Week #41

#280

I know I have discussed worry before, however, it is a topic that perpetually surfaces for us chronic worriers.  I will say my worrying tendencies have decreased immensely over the years, but they have not disappeared.  There are times I can be rolling along with my day and out of the blue worries trickle into my head and set up camp.  Sometimes I am fortunate enough to be busy and they just go away, although only temporarily.  I have learned that I must address the worry for what it is and then turn it into prayer.  At times my unrelenting anxiety attempts to control, but what my weak soul must remember is that I have never possessed the control anyway.

#281

WELCOME WINTER:

North Dakota weather is full of highs and lows.  It is almost impossible to believe that we can have a 76-degree day of warmth and sunshine and with it coexists with a winter weather watch.  We were very lucky in Dickinson and received very small amounts of snow and it melted very quickly.  Unfortunately, the central part of the state was inundated with not just mere inches of snow, but feet of snow.  I hope for warmer temperatures so we can continue to enjoy my favorite season of fall.

#282

This has been one of life's hardest lessons for me.  I am, by nature, a helper (clearly, why I am in education); however, I have been forced to accept the fact that I cannot rescue or save others.  I want to take away their pain, poor decisions, discomfort, and sadness, although they are not mine to take away.  For some of us, our map is nothing but a mess that cannot be deciphered.  Thankfully, with guidance from other's maps, self-reflection, time, and a lot of effort the map slowly becomes understandable and leads to positive places.

#283

 The varying shades of red, orange, yellow, and green sprinkle this photo with the certainty of imminent changes ahead (maybe sooner than later).  Aside from the unexpected, early snow or the days filled with sunshine, it will not change the fact that the trees will still lose their leaves soon, remain dormant for the harsh winter months, and then miraculously begin budding once again.  

The heavy winds predicted will soon replace the gorgeous contrast with shades of dull brown and whitish snow.  I want the beauty above to be etched in my brain because it may be several months before I see the change of seasons once again.

We, too, have seasons that will come and go.  Some wonderful and some we would like to forget.  Embrace the seasons of joy, happiness, and good times because they WILL exist despite the seasons of hardships, challenges, or sadness.

#284

Boys' Cross Country Team Dinner

Ok - I just want to put this out there that we very rarely host parties of any sort because I can never make the right kind of food, I can never get my house clean enough, and I simply don't like the chaos.  

Let me just tell you that we planned a team dinner for Friday night and imagine my surprise when I came home to a sick dog.  He looked a bit out-of-sorts and kept looking near the door.  Well, when I glanced in that direction, I noticed a couple of lovely piles that came from both ends.  Seriously, we never host and the one time we do, this is what happens.  God teaches us lessons every day and I believe he is either telling me to host more gatherings or he is telling me to let go of the insignificant factors that affect my ability to enjoy these precious moments (I'm pretty sure it is the latter).  

So, after I cleaned up the mess and began frantically preparing the food, Aiden walked in and found a couple more piles throughout the house.  As he could sense my stress level rise, he nicely told me to 'STOP FREAKING OUT - because it is no bid deal".

He was completely accurate and the entire dinner was a success with lots of pasta, garlic bread, and cookies consumed.  The pure joy of my evening came when the boys decided to gather the little bit of snow in our back yard and proceeded to have a snowball fight.  Watching these high school boys engage in something other than their phones or gaming consoles brought me such happiness.  When there were only traces of snow left, the boys decided to have an airsoft war.  They were just being boys and having a blast doing it.  Between the pings on the windows and the welts on the boys' skin, a great time was had by all.

Successful final team dinner for my runner!

#285

Saturday Support!

I have long abandoned my desire to be perfect.  I used to strive for perfection, which is NOT healthy because it encourages the growth of all sorts of self-doubt that unavoidably causes anxiety.  Do not confuse confidence with arrogance.

  

Confidence is what you feel inside - arrogance is what you hope others will see!

#286

I began my Monday reflecting on the incessant need to worry and my week ended with an inspirational message about worry from Pastor Joe (I seriously felt like he wrote this message just for me).  He spoke on how our worries of the past and the future keep us up at night.  His words of living in the present and thinking of what is happening at the moment instead of focusing on the 'what ifs', 'what did', or 'what might' happen.  He had a remarkable way of relating it to the here and now and feeling grateful and thankful for the gifts we are blessed with each and every day.  What a considerable reminder of God's presence in our lives.

Have a worry-free week!