Surviving vs Thriving

One of my favorite moments this summer was driving back to Ohio from PA with my 11 year old nephew.  My car was packed to the gills with things from my parents home.  So Deacon had to sit in the seat with luggage at his feet.  Poor dude had no room for 8 hours!

While driving we sang along to the radio.  I noticed after awhile that he knew every Christian song that came on.  He says, "well Aunt Lori, I DO listen to music", when I asked him how he knew all of them.  After a conversation of country music, which he had very astute observations about, we went back to singing worship songs.

Singing loud and not caring, I belted out a few lines of the song about how we were made to thrive, not just survive.  Well, I thought it was,  "we were made to FLY" and so I sang that loud and proud!  Being his ever so kind and gracious self, Deacon corrected me .... After, of course laughing at me!  "I think it's suppose to be thrive Aunt Lo".  We had a good laugh, decided thrive and fly were similar and kept on singing.

Which brings me to my blogging point though.  I have been thinking a lot now about surviving vs thriving and what that looks like, especially after difficult times.  I've mentioned a few times about what a very difficult time the last 2 years now have been.  While still working through the "tunnel", I at least see the light at the end now.  It has been a time of surviving a day at a time.

One of the definitions of survive is:  to continue to exist.  At times, all we CAN do, is exist.  Life has thrown us/me some "breaking balls" (instead of curve balls!) - yes, my sport analogy, and I have struck out a lot lately.  Sometimes it's all we can do to get up each day and just survive until,we can go to bed and shut it all out ... Only to begin again the next day.  However, somehow the fact that we get up the next day is victory in itself.  God, in his graciousness and often without us acknowledging it at the time, gives us the strength we need for each day.  But after while surviving isn't enough.  It'
s sad, lonely and unfulfilling.    God wants us to thrive ...

To thrive is to grow or flourish ... Succeed, often in spite of circumstances.  To progress or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.  During these times we are to grow.  Apart from the grace of God and the love and support of friends, I don't know how we do that.  Often I don't even see the growth but have to rely on those friends walking with me, to point it out, until I can see through the darkness myself.

So what is the goal that I am to be progressing towards? Become more like Jesus ... Love him more ... Love others more ... depend, trust and have faith in God ... I'm sure there are more.  In the midst of losing my mom, back surgery, changes in work setting, walking through difficult times with a friend, packing a house full of memories ... Etc.  I'd like to think I am finally starting to thrive some.

Or maybe even FLY eventually!