When I woke up this morning, my heart sank just a little bit. I pulled back the curtains and peered out at ominous skies and rain. More of it. And according to my calendar, today is June 25th; we are already into SUMMER, but it appears that Maui didn't get the memo.
I got up, showered and didn't bother styling my hair, because let's be honest, rain would mercilessly put to rest a blowout and cute curls...Murphy's Law, right? I quickly got dressed, packed my bags and grabbed the To-Go (disposable) cup of coffee Hubs' had graciously prepared. And it isn't until I cross the threshold of our front door and out into the day, that it gets good.
The rain is falling and I'm annoyed. My new outfit is already wet, I look down at my laptop resting neatly in my laptop bag which I now notice is unzipped. I am gingerly walking across the small stretch of lawn, my feet squishing through puddles. And mud. And now my sandals are soaked. I finally make it to my car and realize that my car keys are in my purse, which I now have to fish around for, while standing with an open laptop bag, a coffee cup which has begun TO LEAK FROM THE BOTTOM beside a car whose locked door is mocking me. When I finally get inside, wet and soggy, my mood has plummeted and I'm sour. Which is par for the course when the first few minutes of my drive look like this:
Sometimes I'm not as grateful as I should be. I may say that I'm grateful when deep down, it might not be something that I completely feel in my heart. And it's humbling, really, to think that I meditated and prayed about Philippians 4:11-12...just yesterday! Why am I letting such petty things affect me, when I have so much to be grateful for? Have I already forgotten the message from the day before? Was my morning already so awful that I couldn't see the gift of potential underneath it all?
With eyes wide open and a now-pliable heart, I began to think about how nearly everything I found as a negative, could be seen as a blessing if I just shifted my perspective a bit:
The laptop that was getting rained on? It still works; I'm using it right now.
The rain and the puddles on our lawn? The earth needs water, and we are fortunate to have it.
Those sandals that were now soaked? I should be grateful that I even have shoes on my feet.
That leaky coffee cup? I have a loving husband who makes coffee for me every.single.morning.
The car keys I had to fish around for? They are keys to a car---a car that is paid for.
Naturally, thinking these thoughts lifted my spirits. And as I'm getting onto the highway, I'm suddenly grinning from ear-to-ear, because it was as if God said: "Child, now you're beginning to understand...".
What could have easily been mistaken as an awful way to begin my week has actually been a much-needed reminder to be thankful in ALL circumstances. I've got a good life. No...I've got a GREAT life.
We all need a change in perspective from time to time.
ReplyDeleteFor me I recently have been looking at my "chores" and blessings for my husband and baby. When I grumble about cooking dinner night after night, folding laundry, and putting away toys- I tell myself that this is how I can bless my family.
Then I don't mind it as much...
Bonus? I notice that when I clean the house without grumbling the husband is more likely to join in and help me out =)
It's so great how you were able to find perspective. It doesn't always come so easy esp for myself. It's so easy to take the littlest things for granted & find it a bit of a challenge to shift my perspective. But I do my very best to appreciate what we've been blessed with.
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday!
You did a such a good job turning that around. And the colors in the rainbow picture don't even look real!
ReplyDeleteand, be grateful you're living in paradise! i envy you for that. i would love to have rain about now, too. we are scorched here and crops are dying. it's sad.
ReplyDeletetomorrow will start out well for you. you'll see!
I don't mean to be mean (haha) but I'm totally gonna rag on your for complaining about weather in MAUI. Come here for 2-3 days in the winter time, and then we'll talk :) Also its been raining like crazy here too and my office flooded today by 1/2 an inch! But life is good. Love you and miss you babe!
ReplyDeleteI had one of these moments last week (but have them often living in the NorthWest with such dreary weather. I'm used to my birthday being celebrated in the sun and warmth...but every year i'm still in sweaters and a scarf here...reading through Psalms God reminded me that HE is King of the UNIVERSE...HE created the RAIN...so I started to look at it differently and it really helped change my attitude. But oh LORD how much I appreciate the sun when it comes out!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. Kudos to you for being able to turn around your attitude. It made me think about my own perspective on life, so thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, Angie! Thanks for helping me remember to be greatful too :)
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beautiful post. I feel like I get in sour moods sometimes too and forget how grateful I am. Thank you for the perspective! :)
ReplyDeleteFinding the good always makes me feel better and the rainbow...an awesome reminder that God is over us all. Lovely post and so true!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that! It's really hard to change our perspective on a bad day, but things really do look brighter when you look at them from God's perspective. Thank you for this reminder!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog indirectly through a friend. It's great to meet a fellow Christian writer and your blog is great!
I love the power of Philippians 4, which I am also always meditating on and then immediately not putting to use. Thanks for sharing how God has lead you, in these small, quiet ways, to see His kingdom more clearly. And then, of course, the rainbow!
Blessings,
Ann
This is so great. I love your turnaround. I've been doing that myself lately, where I'm really good at seeing the negativity in things, but have begun to look for the positive around that situation. It might be forced, but it gets me thinking beyond my negative downer attitude.
ReplyDeleteI'm so prone to it that I'm really liking my new "challenge". Life could be much worse and I feel I don't have legitimate things to gripe about.
Emily at Amazing Grapes
Such simple things... but so often overlooked! :) Love this!
ReplyDeleteLOVED reading this post. Your change in perspective is amazing. I sometimes get caught up in the little petty things too but there are just way too many things to be thankful for. I am lucky. YOU are lucky! Love ya.
ReplyDelete