Recently, I met this precious woman named Carol. I met her on the side of the road outside Sedona at a scenic overlook. I was running around taking pictures (for those that know me that's all I do) and enjoying God's creation, when I noticed this beautiful woman with the most beautiful smile. We struck up a conversation and I walked back with her to her table of jewelry.
She is very talented and I was enjoying sharing in her gift of making jewelry. Kenny walked over and joined in on the conversation about her journey. She is a member of the Navajo people and she really is gifted. We were enjoying the conversation, when I picked up this beautiful bracelet.
She shared that this bracelet represents her people's long walk. We listened intently and ask a few questions throughout her story. She began to share that her grandmother taught her not to be bitter about what happened to her people, but to let it make her better. To use it to strive towards the future with the thought of being better not bitter.
She touched my heart. Kenny bought this bracelet for me and it is truly a treasure, because of Carol. Notice her smile in the photo, she smiled from the moment that I noticed her and we began to talk and share.
I have thought a lot about her from the moment our life paths crossed. She taught me a lesson in a short amount of time - "better not bitter" and about gratitude. To be grateful and grow forward.
I am choosing the word gratitude for my focus word in the upcoming year. I want to truly learn about gratitude and experiencing being grateful and giving thanks for everything! God is good all the time even in the difficult moments, so I want to grow to always remember to let things make me better not bitter. I want to allow God to use my life to help others always and to be in a state of gratitude for it all.
In our present times, would we not all be better, if we allowed the things that happen to make us better not bitter? Our world could use a little bit or a whole lot of Carol's attitude about life. I am in a state of gratitude that God allowed my path to cross Carol's!
Sweet blessings,
Debbie
