Today is Day 1 of my 30 days of posts on topics to teach and encourage us as we seek to grow closer to God and to improve our lives in regard to Home, Health, and Work. So, wouldn't it just figure that on Day 1, I am having internet connectivity issues? While I am certainly not delighted at this situation (and am definitely not as focused as I would like to be while blogging at a restaurant with a chatty older man next to me, tons of conversation around me, and three kids who are ready for me to take them home already....did I mention that I lost my original draft of this post because of connectivity issues at this said restaurant, ugh!!!), I am choosing to look at this as an opportunity to post on somethings that I have found helpful to remember and practice when the unexpected occurs. (I will blog on what I had originally thought I would post on today tomorrow, unless something else unexpected occurs :).
Things like the internet modem being outdated and going berserk when I need it most, or getting lost on the way to take my kids to the first day of an activity when we were already running late can make the frustration and stress level go through the roof. So can losing my keys, misplacing the cell phone, getting low on gas at the wrong time, and any host of other "unexpected glitches."
Here is my run-down of what keeps me sane during such times (and believe me, I have a LOT of them!)
1) Take a Deep Breath, and Remember to Give the Situation To God and Pray for His Direction
2) Recognize that the Glitch will likely not impact you past the next day or month. Will it really matter in a year from now?
3) Choose to think of the positives of the situation. Perhaps, God wanted that traffic jam so that you would not be in front of a drunk driver at a time when he would have swerved into you if you had not been delayed. When else do you get uninteruppted time alone with your kids in one place together?
The more we accept that things don't always go as we expected or planned, the more we can choose how to react when the glitches occur. After all, if we give in to the frustration and stress with screaming or complaining, we are hardly making the situation better. But, by keeping our wits about us, we can pass on to our kids or those around us, the wisdom to take life as it comes and make the best of it. What does it benefit us to stress over the glitches anyway?
May your day be blessed, and I not loose this before it is posted successfully. See you tomorrow for Day 2!
