Remember that book by Judith Viorst titled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day? It was one of my very favourites growing up (maybe because I've always struggled with being a grump in the morning). Yesterday, that was me. Kari and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day. From the time the sun ebbed into my bed room until the time I wished it would go ahead and go away because that meant some relief...oh, sweet relief of the day being over. Just over.
It's always easy to point the other way. Recently, on Facebook there was a cartoon of a mother crayola and her two kiddo crayolas (one blue, the other pink...or red maybe). Standing there was this mother crayola staring down on her two kiddos (much like I do mine) because there was blue colouring all over the wall. The "blue" kiddo is pointing at the red one saying "it was her." The picture came with the added line at the bottom, "I'm not color blind kid!" I can relate....to the child, I mean.
Oh, how I would love to say, it was the child who chose to stay up too late and got up too early and had a sour attitude all day. And we just get about a million frustrating moments. Or the one that lacks the patience for their turn and pushes the others over and instead of getting a turn, this child almost gets a broken noes. And we just get one bloody mess. Or the one who just seems to never slow down or perhaps it was the one who still refuses to take more than a 40 min. nap. There doesn't feel like a lot of rest. Perhaps, it was the training trip my Love had to go on. Maybe, it's his fault. Wait, no not him...the Air Force...it's their fault!
Like, Eve in the garden pointing at the snake. Like Adam, standing there right steeped in guilt, pointing at his help meet and here I am pointing at everyone around me. If I had enough fingers they would be pointing in every direction...even up.
The morning comes and the light flows in. The day starts and my hands are clinched right hard together against what God has called me to. I don't want to deal with attitude issues all day. I want this child, whom I believe should know better, to behave. Just behave! And the patience issues...those, I don't want to deal with those either. Yes, that one should know better too. I don't want the emotionally charged roller coaster of a ride with the other one. And really can't that baby just NAP!
Dying to yourself is never pleasant. The harvest, of course is worth it, but the process is often full of those Terrible, Awful, No-Good, Very Bad days. You see, still in me there is the intense desire to do what I want, when I want to do it and oh, if you get in my way...well, just don't get in my way. But is this The Way?
No, no...this is The Way...
501. Finding this joy in the hard parts of life
502. Looking through the mess to see the grace of Christ
503. ...and being found thankful for all of it....
504. wedding rings, open mouthed suprise grins, cupped hands
505. open doors, welcoming hugs
506. celebrating the Ressurection over eggs, coffee and cinnamon rolls
507. promises kept, truth found, mercy given, agape love
508. sins forgven, Jesus' example of emptying yourself
510. snow in April
511. that old hooded sweatshirt and lovely slippers
512. those 4 pair of bright, bold mostly brown but 1 pair of blue eyes
513. the gift of asking for forgivness
514. brokeness because of lonelyness leads me to the only One who can fill the void of starting over...again
515. truth spoken by a dear friend. thank you! always encouraging...
516. sending a special gift to a special friend
517. for that hard, sweet, special, lovely, wonderfully challenging time spent in Germany and all those dearest friends who I miss with a passion....
518. being inspired by the work the Lord is doing in my Love
It's always easy to point the other way. Recently, on Facebook there was a cartoon of a mother crayola and her two kiddo crayolas (one blue, the other pink...or red maybe). Standing there was this mother crayola staring down on her two kiddos (much like I do mine) because there was blue colouring all over the wall. The "blue" kiddo is pointing at the red one saying "it was her." The picture came with the added line at the bottom, "I'm not color blind kid!" I can relate....to the child, I mean.
Oh, how I would love to say, it was the child who chose to stay up too late and got up too early and had a sour attitude all day. And we just get about a million frustrating moments. Or the one that lacks the patience for their turn and pushes the others over and instead of getting a turn, this child almost gets a broken noes. And we just get one bloody mess. Or the one who just seems to never slow down or perhaps it was the one who still refuses to take more than a 40 min. nap. There doesn't feel like a lot of rest. Perhaps, it was the training trip my Love had to go on. Maybe, it's his fault. Wait, no not him...the Air Force...it's their fault!
Like, Eve in the garden pointing at the snake. Like Adam, standing there right steeped in guilt, pointing at his help meet and here I am pointing at everyone around me. If I had enough fingers they would be pointing in every direction...even up.
The morning comes and the light flows in. The day starts and my hands are clinched right hard together against what God has called me to. I don't want to deal with attitude issues all day. I want this child, whom I believe should know better, to behave. Just behave! And the patience issues...those, I don't want to deal with those either. Yes, that one should know better too. I don't want the emotionally charged roller coaster of a ride with the other one. And really can't that baby just NAP!
Dying to yourself is never pleasant. The harvest, of course is worth it, but the process is often full of those Terrible, Awful, No-Good, Very Bad days. You see, still in me there is the intense desire to do what I want, when I want to do it and oh, if you get in my way...well, just don't get in my way. But is this The Way?
No, no...this is The Way...
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ~Phil. 2:4-8
This being a momma and wife. This life of servent hood isn't for the faint of heart. This bending low it doesn't, many times, bring high accolades. Maybe that is what the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad day was really about.... ME!
The sun shines in, which always reminds me of the Son. Here I am. Hands held open. Lord, this is the day you have made...let us rejoice and be glad in it...
The sun shines in, which always reminds me of the Son. Here I am. Hands held open. Lord, this is the day you have made...let us rejoice and be glad in it...
501. Finding this joy in the hard parts of life
502. Looking through the mess to see the grace of Christ
503. ...and being found thankful for all of it....
504. wedding rings, open mouthed suprise grins, cupped hands
505. open doors, welcoming hugs
506. celebrating the Ressurection over eggs, coffee and cinnamon rolls
507. promises kept, truth found, mercy given, agape love
508. sins forgven, Jesus' example of emptying yourself
510. snow in April
511. that old hooded sweatshirt and lovely slippers
512. those 4 pair of bright, bold mostly brown but 1 pair of blue eyes
513. the gift of asking for forgivness
514. brokeness because of lonelyness leads me to the only One who can fill the void of starting over...again
515. truth spoken by a dear friend. thank you! always encouraging...
516. sending a special gift to a special friend
517. for that hard, sweet, special, lovely, wonderfully challenging time spent in Germany and all those dearest friends who I miss with a passion....
518. being inspired by the work the Lord is doing in my Love
Love...and relate to your "ramblings". Thanks for your encouragement to others whom are experiencing their own "Terrible, Horrible, Awful, Very Bad, No Good Day!" I have that book around here somewhere...I may need to dig it out and read it tomorrow!!! Hope you are getting settled into your new place...love you guys!
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