Me and My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day... {+ FREE Desktop Background} - Be Whole, Mom

You know when you have a very bad day and it just really feels like there is some sick joke happening at your expense.  When you are simply left trying to figure out what in the world is going on?!

Yeah, that was our evening tonight.

The rest of the day was so normal and generally pleasant, and then 6pm hit and it was like everything just decided to break.

First, the Prius battery died, because, you know, why not?  But, thankfully it wasn’t the super expensive hybrid battery; just the normal car battery.  PHEW!

So my dear husband Googled instructions to fix it, which lead him to basically take apart the entire trunk area by way of the rear seat (and did I mention that also meant basically cleaning out the entire contents of the trunk to get to the area that he needed to access?), but he did it.  He accessed the panel where some battery was tucked away.  And then, the instructions told him to pop the hood and hook up cables to a battery in the front…therein showing the waste of time and effort that had just been expended.

Thankfully, though, he was able to get the battery charged and working.  Praise THE LORD!

In the midst of this I was also trying to navigate some website glitch happening with this site from out of no where.  I hate it when my site is having trouble and I cannot figure out what is going on.  Thankfully, though, that too was able to be worked out…I think….

But wait.  There’s MORE.

Then I had to run to the store to grab a few things before heading off to Starbucks for some time to write.  But, when I was making my purchase at Publix I realized I did not have my wallet on me, having left it on our bed.  Ok, annoying but ultimately no biggie.

Naturally, lo and behold I came home to learn that our 7 year old son had decided to put silly putty on the top of his sippy cup, which was now relentlessly stuck, and THEN also decided to place said putty onto our bed, which my husband promptly sat on.

Ever read Alexander and the No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Day?  Truly, it felt like we were smack dab in the middle of that book in real life.

At one point throughout this unfolding series of unfortunate events, my husband was trying to get our charger out of the back of the van, which was of course snagged on a plastic bag, which came flying out of the back along with the cord, making him look like he was literally fighting a plastic octopus.  He was SO not a happy camper.  And…I totally busted out laughing.

Seriously.  It was a VERY BAD DAY.

Days like this are just RIDICULOUS.  I mean, I couldn’t have written this kind of comedy so well if I tried!

But, as easy as it is to be completely pulled apart by these kinds of annoyances the fact is that they simply come with the territory of living.

And, truly, we are here to actually experience and LIVE this life…but we are here to do it alongside of our Good, GOOD Abba.

Just Remember, “You will get through this.”

I have recently been going through an amazing book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (and truly I’m totally gonna plug Audible right now, for it is my saving grace to be able to digest books even while doing some mindless tasks like folding laundry or washing the dishes.  I LOVE the blessing that audiobooks bring!)   In one part of the book he talks about the fiery darts of the enemy and the trials of life that get us off track.

For some reason, up until listening to his words, I had always pictured the “trials” and darts as the bigger struggles of life, but he elaborates that the wording actually eludes to the little annoyances that truly just wear us down.

And, seriously.  This season is really really wearing us down.  It is super SUPER easy for both my husband and I to become drained and empty in the face of our circumstances.  Even so, we continue to look upwards and seek wisdom, direction, strength, and provision (even if with blood-stained tears of the spirit)…and He meets us every day with enough to sustain us for that day.

Life can be far less than a perfect experience.

Let’s be real…sometimes it can downright SUCK.  And, I know that even admitting to this fact is going to ruffle some feathers and set some mouths agape.  But, do we really think that pretense is going to stop our hearts from being heard by our Abba?  Do we really think that putting on a happy face is the answer in the midst of the trials?

No.  It isn’t.  Fake platitudes of joyful tribulation are not what our Abba wants, but rather for us to come to Him honestly and openly in the state where we are.

Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matt. 11:28

This relationship that we have with the Creator of the Universe is not meant to be one where we hide our true nature, but rather where we can expose what’s inside of us and then deal with where it is erring.

And, you know what?  It pays to be real!

In the midst of today’s very VERY annoying trials, I gently felt His hand upon me saying, “We will get through this,” even though it would be easy to feel like the sky was falling.

The blessing of trials and difficulties is the perspective to realize what is TRULY a big deal and what is really just a fleeting, frustrating annoyance.

[bctt tweet=”The blessing of trials is the perspective to realize what is TRULY a big deal.” username=”JulieAnnFilter@gmail.com”]

I’ve dealt with the big stuff, where my child’s life hung in the balance, or a true fear of the unknown hospital experience laid before us.  Frustrating as silly putty and a dead battery are, they are not life-altering experiences.  These things pass and fade away, never truly to be remembered again. Even a very bad day will pass.

There’s the big stuff, and then there’s just every day life.

For some reason we want to believe that this life is supposed to be free of problems and annoyances. The problem is that this is far from realistic!  We rub elbows with trials of various sizes every single day.

Yet, even in the midst of our difficulties, there is still plenty for which to give thanks.  I have found that these 5 reminders are critical to repeat to myself when everything feels like it is falling apart.

1. God is in Control.
2. This too shall pass, and we will get through it.
3. I am not alone in my struggles.
4. Even with annoyances, I STILL have SO much to be thankful for and to enjoy.
5. Laughter does a soul good.

There’s a beautiful quote that I think captures the essence of this notion perfectly, and I am including a pretty desktop image (size is 1280 x 850) you can use how you like (and no, the watermark is not on the download…sadly this is needed on the site since not everyone understands internet copyright policies….)

Don’t pray for life to be easier.  Pray for a stronger back.” ~ Phillip Brooks

May your backs be strengthened as you lean on Him for the lightening of your emotional load.  I know things can be so frustrating at times, but, sweet sister, we will get through this.  One foot in front of the other and this too shall pass.

He’s got you.  Keep trusting, and don’t ever stop.

Shalom.