Everyday Life: When The Toilet Explodes & You Do Too

I rarely write about regular days. The mundane. The typical. The routine.

Usually it's about the biggies, the big topics like divorce, sociopaths, depression, loss and drunk driving, healing and faith… usually it's about something that involves secret pasts that we'd maybe rather forget like soul ties, abortions and running away from home at seventeen.

All that is well and good… very important and affirming to those who can relate and lived through similar life experiences. But what about the everyday? What about the person who is looking for affirmation and knowing they aren't alone in the daily grind of life? What about the mom who is maybe totally over her house that is never seems quite clean enough from crumbs and tiny sticky fingers and finds difficulty seeing the blessings in it? What about the young woman who is spent from working all day and groans at the idea of having to scrub the pots in the sink or wipe down the shower?

Sometimes I myself get so caught up in the big stories, that I forget there is much to share in the little as well… that what I view as little, the daily life that sweeps by moment to moment within the walls of home is actually big as well… because it's so relatable. It's what moms know, it's what all women intimately know and can nod silently to themselves, "Oh, yea, me too."

The other day I had a not so great day. And the reason I share this is because sometimes we look at other moms, other women when were out and about and make assumptions. We look at their carefully curled hair, their immaculate eyeliner, their well-behaved children and think to ourselves: "Wow, she has it together. She is. doing. better. than. me." Which is of course horse poo as we know… but there have been times we've all been susceptible to it, who have entertained and listened to the lies of the devil.

The other day I came home to find two water department trucks parked on my street. I saw the men in their bright neon garb milling around. I had an immediate sense of dread. This has happened before and let me tell you I knew right then it wasn't a good thing. Setting my purse down on the entry table and running in I hurried speedy quick to the bathroom. Once inside I saw what I feared would be there. Dirty toilet water despite the lid having been down had spewed like a fountain all over the bathroom. Dirty water speckled everywhere, my nice linens were wet, my white bath mat was wet, the seat was wet, the gray tiled floor was wet, the glass shower door was wet…  along with the most disgusting rank sewer fumes filling the room. Changing into old clothes and pinning my hair up I began the unwanted and gross job of hauling all the linens to the washing machine, grabbing some cleaner and scrubbing the entire bathroom down from top to bottom until it was shiny clean again. Running the water and flushing the toilet for what felt like an eternity eventually caused the fumes to dissipate. I grumbled, I griped and I curled my lip while I worked. "I come home to this"... "So irritating…" and "What the heck?!" it all traveled through my mind and soon was being uttered from my lips. I was not at my best in my work, in my thoughts nor my words. Who wants to come home after a long day to that?

Not one person. 

I had a little rant-a-thon during my cleaning 

It was later in the evening that I began reflecting. I need some perspective clearly. I was blessed. I had a warm and cozy home. I had a bathroom to clean. I had nice soft linens to wash. I had the things that make a comfortable life.


Like that bathroom sometimes I'm a mess. Sometimes I don't handle things right. Sometimes I gripe and grumble when maybe praise should be coming from my thoughts or lips instead. Sometimes I really miss the mark. Sometimes like that toilet I release things that are ugly or dirty that should stay down. Maybe you do the same thing.


I don't have it all together. I grumble and gripe about stuff that happens like toilets that spew, vehicles that need oil changes and fallen tree limbs that need to be hauled off. I mentally or verbally tsk tsk at stuff that I have no control over but then chastise myself later for the fact I do have control over how I react. This "react thing" gets me a lot and I need plenty of heaping help in it.


And yet in that… I think it's important for us all to realize that there will never be perfection. If that is what we are seeking, myself included there is going to be a whole lotta frustration and disappointment in ourselves and life in general. There is no perfection. The bathroom won't always behave, the toilet won't always keep a lid on it, and yep, every three months that car needs another oil change however irritating we may find that fact of life… we may miss the mark, we may grumble or gripe… but when we feel convicted we can turn to Him, we can admit we are indeed a mess, we can tell Him how much we truly are thankful for what we have and praise Him.


