It all started when I began preparations for graduation and then Miss Innocent One got a tomato cage shoved into her leg and the antibiotic for the puncture wound attacked her colon, giving her massive cramps and making her miserable and a day later Ladies Man had a bout with a stomach bug and my laptop crashed and I think I fainted on the dining room floor . . . no . . . no, it was before all that.
It all started when my washing machine overflowed sending water raining into my kitchen and forcing us to buy a new one which was about the same time we paid the new student enrollment fee for Drama Queen to enter college and soon after discovered we needed to make a room deposit for her dorm and senior pictures needed to be paid for and Miss Innocent One started treatment with an orthodontist . . . wait, it was before all that too.
It all started when show choir and drum line competitions kicked off and we were out of town every Saturday, spending tons of money on admission fees, eating out and gas about the time the prices started to climb and my birthday made me sound old and a college visit needed to be made with Drama Queen and I contracted influenza A and everybody else in the family except Miss Innocent One got some form of it missing school which meant I had to ride Ladies Man about makeup work and . . . oh, just a minute, it was before all that too.
It all started around Thanksgiving and we were madly working on the set for the Christmas musical which opened the first week in December and I worried about how it would be received and I had to find a costume for Miss Innocent One and keep my family fed and supplied with clean clothes while being gone every night at rehearsals or performances and being gone every day painting my life away on the set and I hadn't even thought about Christmas shopping or the dollar signs that accompany it . . . but no, that's not right either.
It all started in August when Drummer Boy left our house after a great summer at home and moved into an apartment making me wonder if he'd ever live at home again and my baby started middle school and I realized Drama Queen began her year of lasts in high school and I got sad thinking about next year at that time and our fall activities kicked into gear, taking up every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night every single week and I knew Ladies Man would start driving and shortly after be added to our cell phone plan and . . .
Who am I kidding? It all started when Adam and Eve bit into that stupid piece of fruit! There will always be stress. ALWAYS. It is not based on our circumstances. It is part of life as a human. When I ask God why there's always something to worry about, He gives me the same answer.
You don't have to worry about it. That's what I'm for. Trust Me.
We don't have to walk around a bundle of nerves all the time. God makes provisions for us.
Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
If I spent half as much time trusting God as I do worrying, I'd be one serene lady. It takes work to pray about the current stress and really leave it there. It's hard to turn my mind from dwelling on the latest issue or mentally adding the newest expenses that bombard. But if I do, there is peace and calm and aaahhhh . . .
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3
Instead of stressing myself into a frenzy, I'm going to spend my energy trusting.
Because peace never keeps me awake at night.
Photo Credit: bottle_void
3 comments:
Ha,ha. Love your posts. Thanks so much Tami!
Tami.. this post was awesome! Who could not relate to it? I know all about lengthy trials and stress.. they seem to have become a permanent part of my life. But you know what? Just as you said, God is there giving us the grace and strength to make it through and I've found that with each trial we've surmounted (with His help of course) we are stronger and the blessings are greater.
Thanks for making me smile today.. I loved the stress ball! Where can I get one of those? .. make that about 20! lol!
Ok, Tami - at least three of us are at the same page - we are too stressed and worn out to be "on" the same page - we just couldn't make the climb onto it.
Things are so nuts at our house, I posted that at least I am thankful our dog doesn't have fleas.
And over at Janette's Sage, "Mommy Fell Apart" - too funny, cause at least she is wearing green shoes. :)
Hang in there - it does get better, or maybe we get better (hopefully) at trusting Him.
Blessings to you - Marsha
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