Thursday, October 01, 2009
One Day at a Time!
You just have to take it one day at a time. Not one week at a time or one month at a time or one year at a time, just one day at a time. When my six-year-old son gets stressed about something about "tomorrow" I say, "But,we're just going to worry about today." I also remind him of my sister's favorite Bible verse that says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).
Isn't that the truth? Who has time to start freaking about tomorrow when there's already way too much crud just to get through today? But, we all do it. Somehow, even with a full-load of concerns for today, we start stressing over the "What Ifs" and the "What Abouts" of tomorrow. And the silly thing is that it doesn't even help. It actually harms us to fill our hearts with anxiety about the things that are out of our control anyways.
Many of you have heard the old adage, "Let Go and Let God!" The Christian-eze of some sayings drives me nuts because when you're in the midst of a struggle, you mainly just want a hug, not a slogan. But, this one's pretty good. For all of its goodness, I readily admit my "badness" about "letting go and letting God." I find it especially hard to trust God for my three kids. I feel like they're mine so I have to care for every part of their lives at every minute. The truth is that they're actually HIS. That means, HE will care for every part of their lives at every minute.
As moms, we frequently worry about our kids, but we also stress over lots of other stuff: money for groceries, bills, car problems, relationships, disputes, our family's health, and even how well we're doing as parents. We truly need to do our best at resolving the things that can be resolved. Maybe a phone call helps reduce an interest rate and takes some pressure off. Maybe a teacher/parent conference takes the edge off of some school concerns. Perhaps a prayer with another mom helps you feel more peaceful over a conflictual situation.
As you take it one day at a time, you have to be willing to chill out. Once you've made the calls, organized the calendar, and given everyone their vitamins, you have to take a mental break. As you relax from the intensity of it all, remember to pray for the things you can't really control anyways. Sometimes, you might even have to take it one minute at a time, and that's okay. God understands. Ultimately, even though it's tricky to do, you need to "LET GO AND LET GOD!" Whatever it is, whenever it is...just let go!
Isn't that the truth? Who has time to start freaking about tomorrow when there's already way too much crud just to get through today? But, we all do it. Somehow, even with a full-load of concerns for today, we start stressing over the "What Ifs" and the "What Abouts" of tomorrow. And the silly thing is that it doesn't even help. It actually harms us to fill our hearts with anxiety about the things that are out of our control anyways.
Many of you have heard the old adage, "Let Go and Let God!" The Christian-eze of some sayings drives me nuts because when you're in the midst of a struggle, you mainly just want a hug, not a slogan. But, this one's pretty good. For all of its goodness, I readily admit my "badness" about "letting go and letting God." I find it especially hard to trust God for my three kids. I feel like they're mine so I have to care for every part of their lives at every minute. The truth is that they're actually HIS. That means, HE will care for every part of their lives at every minute.
As moms, we frequently worry about our kids, but we also stress over lots of other stuff: money for groceries, bills, car problems, relationships, disputes, our family's health, and even how well we're doing as parents. We truly need to do our best at resolving the things that can be resolved. Maybe a phone call helps reduce an interest rate and takes some pressure off. Maybe a teacher/parent conference takes the edge off of some school concerns. Perhaps a prayer with another mom helps you feel more peaceful over a conflictual situation.
As you take it one day at a time, you have to be willing to chill out. Once you've made the calls, organized the calendar, and given everyone their vitamins, you have to take a mental break. As you relax from the intensity of it all, remember to pray for the things you can't really control anyways. Sometimes, you might even have to take it one minute at a time, and that's okay. God understands. Ultimately, even though it's tricky to do, you need to "LET GO AND LET GOD!" Whatever it is, whenever it is...just let go!
Labels: God, kids, let go, parents