He knows we aren't perfect. He isn't looking for perfect. He's looking for someone who is willing to admit that they don't have it all together and write for others to see that, to write for others who are in a mess as well, who grumble and gripe at the misbehaving toilet but then at themselves for grumbling about said toilet. He's looking for someone who knows they need to share their daily battles in the mundane because somewhere in that mess they are also seeking to find the joys and blessings as well… even if it's long after the task of cleaning up said mess is done. He wants us to share our stories, our realness, our battles whether they are cleaning up dirty water or shedding the dirty sins in our life of yesterday.

Either way no matter how big or small the battle He can use our stories to help others not feel so alone.


© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2015 

To My Readers: 

Thank you for reading! 


Related Posts:


What Defines A Well Lived Life? 
http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-defines-well-lived-life.html

Intent: Living A Life Of Purpose
http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2014/02/intent-living-life-of-purpose.html


Drip Goes The Nag: How To Communicate
http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/12/drip-goes-nag-how-to-communicate.html

Life Lessons: Jesus, The Most Beautiful Teacher

When you look back on your life thus far there are certain moments that may stand out... maybe it's a decision related to education, maybe it's a financial decision you made or perhaps a choice in a relationship. 

Everyone has something they wish they could re-do, that they wish they had said yes to and yet didn't out of fear, foolish pride, haste or anger. Maybe they wish they had said no to someone... not given in to the fleshly desires of their body, had not had pre-marital sex or married someone... as now... life fast forwarded it can be seen that hindsight is always a crystal clear 20/20. 

Maybe they wish they had put marriage on hold for a bit... and instead traveled some, seen the world and savored a few more years of freedom before taking on so many responsibilities. Maybe they regret bad choices related to drugs and alcohol that contributed to a dark path...  now fervently wishing they had taken the path filled with light and inner peace instead of destruction and tears. 

No matter what your past decisions or what has happened to you that wasn't by your own choice but instead handed to you like a bag of lemons…


remember this: 

You are not that choice or experience. 

You are not that infliction by others.

You are not that diagnosis. 

You are not that decision. 

We can stop looking at our past and grumbling

 all those "coulda", "shoulda", 

"woulda's" and begin anew today. 

Stand today and say:

"Today I will not be bitter. I will extend grace to myself and to others. I will remember that I am not my past. I am a new creation and beginning today I will put on a new attitude, a new outlook, a healthier perspective. If it's something I can change, I will. But I won't relive the same chapters I've been living. A new chapter awaits! And I'm ready to fill it's pages with beauty, learning, music, growth, purpose, kindness and love." 

Our past doesn't dictate our future. God is our father and He has a great plan for our life, a plan He knows intimately. We can rest assured and say no to anxiety about our future because we know the good Lord knows it like the palm of our hand. We each have a path to take and that path, with all it's trials can be used for good! 

Every single trial we've had has taught us something. There has been something derived from that heartache that taught us a lesson and likely has then helped someone we know in some way... because God can use us to bless others.

God is there with us behind closed doors. He sees the tears, sees the reflection in the mirror we don't want to meet. He sees the mascara stained face, He sees the trembling chin that turns into sobs and the prayers that go unfinished because we fall asleep from sheer exhaustion. He sees the hurt, the betrayal, the pain. He sees the anger, the violation, the fear. He sees it all. 

What have you learned? 

I've learned…. 

no matter how beautiful, how heart wrenching, how sad, how troubling a situation is, Christ is there! He walks beside the joyous ones enjoying their songs of praise and likewise the brokenhearted who cry out in despair. 

sometimes your friends are more like family than family is. Sometimes you're like a little band who only meets once a month or so but in that time it's like you just hung out yesterday. Time and distance means nothing and they mean everything.

to not be skimpy with "I love you". We can be thankful when the last words we speak to someone are those three sweet words. I thank God everyday those were the last words I spoke to my sister before she was killed by a drunk driver. 

