Great things in my world

The other night I had dinner with a friend. She asked me "What 3 great things have happened in your world since we last talked?"

I could not come up with three neatly packaged events that have happened over the last year or so. Instead, I had to reflect over the last several years. There are great things that have happened to me, but almost all of the amazing things are not one-time occurences, but watching things progress over time. Let me give you some examples:

Don went through a stage in his early teens where he was selling drugs to earn some extra cash. He struggled through school, barely getting his high school diploma. He hung around with older guys and had childhood friends who were not positive influences. After finishing one year of college, he decided to work instead. Although I wanted him to go further, he began a job and has now been at that same job for 3 years.

Kieva is someone I have always known would do ok...but I'm ashamed to say I never expected out of her what I see now. She will be a senior in college in the fall. She will graduate next year with a Political Science degree and wants to work for the FBI. She will be great at it!

Tiffany is an amazing young lady who has been driven and determined to achieve since she was a young girl. She will be a junior in college in the fall. She is majoring in Psychology, but also plans to get a teaching certificate. She has amazing abilities to connect with people and utilize her resources. I love being able to watch her as she grows and matures every year.

Whitney just graduated from high school. She was quite an outspoken child...could I be as bold to say oftentimes disrespectful?? However, as she has grown up she still speaks her mind, but in a way that is appropriate and articulate. She is learning to express her opinion in a way that people will listen.

Those are just a few of the people who have been blessings to me. I'm grateful to have been around long enough to witness their progress. What have been your blessings over the past year?