From Monica Arnold, Kids Connection of Connection Church
This week started off absolutely crazy.
I usually enjoy Mondays. It feels like I can get an invigorating look at the week ahead. To-do lists get written; menu gets set; house gets cleaned. I like Mondays.
But this week’s Monday? Not so much. There was no cup of coffee consumed before the phone started ringing; a bowl of Rice Krispies was bumped against the wall before a single chicken scratch was made.
To cap it off, there was an unexpected, early phone call to schedule a series of medical tests. It ultimately led me to make a decision to have surgery on my foot a whole lot earlier than it was supposed to happen. I now have 10 days less to get everything in my life to a place of sanity.
Maybe this is why not much of what usually happens on Mondays got done. I started complaining, ranting, and telling myself and every other living thing around me how typical this is. Just last week I was telling a friend (after separate odd events) how these kinds of things just happen, I’m sure, as a way for God to boldly remind you that you're not in control. Ever.
Which is a blessing that only feels like a curse if you lose perspective.
God has control. I have to remind myself several times to let this reality stick and really embrace it. And I’m really glad God has control. It’s so stinkin’ hard to give that up sometimes and let Him have his way, and be humble enough to know when to step back.
This is something of a partial epidemic in my life! It’s so much easier to tell you all the things I couldn’t control than it is to share about how much of this God had under control. And it’s so much easier to complain here about what’s gone wrong today than it is to tell you all of the good things that happened.
Guess what? I got to go on a walk with my kids today. We got to squeeze in a couple short dirt bike rides. We ate Popsicles together afterwards. My mom gave me a CD of a Christian group I have been so missing to listen to on the tedious drives to and from the hospital. My friend stopped by after her long day at work to offer help and share some of my responsibilities.
Really good things happened today.
I am thankful that God has a plan and can use everything in that plan... for the placement of the situations and the people He has put in my life as blessings... His complete plan of control over my life is comforting to have at the end of the day. It would’ve been easier to look past all the rubbish throughout the day and thank God for what I had instead.
It reminds me how Women’s Connection is wrapping up on a 10 week study on “David: Seeking a Heart like His." God has shown me how completely necessary it is to turn to Him in everything I do and surrender all those things I know I just can’t keep up with or do… to Him. I learned that it’s less about my day to day and more about His life plan. How neat to have that sort of “armor” to walk away with from a study, where you get to learn and listen from other women who have been there, done that.
God allowed David to be put through a crazy amount of stuff. But still, David continued to praise Him.
I usually enjoy Mondays. It feels like I can get an invigorating look at the week ahead. To-do lists get written; menu gets set; house gets cleaned. I like Mondays.
But this week’s Monday? Not so much. There was no cup of coffee consumed before the phone started ringing; a bowl of Rice Krispies was bumped against the wall before a single chicken scratch was made.To cap it off, there was an unexpected, early phone call to schedule a series of medical tests. It ultimately led me to make a decision to have surgery on my foot a whole lot earlier than it was supposed to happen. I now have 10 days less to get everything in my life to a place of sanity.
Maybe this is why not much of what usually happens on Mondays got done. I started complaining, ranting, and telling myself and every other living thing around me how typical this is. Just last week I was telling a friend (after separate odd events) how these kinds of things just happen, I’m sure, as a way for God to boldly remind you that you're not in control. Ever.
Which is a blessing that only feels like a curse if you lose perspective.
God has control. I have to remind myself several times to let this reality stick and really embrace it. And I’m really glad God has control. It’s so stinkin’ hard to give that up sometimes and let Him have his way, and be humble enough to know when to step back.
This is something of a partial epidemic in my life! It’s so much easier to tell you all the things I couldn’t control than it is to share about how much of this God had under control. And it’s so much easier to complain here about what’s gone wrong today than it is to tell you all of the good things that happened.
Guess what? I got to go on a walk with my kids today. We got to squeeze in a couple short dirt bike rides. We ate Popsicles together afterwards. My mom gave me a CD of a Christian group I have been so missing to listen to on the tedious drives to and from the hospital. My friend stopped by after her long day at work to offer help and share some of my responsibilities.
Really good things happened today.
I am thankful that God has a plan and can use everything in that plan... for the placement of the situations and the people He has put in my life as blessings... His complete plan of control over my life is comforting to have at the end of the day. It would’ve been easier to look past all the rubbish throughout the day and thank God for what I had instead.
It reminds me how Women’s Connection is wrapping up on a 10 week study on “David: Seeking a Heart like His." God has shown me how completely necessary it is to turn to Him in everything I do and surrender all those things I know I just can’t keep up with or do… to Him. I learned that it’s less about my day to day and more about His life plan. How neat to have that sort of “armor” to walk away with from a study, where you get to learn and listen from other women who have been there, done that.
God allowed David to be put through a crazy amount of stuff. But still, David continued to praise Him.
- Psalm 31:5 “I entrust my spirit into Your hand…”
- Psalm 31:7 “I am overcome with Joy because of Your unfailing love for you have seen my troubles and You care…”
- Psalm 30: 1 “I will praise You Lord, for you have rescued me…”
“The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my victory. He is my God and I will praise Him!” (Exodus 2:15)