if you hear of someone's past, their hurts, their wounds, their struggles, don't hesitate. Hug them tight, don't let go, soothe them with kind words, don't hesitate out of fear for whatever reason. 

if you care about someone and they care for you, don't hold back.... run, don't just walk to him. Scream your love for him from the rooftops. If he is a believer and follows God's word, if he treats you as a best friend should, if he can communicate without shutting down or lashing out, if he speaks to your mind in conversation and your body merely through a kiss.... marry him. 

abortion hurts women. I'd say to any young woman today contemplating an abortion to imagine for a moment meeting that child in Heaven one day. What would you say to him or her? What do you think he or she would say to you? What would you say to God? It's hard to imagine how we may feel about a choice later down the road... ten years, twenty years later but we can remind ourselves feelings are fickle... God's word is unchanging.

sometimes we keep beating ourselves up for past choices that God has already forgiven. You've repented, you've cried out for forgiveness from Him... have you forgiven yourself? Give yourself grace... don't be stingy with yourself. It's not a free ticket to just do whatever you wish but allowing yourself to move on after you come face to face with the reality of a bad decision. You have to live with yourself and liking who you are is part of that. 

just because a man desires you doesn't mean for a second he also values you. One is lust, but value is cloaked in love. Any man can view you with lust, indifference, skepticism and amusement. The self focused male sees a woman as merely a toy, a means to his own pleasures, sick obsessions and tendencies like a depraved animal. 

a real man values you for the beauty you emanate from within, what you add to the world. He shows his love for you through purposeful action... PATTERNS being the key here. Anyone can be "good" occasionally or even much  of the time and talk a good talk... but a Godly man shows consistent good in all areas of his life in how he treats you AND others. 

if you don't realize that your past choices are just a part of your story, not you... it will affect your future. It's imperative you push through all that mental junk, all that garbage you've been exposed to in your childhood, uplift your low esteem, sort those piles of baggage out, boost your confidence, or all that junk will keep cropping up again. We can enter therapy, we can talk to God, we can pray and read His word.

You are a sparkling daughter of a King. He loves you. And no amount of junk you've been through, what lies you've been told, lies you've told yourself or allowed the devil to whisper will change that. Beginning today you can remind yourself that your future begins right now. And that means no longer subscribing to yesterday's narrative of negativity. 

I've learned that to follow Jesus is the best road to travel. For a person to just follow anyone blindly is foolish. But once you begin reading and learning about Him... you may just realize on your own what a great teacher He is and how much He wants to share with you, including His love. It's up to you. For me, He is by far the most beautiful man I know... I can say that not based on sight of Him but by knowing His character. 

© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2014 

To My Readers: 

Thank you for reading, 

commenting and sharing! 

Wanting The Dark Clouds To Part: Waiting On God

image owned by gps grace power strength 

November 2014 

names have been omitted in this post 

*******************

The weather had turned cold… frigid cold… fall had literally been just a blip of like four or five days and then it was gone. Now the temps waffled between the thirties and fifties, the sun had disappeared somewhere behind the dark clouds and no matter how much we wanted it to reappear thus far it remained in hiding. I navigated the busy Saturday morning traffic… en-route to the bank to withdraw some money for groceries and weekend fun with my daughter. But as I turned on my blinker to make the right turn into the bank parking lot sudden dread filled within… something wasn't right… intuition told me that the bank was closed by the empty parking lot. I peered up at the signs over the bank drive thru and saw that where they typically were lit in green with the word "open" today they were lit in red with the word "closed".

Great…. I thought to myself… that is just great… I took a deep breath inward and determined they must be closed for some reason… I had always been able to access the bank on Saturdays. Okay… what to do now? My mind scrambled like a mouse in a cage. I slowly pulled out of the lot and eased back onto the street to head back the way I'd come.

"Why are we going this way, Mommy? I thought we were going to the bank." My daughter's voice asked from behind me. I glanced at her in the rearview mirror… sitting in the backseat she was looking out the window in puzzlement. Her sweatshirt said "love" across it and she wore soft turquoise gloves… her jacket had been tossed on the seat beside her.

