There are days when you wake up just knowing that the day is going to be a challenge. I knew from early yesterday morning that it was going to be one of "those kind" of days. You know, the kind of day when you wish you could just go home, crawl in bed, cover your head, and sleep till the next day. It was definitely one of those kind of days.
It started when I realized upon turning into the parking lot at school at about 7:15am that I had left my lanyard with my keys and my ID badge in the purse I had used on Friday. The one sitting on my desk- at HOME. This meant returning home, getting the lanyard, and then returning to school amidst the large amount of traffic that amasses after 7:15 each morning and being several minutes late to duty. (We usually leave home around 7am not because I'm so anal about being early (okay, maybe partially because I am so anal :) but because the traffic after that time it's twice as bad and it takes twice as long to drive the short drive to school after battling the traffic.). I was so frustrated while sitting there that sweet Maddie said....."Mom, there is nothing you can do about the traffic so just put it in the freezer and CHILL".
The day at work was full of moving my classroom, computer problems, and making trips to picnics and Gattitown to pick up and deliver kids who could not make the walk there.
I hurried home after dropping Maddie at dance knowing that I had much baking to do and quickly got to work. Barely in to my first batch of cookies, as I opened a new box of waxed paper, I sliced the front of my thumb open on the cutter inside the box. It would not stop bleeding and took lots of pressure and tissue. Finally I got the bleeding stopped, wrapped it up and continued with my baking .
Next as I was taking a pan of cookies out of the oven, somehow the edge of the pan accidentally hit the inside upper portion of my left arm- leaving a lovely and painful burn that quickly turned into a blistered burn.
Then as I was taking the last pan of the first batch of cookies out of the oven, my oven timer started beeping uncontrollably and flashing an F1 error. After I turned the oven off. No matter what I did, it continued to beep. As the oven continued to beep uncontrollably on my last nerve I called Honey and said "The oven is beeping and won't shut up!". Finally after turning the stove and oven off for about 5 minutes, the beeping mercifully stopped.
After searching the internet we now know that sadly the oven is about to die and will need to be replaced. With all of the cooking I do, normally a new oven would be cause for me to celebrate. But, coming directly on the past few months which have included a new hot water heater as ours went out, my step daughter coming to live with us which resulted in ridiculously HIGH insurance costs and cell phone bills plus many other expenses, the first of THREE crowns I must have this year (of which of insurance will only cover HALF of the first two), an unexpected last minute plane ticket for my step daughter from LA to Tenn. this past weekend, plus many other unexpected and unplanned for expenses, made me want to WEEP. Loudly and for a very long time.
My poor sweet Daddy made the terrible mistake of calling in the midst of me realizing that we needed a new oven and bless his heart he got an earful. I think part of my problem was that the past few weeks and months have been hard. Painful, difficult, and emotional. They have been full of stress, disappointment, worry, LOTS of prayer, and concern. It seemed like yesterday was the straw that broke this camels back and I was truly overwhelmed.
Sleep did not come easily last night as my arm throbbed and my heart was heavy with worry and stress. I tossed and turned much of the night and I woke up super early realizing that God was telling me to get my hiney out of bed and talk to Him.
And so I did.
I spent the wee hours of this morning in prayer and reading and was reminded of some very important facts that I know in my heart to be true but so, so, so needed to be reminded of.
God reminded me that............
The problems of yesterday are normal and are what we are told to expect in this life (John 16:33). My problems are minor and insignificant in comparison with so, so, so many. I have so very much to be thankful for. I am so very, very, very blessed. The problems of my yesterday are best left there- in YESTERDAY.
It's easy to praise God when things are going well. It is easy to praise Him when everyone is healthy and fabulous and there is money in the bank and everything is working perfectly. It's easy to praise Him when things are good and easy.
The true test is IF we will praise Him in the dark, in the trials, in the struggles we face. If we will praise Him in the storms. If we will praise Him when our bank accounts are empty and our pile of problems looks insurmountable. If we will praise Him when things break and people disappoint and hurt us. If we will praise Him when it seems like all is lost and the future is bleak. If we will praise Him when things are messy, and ugly, and angry, and sad. If we will simply praise Him, regardless of our situation, circumstance, or even our feelings. If we will simply praise Him.
And so today I thank God who loves me so very much that he woke me up (literally) this morning.
And I choose to praise Him.
