KEEP SMILING

It was the week of our family vacation. We were headed to Martha’s Vineyard and my daughter couldn’t stop talking about the carousel she was excited to ride. If you’ve been there, you know they have the oldest carousel in America, where every time you go around, you have an opportunity to grab a ring. Whoever captures the brass ring wins a free ride. I’m amazed that she remembered this from two years ago but all she kept talking about was winning the brass ring.

When we finally jumped on the carousel as a family, she was in tears. We had picked horses behind her cousins and she was upset that she wasn’t sitting on the horse she wanted to ride in front of them. Really? We’re finally here and she’s crying? Lovely. The ride commenced and her tears subsided as she became distracted reaching for the rings. There were several children on the ride and now they announced that the brass ring had been dropped in with the rest of the rings for a lucky rider. The music was coming to an end but just before the ride was over, Lilah grabbed the brass ring!

She was so excited and all I could think about was how if she hadn’t been sitting on that particular horse, she wouldn’t have won. Had she sat on the horse she thought she wanted, she would never have experienced the joy of winning the brass ring. So many times we think we know what we want and we’re upset when things don’t go our way. But God’s plan for our lives is always better than our own. He tells us, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” – Isaiah 55:8 He has a better plan for my life. All I need to do is go to Him with everything. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7 And, instead of being frustrated, I simply need to keep smiling and recall His Promise in Isaiah 66:9 “I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born, says the Lord.”

It was such a good reminder to not be discouraged when things don’t go my way because sometimes, we have to give up the thing we think we want, to have something better.

#1Peter57 #Isaiah669 #Isaiah558