"We are… "I told her. "It's okay…" I added, but as soon as I said those two words I realized they were as much for my own benefit as for her.

I sighed, "The bank for whatever reason is closed today. So we are going to have to go to another bank to get money… okay?" I explained to her "No big deal… " I trailed off trying to sound bright and upbeat, mentally noting that my credit card was nearly maxed out on essentials and needed a payment. As I sailed along the route past the high-end shops twinkling with Christmas decor and restaurants… a life that was no longer mine… I didn't miss the materialism by any means but I missed the fewer problems for sure… I didn't miss my ex… as many of my current problems could be fixed but our marriage was never one of them. And it was then I heard a ding! I glanced at my dash and saw the SUV needed gas. Ugh! Seriously? Did it ever stop? Huge sigh. I already knew I had a ten dollar bill in my purse and a one. I always knew what I had these days. I counted them obsessively. I quickly switched lanes making a left at the green light then pulled into the gas station. "We have to feed this high maintenance animal first." I told my daughter with a grimace as I slowly glided in next to an available pump. I was so ready to ditch this gas guzzler and trade it in for a car. The sky overhead was a bank of dark clouds… it looked like it was going to pour any minute and frankly, my mood was beginning to match it… at least on the inside. I had been sending out resumes as I needed more income, I had been searching for a new smaller home since the last one I had wanted to purchase slipped through my fingers… I wanted to move and I desperately needed more money coming in as my child support had been cut… I was beginning to get just a little irritated… and that was putting it nicely… as for whatever reason despite my efforts nothing seemed to be falling into place…

I was tired of waiting and beginning to question if God was even hearing my prayers. I was beginning to feel like an insolent child that hadn't gotten her way (and yet reality was I was in the hole) and was precariously close to stomping her foot and telling God off. If this was chiseling I'd had enough… I was ready to stand in the warm beautiful sun and have everything in order… because this ongoing time period… this "difficult time", this "growing", this "suffering", this "just plain old you-know-what" or whatever it was (?!) had gone on long enough in my opinion.

I could wait patiently for awhile… even quite some time… I could wait on God, on His timing… I mean, I don't mind waiting but there always comes a point where we begin to break, look above and ask "Hey?! Remember me?! Down here? I need some help! Are you there???" 

I believe we all have problems with waiting

 at some point no matter how patient we are.

Waiting can be undeniably long and painful. It can make us go stir crazy with the "what if's" wondering in moments of doubt if it will all turn out alright, even if we do cling to God's promises of good for us. Even if we know when in a cool and rational thinking that He is there for us… meeting up with us and going with us to the next place in our journey… even if we know this like the truth that birds fly we may come to a point where we waffle… where we have expectations that aren't filled on our time table, where we let worry come in and override faith, where we start to question if He is really hearing us and sees the direness of our situation at hand.

So do we let God encourage us? 
Or do we push Him away out of fear/anger? 

I believe we need to be honest with Him. 

We don't have to put on a face of happy just for His benefit… He already knows exactly what were feeling and thinking… it's no shock to Him. The truth is… He already knows were beginning to question, He already knows our fears, He already knows we are becoming close to what one would define as exasperation, maybe even panic.

What we can do is be totally honest with Him. We can just put it out there… in our prayers and talk with Him we can just admit it… we can tell Him we are becoming frustrated, that we are troubled… that we are struggling… just like in the book of Psalms where there are plenty of folks who pour out their hearts we can do the same… we can open up about our trials to Him… we can even admit our anger… remember, anger is not a sinful feeling… anger can be totally justified… it only becomes sin if acted out.


