Family Patterns

Today I caught up on most of my blog reading and it seems that there is a common pattern occuring in my family these days.
Joel (older bro) had his bike stolen from him. He LOVED his bike. Been with her for 4.5 years. Biked across Canada etc.
Dad lost all of his hardrive. All gone - files, music, photos, everything.
Josh (younger bro) has his health 'taken away'. He's really sick and finding it hard to breathe.
Rochelle (older sis) is a missonary in Zimbabwe - her husband is gone on a conference or retreat or something.
And myself - This weekend I accidentally deleted 2,000 of my photos from my memory stick. 2000!!
I was sooo mad at myself.
Anyway - all this to say that I think it's interesting to see how we deal with loss. I know that these things are all relatively minor (although, Josh, I am really praying for FULL HEALING!), but there's this really popular worship song that has a line "You give and take away (but) my heart will CHOOSE to say "Blessed be Your Name".
I can't speak on behalf of the rest of my family, but for me in my "loss" (yes, in the grander scheme of this is quite minor) I see how God is highlighting how we hold on to things.
It reminded me of the story of Jonah - in the last chapter when God gives Jonah a tree to rest under and then God took it away and Jonah got mad at God.
I want to live my life full of JOY and THANKFULNESS, recognizing that ALL good things come from God, but I don't have ownership, I simply have to be a good steward of the things he lends me, while they are in my posession.
Weigh it up, pray it up.
Peace.