When Life’s Not Fair
You may not agree at first, but I think Thanksgiving is the perfect time to come to terms with the fact that life is just not fair.
Someone gets the last of the Lucky Charms… or has to go to bed earlier than their sister… or gets wrongly accused… and the first thing you hear is, “That’s not fair.”
And what about when the woman behind you in line cuts to the register beside you when it opens even though you were there before she was? Now that is seriously not fair.
There was a time I didn’t allow those words in my house and I refused to let my kids say them. But, then I realized we were all missing out on an important lesson. The truth is that life really isn’t “fair”.
It’s the fact that we have more blessings than could ever really be counted on our blessings board…
And that we’ve never had to wonder if we’ll have food to eat at our next meal or if we’ll be able to pay the water bill.
It’s knowing we can be forgiven over and over and over again for doing the same sinful thing because God’s mercy never fails even when we do.
And even when things are really hard, and health fails or we lose jobs or even loved ones, we can still be thankful that we have a God who chooses to give us mercy instead of what we deserve.
Theodore Roosevelt’s quote, “Comparison is the thief of joy” is being pinned all over Pinterest, and it’s so true in a lot of ways. But comparison can also be a giver. It can give us the ability to be thankful when we think of where we could be if not for grace.
Sometimes when we’re having a great meal or sitting around our cozyhouse,I’ll say to my kids,”This issonot fair.” And they’re starting to realize just what I mean.
When I consider my life, my family, and my friends, I can honestly say that life has never been fair. And that is something for which I am truly thankful.
TheLordis merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:8-12
{Download this ‘Give Thanks’ banner over at Edie’s}
Happy Thanksgiving!
A Thrifted Market
November 20, 2012 @ 11:19 pm
Amen! Happy Thanksgiving. Gods grace is sufficient and I am thankful!
Barefoot in Blue Jeans
November 20, 2012 @ 11:56 pm
I love this post! Your right, life is not fair all the time. Some of those unfair moments may be able to help us grow if we look at them and think how we could have made it a better situation. (I'm preaching to myself here)Hope your family has a great Thanksgiving!
Maria Morley
November 21, 2012 @ 12:03 am
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, too. Thanks for this message… It is so easy to get caught up in all of the little things that are unfair and forget or disregard the blessings that are so prominent. Finding the good can sometimes be hard, but prayer continuously works, and God is so very good. Thanks again.
Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles
November 21, 2012 @ 12:14 am
Beautifully written, Julie! What a great lesson for your children to learn, and for me to start teaching mine! Happy Thanksgiving!
NanaDiana
November 21, 2012 @ 1:40 am
It is SO NOT FAIR that you wrote this beautiful, meaningful post and I didn't! Love it, Julie- You did a wonderful post here- xo Diana
pat in NY
November 21, 2012 @ 12:35 pm
Thank you for reminding me of all I have in life that is important. My "woe is me" pity party is over. God bless.
plclemo
November 21, 2012 @ 3:57 pm
Mom used to tell me us that it wasn't fair for Jesus to die on the cross for us but He did. Never talk about fair.
plclemo
November 21, 2012 @ 3:58 pm
Mom used to tell me us that it wasn't fair for Jesus to die on the cross for us but He did. Never talk about fair.
Jill
November 24, 2012 @ 1:01 am
I stumbled across your blot from a previous post. What a treat to find you and be blessed by you message. Cant wait to backtracked a bit and follow new posts.
Tricia
November 26, 2012 @ 1:35 pm
I used to tell my students (and my own kids) that the definition of fair is not everyone getting the same thing. Fair is everyone getting what they need. My kids never pulled the "that's not fair" card again : o )
Andrea Frazer
December 9, 2012 @ 11:43 pm
My sis in law sent me here and I'm glad she did. Thank you.
Cale Allister
January 15, 2014 @ 5:44 pm
What a wonderful post! This is something we try to remember at our house, too. Life so often is unfair in our favor, we are blessed beyond what we deserve.
I love your blog- came for a project and found much more than DIY inspiration! Great job!
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