Trials and Tribulations

A couple weeks ago the cutest lil girl that I work with right now asked me if she could sing me a song. I of course said "yes." She started to sing a song that she made up and she was singing about her "momma." Momma in this situation being her maternal grandmother as her mother is living on skid row. She started to sing about how her momma took her under her wing, gave her shelter and takes care of herself and two brothers so she does not have to live in foster care. To be honest it was really sweet but also really sad to listen to what she was singing about, her reality is just one that should not be. She sang about how her momma has helped her through her trials and tribulations. Really a 7 year old singing about "trials and tribulations" cute to think of her using these words, not cute that she already knows this saying. So of course this made me think...and think...and think...and think.

I don't know about you but sometimes I find myself thinking "poor me" type thoughts, which is absolutely ridiculous considering the life I have lived and I have to say it is embarrassing to admit that I have those moments where I think "why me," or "come on now really?" As I stumble, fall and occasionally rise through this life I continue to learn major life lessons. One of those lessons, or I guess observations, I have been noticing lately is that everyone has their moments, both good and bad. I reflect often on the course my life has taken, the challenges and the successes, and realize that I am never alone. While I love the life I live sometimes it gets the best of me and I hate admitting that. However, when I think about it, it's really lame that I hate admitting it, because I know you too have probably had a day, week, month, or moment where you felt like life was just beating you up a bit too. I always try to keep a positive attitude and am constantly practicing having more faith, patience and trust in the Lord. As I know without a doubt he is one of the most reliable people who helps me through my own trials and tribulations. Afterall he has never left me feeling lonely when I have prayed for comfort and has never lead me the wrong way when I needed direction. That's not to say that there was lots of work on my end, nonetheless he has never not stood by my side.

This last week I taught the Young Women a lesson on Counseling with the Lord. I was talking to them about how so often we hear people say "just pray about it and it will be OK," or "you just need to turn your life over to the Lord." So easy to say, not so easy to do. I am really trying right now to believe in the timing that my Heavenly Father has for me and trust that he knows what is best for me. Even though I feel confident I know best, the truth is I don't. As I pray to my Heavenly Father for the things that I am in need of i.e. patience, comfort, guidance, strength, etc. I am also trying to have more faith in him. As the YW and I were talking about how we are to counsel with the Lord they all talked about how their answers don't come as they sometimes think they will, how you don't get answers by not taking opportunities to receive the help you need, and how at the end of the day God knows best. It was so great to talk to them about prayer as I feel people often treat it like it is the easiest thing to do, yes the act of praying may be easy but the waiting, patience and trust is the hard part and is that part that really makes our prayers what they need to be. They each had such great words of wisdom i.e. talk to God like he is your parent on Earth (maybe even more so since some of them are going through the teenage stage of not talking to their parents), pour out your heart, he wants to know everything about us our good things during the day and the hard things.

So here's to trials and tribulations and trusting in the Lord.

P.S. The week after this cute girl sang me her song about her Momma she and I sat in my car (just imagine this for a moment, on a crazy street in South Central LA, cops on each corner, gang affiliates walking up and down the street) and I taught her the lyrics and meaning to Lean on Me. We then proceeded to sing Lean on Me in my car to the Glee soundtrack. It was as cute and as special as it could have been. Me and my lil 7 year old Belizean client belting it out and swaying side to side singing Lean on Me to each other. One of my most favorite moments yet.