Have you ever had one of those days? You know when everything seems to go haywire, and you feel like nothing you’ve planned to get done that day does. By the middle of the day, you just want to scream. One of those days where you swear if one more person interrupts you, for that matter, even talks to you, something is getting thrown or even worse, either way, their safety is at risk. I have had my share of them, and trust me; I haven’t been the most pleasant person to deal with.
Recently, I had one of those days. It started with a call to my sister. It was supposed to be quick, but I should know better than that. Anyway, while I spoke to her, my phone informed me I had a text from the boy. He was upset because of his math grade (and trust me, it had nothing to do with the grade itself). I then received another text, and it’s a picture of his hand all scraped up. In his anger, he decided to hit his hand against a brick wall. (oh joy) He is now upset about his hand.
Just then, my husband walks into my office. Mind you; I am still on the phone with my sister. He informs me to check my messages when I get off because he has been in touch with the school. I get off with my sister and get the download from my husband about what happened. I take a deep breath. He is with one of his favorite school administrators.
Okay, back to getting my post written up (which is why I had called my sister. I had a question dealing with what I was writing). I finish up my post when I get a request for my book. I go back and forth with this person about the best way to get it and payment—my phone dings, another text. It’s the boy. His head hurts. I send an encouraging text that basically states you are not coming home, back to the issue at hand getting paid to get a book out. As I finish helping this person out with PayPal (which my husband put on my phone and took care of the issue for me), my phone rings; it’s the school. Now they are telling me that the boy is complaining of his head hurting. Being the loving mother I am, I told her the same things I had said to the boy; I am not coming to take him home. We find out what needs to be done to approve that he can have aspirin.
Now I decided that I need a break and take this break by going for a walk with our dog. I get the harness on, get out the door, and my phone dings. This time it the person wanting my book. They have texted me their address. This needs to get done; my work stuff comes first. So back in the house, take the leash off the dog, and upstairs I go. I get the book packaged up and ready for the mail. I then put the leash back on the dog and head out the door.
Please tell me that some of this sounds familiar.
Let me explain the reason I gave you the long addition to my day. I want you to understand the frustration I was feeling. And trust me, there was a lot of frustration; nothing seemed to go right. Yet through it all, I remained calm and even laughed at some of the situations. I took time out to pray for my son and his headache.
In the past, I would have gotten angry when my day got derailed by one thing, and as more things derailed my day, the angrier I would have gotten. Back then, I would have taken my anger out on my husband, even if he was just trying to help. You see, I let my anger control me and not the peace of God. I have learned and grown and see things a lot differently now.
If I am claiming to be a child of the living God, then this means that even in the craziest times, even when I am behind closed doors in my house with just my husband or even alone, I have to choose what my actions say. Do they say a child of the Living God, or do they say, crazy woman? My husband will tell you they use to say crazy woman, and he would be right. Now I let the peace that passes all understanding flow through me and guide my heart (Phil. 4:7 NASB). Through the course of this crazy day, I relied on the peace of God to get me through. I didn’t pray to God to give me peace. He knows I needed it, and because I am walking with Him daily and He knows my needs, it was there (Phil.4:19).
Here’s where I really noticed the difference. In the past, when I would let little things upset me and go crazy woman over it, I would give in to my sinful human side, and nothing else got done. But when I choose to take a deep breath and just let things slide off my back and live in His peace, my day gets better; I even get more done than I had thought I would. Now I didn’t get my whole list done (then again, I rarely do), but I do get the important stuff done.
Though this one was a small crazy storm, it just lets me know that if I can do this when the storm is small, imagine how I can handle the big one that will come. I know that when it does, I will be able to get through it. I know that I will not be alone and that I will be able to rest in the goodness and peace of Jesus Christ.
