The Gift of Perspective on a Crummy Day

I am thankful:

~ that I found the bag of frozen corn that the kids put away IN THE PANTRY after only three days instead of a week.

~ for a big impact from a fast and inexpensive project. It took me 15 minutes to switch out the hardware on these cabinets. I love the more modern touch, and these were a great Amazon find for less than $2 a piece.

~ for a mostly successful week of potty training with Tatum K. She is proud as punch in her big girl panties, and beams with pride when she is rewarded.

~ for one of my best Goodwill “hauls” of all time. Cute fuzzy cardigan, brand new good yummy candle in amber glass jar, some handmade pottery, and two additions to my basket wall. The big score was the $150 Pottery Barn blanket in pristine condition! All for $10! I love the thrill of the hunt!

~ for lots more done around the casa this week. The living room ceiling got a bright coat of fresh white paint to match our walls. The newly scraped beams, now rustic and beautiful, with the crisp white paint between them did wonders to brighten the room and lift the ceiling.

Josh made lots of progress texturing his drywall patches, and I painted the studio. We found unexpected hidden plumbing behind the built in drawers, and Josh had the brilliant idea to flip it around to add a utility sink in the garage! (Won’t that be helpful for our next litter of pups!?) Josh also built shelving and a fantastic reclaimed wood desk.

I’m excited for Cooper to have such a cool space that will also be a functional storage space for me as well.

Lots of prep work in the girls bathroom. Josh repaired water damage on one wall and removed the bent and leaky shower door. The stained, stinky carpet and the cracked marble floors are gone! The beautiful new tile floor went in on Thursday, and I expect that this week we will make good progress on that little makeover!

In the midst of all the DIY projects, Josh still made time to build our Giddyup & Whoa orders, and I made good progress on some really pretty signs. Can’t reveal them yet though… Stay tuned!

Many have been asking for an update on my friend Tim, but I just had to wait until they were ready to share. The surgery took place as scheduled on Monday, and the procedures all went very well. He spent one night in the hospital and was able to be discharged the very next day! Glory to God! Although he is still in quite a bit of pain, and having some trouble resting, he is recovering well. And they have been in communication with the kidney recipient, and she is doing great and her new kidney is functioning as it should! What a miracle! All glory to God!

One day this week I had a crummy day. Nothing devastating, just a lot of annoyances stacked up on one another. Rude drivers in traffic, poor customer service at a store, mouthy kids, a hand-wash-only coffee cup ruined in the dishwasher, an accidentally Cajun (aka BLACKENED) dinner… We’ve all had THAT DAY. But at the end of it, I thought about the the VERY WORST part of my day: that I had connected with two more families newly diagnosed with cancer. I thought back on those terrifying days and weeks at a time spent confined to the hospital. The mingled numbness and panic as I sat on a vinyl chair praying for my baby and trying to wrap my mind around this new life that I didn’t want. I may not have missed the mouthiness of my kids, but I would have given anything to wrap my arms around them, or for a burned meal and literally any coffee cup in my own house. I thought about Sawyer, loving life, happy and loud and doing all the things we never dared hope he would do. And NONE of the crummy baloney mattered. AT ALL. It’s all in your perspective.

Several dear friends are wrestling with some serious health problems and anxiously awaiting test results to try to find some answers. A precious family said goodbye to their beloved godly matriarch last week. They rejoice knowing where she is for eternity, knowing they will see her again, and thankful she is finally free from pain. But it still hurts so deeply. Others have been suffering in their earthly bodies for a long time and long for their heavenly healing. Bitterness fracturing a family that should be loving on one another. Lonely kids that need a home. A mama misses her baby. A brave, sweet cancer warrior facing potentially devastating and lifelong complications from the treatment that is saving her life. A baby girl fighting for her life, while her mama and daddy sit begging God to heal her.

Lord, help me keep my eyes on You and to regularly check my perspective. When I fall into the familiar patterns of murmuring and complaining, WAKE ME UP. When Jesus got ready to teach the people, the Bible says “when He saw the crowds He was moved with compassion…” But first He SAW THEM. We can’t see people unless we LOOK.

Lord, give me eyes to see, a heart of compassion, and willingness to do whatever You ask of me.

And may we never stop asking for miracles and testifying of Your Goodness.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

“When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.” (Psalms 42:4-5)