

I never realized what a gift it is to be able to speak. Songs will randomly appear in my head that I will want to start singing, and nothing comes out. Awesome comebacks and voices pop up and I can't get them to leave my head and come out of my mouth. I love conversations with people, and yet I can't have those either. I suppose I could still try, but who would want to listen to someone who sounds like I do (trust me, its bad!) It got me thinking about things...what all do I take for granted everyday!

I take for granted that my loved ones will always be here tomorrow. A few weeks ago I almost lost one of the most important people in the world to me - it's only by the grace of God that my dad is still alive today - he should have died, but he didn't. God still has work for him to do, and I am going to take advantage of the extra time with him I have been given.

I take for granted having power. I take for granted having food in my house even if it may not be what I am "craving" at that time. I take for granted having health insurance...being employed full time...having the love of some of the most amazing friends...a car that runs...the list goes on and on. It's amazing how the things I take for granted are also alot like blessings...interesting huh...