i was having one of “those” weeks. you know, the kind where things just go wrong, take longer than expected, when life throws you a curve-ball. and i was feeling pretty down about the whole thing. i mean, seriously, can’t life just flow along smoothly without tossing me about like a ship in a storm? i don’t have time to put life on hold because of the mess that curve-ball created. i was grouchy. i was annoyed. i was in physical discomfort. until i had an “ah-ha” moment.
it came mid-week at my MomsNext meeting. not only did i need the break from “life,” but i needed to hear what our speaker shared that day. she talked about how you get that joy that comes from the Lord. when life gets hard, when things don’t go the way you expected, how do you find / keep / get that joy? well, in short, it comes from having an upright heart. you know, that heart attitude that seeks God in all things, that keeps it’s eye on Him no matter what, that finds contentment in knowing He’s got this. instead of being all down and pissy about whatever is happening {or not happening}, thank Him, praise Him, ask Him to show you the silver lining.
so that fire in the oven that started my week off on the wrong foot? yeah, it was scary. yeah, it changed my plans for the whole week. but it could have been much worse, at least it was contained in the oven.
the mess of fire extinguisher chemical that was everywhere? {and i do mean ev.ry.where! all over the kitchen and clear across the room to the furniture on the opposite side of the living room.} well, i’m glad we had a fire extinguisher on hand and i’m glad i know how to use one. {like knowing CPR, having a fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it properly is one of those things everyone should have and know, but no one ever wants to use.}
the days, and i do mean days!, that i spent cleaning the kitchen, breakfast area and living room from ceiling to floor {literally!}? well, that’s not how i had planned to spend my week. i thought it was getting in the way of “life.” but cleaning that mess up IS life. life is what happens while you’re busy making plans. and i’m glad i don’t work outside the home anymore because it means that i was able to take the time necessary to fully clean up that chemical from the fire extinguisher and give those rooms a much-needed deep cleaning.
my body hurt all over from the work of cleaning cabinets, dusting blinds and cleaning drapes, moving furniture to vacuum every inch of carpet, contorting myself to clean out the oven, sweeping and sweeping and sweeping again and then finally mopping. but those aches and pains mean i have a body that works the way God designed it, a body i was able to use to clean up our home and keep my family from breathing in whatever is in those fire extinguishers.
then one night that week we had terrible storms, complete with insanely loud thunder and a hail and tornado threat. of course that meant no one slept. but in the morning, i was relieved to discover the worst missed us. my fervent prayers over the night asking God to protect our home and property were answered. we were tired {oh so tired!} but we weren’t waking up to storm damage.
of course, after a night like that, we were running late for school and i was annoyed {because i don’t like being off schedule, no matter what the night was like}. i was annoyed that the ambulance that pulled out in front of us caused us to sit through 2 cycles of the light, making us even later to school. but about 4 blocks down, when we rounded the bend and saw the ambulance’s destination, i said a prayer of thanksgiving for allowing us to run late. if we had left on time, we might have been in that 3 car accident.
when i finally made it to my MomsNext meeting, i discovered every high school girl’s worst nightmare had occurred – i started early. good thing i always have the necessary item in my purse. but, as “luck” would have it that week, i picked the one bathroom stall with the broken toilet. i had to reach into the tank and lift the flapper to make the toilet flush. in the process, i nicked my thumb on the metal ring the chain is supposed to attach to in order to lift the flapper when the handle is pushed. seriously?! this! on top of everything else i was dealing with! i was feeling pretty pissy about it all, because, well… ladies you all know that time of the month just makes everything more crappy. however, having that to deal with means my hormones are working as they should and my body is healthy. i live in a first world country where sanitary items are readily accessible. i might have picked the broken toilet, but fortunately i know how to fix one. and i might have cut my finger in the process, but my tetanus shot is up to date. {and, again, i live in a first world country where i don’t have to worry about tetanus because vaccines are also readily accessible.}
it started off as a really crappy week. but the ending? pretty darn good! i am blessed. i am content. i am actively trying to find / keep / get that joy that comes from the Lord. as the old hymn says…
as the sea billows roll
it is well, it is well with my soul.
my mommy-brain 