In our talks with God we can admit that yes, we know He always has a reason in His timing and or delays… relay to Him that yes, you know He is working on your behalf and bringing together the various connections you need… and that you know sometimes that takes time… honestly vent any frustrations you have and yet tell Him how thankful you are… think of all the wonderful blessings you do have… the aspects that are sailing smoothly and the friends, family, and wonderful things you are so blessed to have in your life… find that sweet spot of contentment with the Lord… where no matter what your circumstances you are living… whether it be scarce or humble means, comfortable or excess… whether the skies are dark and cloudy or the sun is out… God wants you to enjoy your life no matter what you're going through… so that when your circumstances improve and your journey takes you to the next (better) destination your inner happiness will be rooted in Him and not the world.


© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~2014 

To My Readers: 

Thank you for reading, 

commenting and sharing! 

Related Posts:

Life: It's An Obstacle Course

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/05/life-its-obstacle-course.html

Standing On A Road She Didn't Plan: A Single Mom Dating 

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/12/standing-on-road-she-didnt-plan-single.html

Behind Closed Doors: Who Are You? 

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/10/behind-closed-doors-who-are-you.html

The Best Of Me: 5 Truths In Life

Last Friday afternoon found me sitting in a movie theater… escaping reality for a little while and enjoying some much needed down time. The Best Of Me was a tear jerker like nearly all Nicholas Sparks stories… and I left not only with a wad of wet kleenex in my purse but reeling from the emotionally charged film. If you haven't seen it or heard of it it's a story of two high school sweet hearts who take different paths and eventually find themselves meeting up again due to events out of their control.

*********************

I opened the door to my SUV, sliding on the brown leather seat, tossing my oversized bag onto the floor of the backseat behind me. Sunlight streamed into the windshield and I winced from the harshness of it despite wearing Jackie O style sunglasses. The late afternoon sun was in full force and even though my stomach grumbled it was hungry I knew it had to wait… I was needed back at the office… work called.

Beside me, my mother flipped her visor down to shield the light from her eyes and she pulled her seat belt across her, buckling it in place. Starting the ignition I breathed in deeply through my nostrils and felt the tension that had built up in my neck and shoulders begin to slowly release as I exhaled.


"What did you think of it?" I asked her… backing out of the parking space and slowly making my way across the lot toward the street. The late October weather was mild and finally boots were justified… fall is terribly fleeting in Texas… it barely makes it's presence, like a flirt it disappears as quickly as it comes before winter settles in full force.

"It was a little rough… rougher than what I expected." She murmured and I immediately detected her disapproving tone.

I myself had not expected it to be that rough… I was expecting sappy and sweet not what it had delivered… a mix of heart gut wrenching emotions that had left me feeling more drained than anything. I affirmed my agreement with her with a murmur.

"What did you think?" She asked me… "Did you like it?"

"Parts of it… " I replied slowly and cautiously… "Parts of it I was disappointed in… there was no justification for them as high schoolers to have sex… it wasn't sweet or endearing… this is a PG- 13 rating… it sends the message to young teens that this is okay behavior… that scene was disturbing… it bothered me." I told her with a furrowed brow. "And… " I continued, "They didn't learn their lesson later in life… she's ready to have an affair with him…  even if she is likely from what we can gather married to a jerk. And he was more than willing to let that happen. It was disappointing to see that occur… them together when she wasn't divorced. I wish it had been written differently."


She echoed the same sentiments as well and as I followed the flow of traffic down the main thoroughfare my thoughts spun too… "It's really a story of destruction." I said quietly. "It's a contrast of how maybe you think things should be and then how they really are. It's idealism and painful reality clashing like two opposing planets. It's the age old battle of how life coulda been versus what unfortunately is." I added… "You think to yourself… if only his family would have crawled under a rock… left them alone… they created so much pain and heartache. And it ultimately killed him. It's the injustice of that part and then the struggle that he's not his father. He's not like his family… him realizing his identity is not in them and their sinful ways. He stood for beauty and good."


"And then you've got her family… her dad trying to buy him off to not see her anymore." She added, "That was so cliche… it's been done time and time again."

"True… and yet it happens all the time I imagine in higher social circles." I affirmed and pursed my lips in thought... "How can she respect her father when he behaves that way? Her father is a man choosing to be defined by his wallet not Godly character."

