Yes, those were hard times.

As my husband was reading the local shopper paper,out loud, making fun of various ads, he remembered our younger days. The first days of our life together, when life was difficult in different ways. He was working, trying to start his landscaping business. He remembered when we had 500 flyers made and carried them all around town, trying to drum up new yards and business for him. We were young. As my husband and me laughed, remembering, our son jumped in with, "those were hard times weren't they mom?" That was when you all lived in the little blue house, isn't it?" I looked over to his plate of food, as he is eating his fourth meal of the day, "yes, those were hard times, and we worked hard." I can still see those bright orange flyers that we thought promised financial benefits. I can still remember walking out of Baptist Hospital, so tired and drained from a 12 hour shift, with so much responsibility, and even more stress. As I looked at my husband's salt and pepper hair, now, and hear his bellowing laugh, I cherish these memories. Throughout it all, even when I did not know how or when, we have come out on the other side. Our children were brought home to that little blue house, with one bathroom, and a wooden stove, no matter how tough it was, there is only tenderness felt for that time in our lives together. My devotion for today was on "going somewhere even when you aren't sure of the destination." When I think of all the wonderful moments, memories, opportunities, and blessings we have enjoyed along the way, it is hard to remember how HARD it was when we first started out and I certainly had no idea where we would be 20 years later, but I sure am glad I just kept going, WE just kept going.