Living Intentionally ~ Achieving Balance and Managing Stress

Living Intentionally ~ Achieving Balance & Managing Stress {Part 1: Stress}

Clicking on the link above will take you to one of my favorite blogs- "Dr Mom- Online". She has started a new series of "Living Intentionally" posts that I think we can all benefit from. I plan to follow the series and suggest that you do as well.  Achieving balance and managing stress? Yup- sign me up!

It seems like recently (even more so than the abundance of stress over the last couple of years) things have been thrown "at us" that we are supposed to be able to know how to handle. Well, I have a news flash- I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THIS!!! Sometimes it is completely overwhelming.

But, I do not have the luxury of being overwhelmed. I am a mother with three little guys watching me. I have to be OK because if I am OK, then they know everything in our world is OK and everything in THEIR world is OK.

A couple of weeks ago I was just about at my limit. I had been pushed, shoved, and thrown there (and then stomped on- lol). I felt tired, no- exhausted ! Tired of daily pain in my body that never EVER goes away from Rumatoid Arthritis. Tired of running late because I can't get my body to work properly in the mornings. Tired of feeling fat and generally worn down (I've been carrying around a couple- few - ok...... WAY TOO MUCH extra weight lately) - Anyway, tired of children fighting, tired of problems I can't fix, tired of financial stress that I couldn't get rid of, tired of rude uncaring people, tired of being tired!!!

I was just about to throw in the towel as far as people go (sick and tired of people) when one of the mothers at my sons pre-K (seemingly out of the blue) said to me- "people like me really look up to people like you". I actually looked over my shoulder to make sure she was talking to me! She went on to talk about my parenting and the way I am with the kids. (good thing she hadn't been there for the car ride over) She mentioned that I always seem so "well put together". Ha!
She had no idea how badly I needed to hear it...... She is also in need of a serious check-up at the optometrist - but I am thankful! I hugged her neck and thanked her profusely, then filled her in that a little lip gloss and some Jackie-O sun glasses were hiding a multitude of sins and imperfections! Sssssshhhhh- don't tell.....

What she is actually seeing in me - and the only thing that is any different in me than anyone else -is simply the Love of my Creator! When I am unlovely, and sometimes even unlovable- (hard to imagine- I know) He loves ANYWAY and even when I am tired and unloving- He has the ability to stop me in my tracks and not only reach out to me with love, but to remind me of the importance of showing HIS love to others.

This is a ball I cannot drop, for even when I am weary - He is strong. His strength is my rock- and the rest of the world desperately needs His love, even from tired old fed up Me! I didn't know anyone was watching. I certainly didn't expect anyone to be impressed with what they saw, and yet somehow - even when I felt at my worst, His love was shining through me. I must clarify..... I REALLY had NOTHING to do with it. It was only His grace and love in me that that (poor confused- lol) woman saw.

Even when I feel at my very worst- He can use me for good. I am so thankful and encouraged to pick up that ball and run with it. There are so many people hurting and struggling in the world these days, we really must DAILY reach out and love others- even if they seem unlovely, like me.