*******************

5 Truths In Life: 

1. You are not your family
You are not defined by your father who beat you, a mother who neglected you or any other scenario… we are not summed up by our relatives, by our bloodline… we are not their mistakes. They are separate from us… their wallet doesn't equate to our value as a person whether it's full or empty. God knows who we are… we are His and we are loved by Him.


2. Missing someone doesn't equate to pursuing them
We all have past relationships whether they are short lived or long and span the course of several years… we may have regrets or simply just wonder from time to time what coulda happened if it had worked out. It's one thing to wonder… but not fixate… eventually we have to let go… release these feelings and connections like a dandelion to the wind. We hurt others when we indulge in our selfish emotions, when we act on them and hold expectations of others. We also hurt ourselves staying in a state of mind that remains in the past… life is about growth, about change… and if it's meant to be it will happen under God's way and blessing not against the grain.


3. Money doesn't solve everything 
True, money can solve a lot, without a doubt… it can solve emergencies that pop up and threaten our monthly budget… it can solve car troubles, an extra high electricity bill come mid-August or even paying for our kids college educations. But when it comes to wielding power and control… money can fall through… not everyone can be bought… a young woman intent on being with a young man she's in love with or vice versa likely isn't going to respond to a father extracting his wallet. True love doesn't engage in bribes or deals.


4. There is bad in the world
It is an unfortunate truth in life. There is bad everywhere and sometimes it hurts. Life isn't fair and no one ever said it was. Why does it happen? Not one of us can fully understand or explain it. Because of this fact many may be quick to dismiss God and Christians… to poo poo at them, claiming they are living in some type of fantasy world without concrete answers. We as Christians may tend to measure our sins in comparison to others and cry "...but I'm better than Suzie Q or John… so why do these bad things happen to me?" It's human nature to think our sin card is a tiny bit better… cleaner, than the person's next to us, at the office or even on social media. Like thinking of our own children or our own home we are each undeniably a wee bit biased. But the truth is we each deserve the wrath and fury of hell… each day we are still here living and breathing on earth it's because of God's great mercy. The fact is… we live in a sinful world and we each have the power every day to infuse light and love into it or contribute to the continual downfall.


5. She/He Is Maybe A Jerk Yet She/He's Still Your Jerk
In life we may be married to someone who is difficult… heck, were all difficult at times… who isn't when we've had a bad day, been sick or it's that time of the month. Maybe on the extreme were married to someone who is emotionally, physically or verbally abusive. Maybe were married to someone who is toxic, who has a "temper" or who is merely absent. We may not love them, we may not want to be around them or maybe we don't even like them… but unless were divorced they are still our spouse… were either married or were not… there is zero in-between or gray area… even separated still means married in God's eyes. Until were legally divorced we shouldn't be involved with anyone physically or emotionally… if we are struggling with this we can go to Him with it… as pleasing God should be first on our list and it shouldn't feel like a chore but a joy to do.


© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2014 

images via Pinterest 

To My Readers: 

Thank you for reading, 

commenting and sharing! 

Related Posts: 

Weak 

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/01/weak.html

Weakness: When We Ask For Grace, Peace & Healing; God Delivers

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/04/when-we-ask-for-grace-peace-healinggod.html

Old Flames: "Love Is Peace-Seeking And Selfless Not Turmoil And Self-Seeking" I Told Her

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2014/01/old-flames-love-is-peace-seeking-and.html

Projection & Signs Of A Cheating Spouse 

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/09/projection-and-signs-of-cheating-spouse.html

When You Need Peace: Turn To God

Isn't it in the times of transition that we seem to flounder most (?)… when our lives have been uprooted by change either that we ourselves pursued or outside forces inflicted. Whether it's an unforeseen illness that has reared it's ugly head, the choice or need to move, a death in our family, a joyful birth… regardless of the type of change, whether it can be defined as wonderful or horrible… we know it can leave us feeling unsettled as we move into a new season in our life.


