When God Gives You Second Chances

   Funny how God works.  Jeff and I were just talking about how God gives us second chances (and sometimes third and fourth chances) in life and how some of us truly appreciate and embrace it and others do not.  Then, this morning, a dear friend posted something on Facebook along these same lines.  Yes God, I am listening. :)
   I am beyond blessed in my life to have been given a great gift of a second chance at a happy life.  God, for what ever reason, heard my prayers as a young child and granted me my greatest desire...to one day be a mommy.  I clearly remember the day that my doctor said that due my heart condition, I may not be able to have children.  I also remember crying out to God and asking Him to heal me.  I was put on continual medication to help protect my heart from any type of infection. As they years passed, I got stronger and stronger and my cardiologist was baffled when at age 14, they did a total workup on my heart and found no hole, no scar tissue and in his words "I don't know how to explain this...it's a God thing, you have a totally healthy heart, it's like you have been given a new heart!"  Thank you God!!!
    I never forgot that second chance I had been given. It is a gift that I see in my 3 sons, 2 of them being twins.  It is a gift I see in my daughters (in-law) and it is a gift I see in my grandson Bradley and in future grandchildren.  It is also a gift when I watch my husband with our children and grandson and see the love and joy in his eyes.
   My  husband and I decided long ago that we needed to show God's love to others.  To let them know that God does give second chances.  To let them know that God does love and care about them, no matter what the circumstances or what life throws at them.  God is there.  We tried to instill on our children the responsibility and yes, joy, of serving others and giving back.  We also tried to stress that when God gives you a second chance at something, embrace it, do your best at it and don't ever forget where that second chance came from.  We all stumble and fall at times, we mess up, but if we go to God and ask for forgiveness and strength to do better, He is right there for us.
   God gives all of us gifts in life.  Those gifts are not to squander on ourselves, but to help others.  If God has blessed you the carpentry skills, then use them to help others fix their homes.  If God has given you the gift of teaching children, then use it to encourage young people and help them to become all they can be.  If you have a car and there are hungry people in your community, use that car to deliver food to them.  If you have a garden, share your bounty with others. If God has healed you from trauma in your life, help others who are hurting and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that they too can be healed from the pain, anger, hurt and even shame. If God has healed you from disease or injury be thankful, share you story of hope and healing with others and realize just how blessed you are! Many people do not get that second chance and it would be a shameful to be selfish and waste it only on yourself.