A New Season… 

As I begin a new season of life… perhaps you are too. As I type this I am surrounded by boxes… moving boxes and plastic bins… I am moving by choice… downsizing again… ridding myself of the excess space and stuff that continues to act as a block to inner peace. Striving for minimalism, I believed that was what I was attaining when I moved before on the heels of my divorce becoming final… but it's often not until you begin living in a space for a while… adjusting, after some time has passed… and then realize that you still have more worldly possessions than you could ever need or want. You realize you don't even use rooms x,y,z… and you begin taking serious inventory of just what exactly you do utilize on a day to day basis.


Taking Stock Of Our Life…

Taking stock of what we are using, what were actually wearing, what space we are living in and even what we are enjoying is a big undertaking, no doubt. But doing so, downsizing… even in small increments here and there over a period of time… can bring such peace to our life… shedding ourselves, purging what we no longer use, need or enjoy can begin opening the door to what truly matters… we won't have so much static clogging up the doorway to a peaceful life.


Life can often cause us to give into worry, to stress… 

To buy that box of cookies we don't really need but we do because were mentally or physically maxed out and need a "fix", we need to decompress, we need something to make us feel better. Some people choose alcohol, some choose retail "therapy", some choose exercise, some choose chocolate… there are endless options on what people may choose to self medicate on a bad day, bad week or even stressful season. We may find ourselves with pent up tension… tight shoulders, an aching neck, a headache… even stomach upset… but God doesn't expect nor want us to go around like that. I have to remind myself of this often… maybe you do too. Last night as I was reviewing a contract for work and making necessary calls I glanced at the time only to have a mini freak out… I had to go! It was getting late and my daughter had to be somewhere. I found myself stressed… and soon I found myself mentally saying to myself: "You cannot be everywhere. You cannot do it all. Just. Slow. Down. Deep Breaths. " Sometimes we find ourselves feeling the pressure of a situation and at the end of the day we either don't have control over it and/or we can remind ourselves to just take it one step at a time. We can remind ourselves that God doesn't expect nor want us to run around in a fervor of upset… that He wants peace for us in our lives.

John 14:27 

Jesus promises to give us His peace

John 16:33 

We have peace because He has overcome the world

1 Corinthians 7:15 

God calls us to live in peace

 1 Corinthians 14:33 

He is not a God of disorder 

but of peace

Ephesians 2:14 

 He is our peace

Philippians 4:7 

His peace transcends 

all understanding

Colossians 3:15 

His peace 

should rule in our heart 

Galatians 5:22 

Peace is a fruit of the spirit

Matthew 6:25-34

 Exhorts us not to worry

The best way for us to overcome stress in an increasingly stressful world that is filled with stressors like school, health issues, traffic, deadlines and maybe even family strife... is to increase our fellowship with God. 

When we are moving into a new and changing season in our lives no matter what it is, we must take the time to develop a deeper intimacy with the Lord, to lean on Him. We can remind ourselves to remain in God's word, to immerse ourselves in it daily throughout the thick and thin of battle, of trying times. When life throws us unexpected curveballs we may often turn to a chocolate bar, a beer after work… an intense exercise regimen, or reality television… but don't despair, don't cling to the world… we can remember we may have stress, we may have problems, we may have change… but they don't have to have us. 

We can turn to God, our Prince of Peace… 

We can allow Him to 

Sustain...

Comfort... 

and 

Nurture us. 

He is the ultimate healer and soother. 

© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2014 

To My Readers: 

Thank you for reading, 

commenting and sharing! 

Related Posts: 

Timing & Sacrifice: When God Uses Us To Bless Others

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/08/timing-sacrifice-when-god-uses-us-to.html

Like Fireflies: Being A Light And Sharing Our Story

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2014/03/like-fireflies-being-light-sharing-our.html

Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours: Empathy & Love 

http://gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com/2013/12/break-my-heart-for-what-breaks-yours.html

Dear Friend: A Letter Of Love To You

Dear Friend…


Maybe you have been brought down… at least temporarily… perhaps by a life circumstance, maybe by a person whose actions are comparable to a punch with gloves off… but fret not… let a few tears escape… lay on the cold hard floor and bite your lip till it nearly bleeds… lie there listening to nothing but your heart beating in the quiet surrounding you… and take a deep breath… deep breaths… let your stomach rise and fall… let your core and back relax… let it all go… and then after you've allowed yourself that momentary time of prayer and a rejuvenation of strength and strong will… you will leap upward again… you will spring forward like an arrow forced into the wind and sail along despite any push back… you will continue onward because you've been down before… you've been here in this pit of darkness… and yet you know it's never forever… it's not a destination of "this will never change"… but instead it's "this too shall pass".


Determination and strength from God is what fuels you… takes you far… and as wide as possible… determination is a willingness to change as needed… to go with the flow… keeping an open mind and being able to adapt… because often what causes the initial frustration of an obstacle in life is compounded by the inability or unwillingness to accept it… to embrace it… versus kicking it away and resisting it's presence. That resistance… futile resistance is mere stubbornness… an unwillingness to accept what is… and deal the hand dealt to us… versus fighting or sitting stagnant in our chair, arms crossed and closed off to the new chapter that awaits.

Instead we can free ourselves from that cage… we can be open to new possibilities… what our life now looks like… savor what is wonderful right now… and look to what is coming that holds promise and goodness… we can thank God each and every day for the blessings He lets rain over us… despite our condition as wretchedly human. Or maybe the cage is in our head… maybe it's a voice of limitedness that whispers tauntingly, that deceives and tells you that you aren't capable, you aren't worthy… that you cannot go any further because you feel too whipped by your poor choices in the past or life's hand dealt to you or by others… maybe you feel the injustice of it all… but those whispers are just that… whispers and lies of the evil one… in an attempt to keep you down, miserable and suffering… far away from victory… but freedom can be yours… it only requires telling that negative whisper to hush and go shrivel up to die because you, my friend… are a survivor and thriver.


In any life defeats there is a silver lining… where we have loss we always have gain… where one door shuts another opens… we have the ability to embrace something new, or someone and in that be with someone who makes you laugh… who notices the little things… who energizes you… who when you have doubts they acknowledge that no, you did do that… you did it and well… be with someone who gives you credit… who acknowledges your contribution, your efforts, your interest, your care… be with someone who will be straight with you… who doesn't bs you around… who doesn't make excuses, who doesn't pick and choose, who doesn't stall… who is forthright and gives as well, who shares their life, their thoughts, their history… if they aren't willing to do this or questionable flags rise... walk away... be with whom you can say without hesitation "I appreciate you" or "I'm thinking about you"… be with someone who knows what they have when they are with you, who isn't content with living in a relationship of gray but chooses you and commits… these little things from the heart are like rays of sunshine and create a bright glow even in the darkest day.


At the end of the day no matter what threatens our peace what matters is you are defined as God's beloved daughter or son… not merely who others believe you are as defined by our worldly consumerism of cars, clothes, homes, status, jobs, degrees, alumni, etc… we are not defined by our past, our family or the choices made by others. If we were stripped of all that "makes us worthy" in the eyes of man and each of us wore a t-shirt with all our life pains listed… what would yours say? Divorced? Cancer? Loss? Infidelity? Financial Struggles? Job loss? Alcoholism? Depression? Drug Addiction? … and yet it would also say… loved by God. Much of our happiness comes from knowing God's perspective of us… when we see ourselves as God sees us… whether we are on the floor wanting to melt into it from pure exhaustion feeling defeated by others choices that are out of our control or standing atop a hill in joyous liberating song… when we realize with a deeply planted knowledge that our Lord cares for us and will walk beside us no matter what storms occur, no matter the outcome, we will release the chains and absurdities of life to Him and walk free.

© gps-gracepowerstrength.blogspot.com ~ 2014 

                         

                             

                             

                             

                             

                            

                   Thank you to my readers for reading, commenting and sharing!