Hopes Dashed

Disappointment is a smile turned upside down and a heart shattered. It comes to all and shows no discrimination; young and old, rich or poor, introvert or extrovert, each and all have high hopes and at times find those hopes dashed. It is never easy to keep a stiff upper lip, suck it up and put on a happy face.

I can find renewed hope in what merely appears to be hopeless situations. “Now to him who by the power of work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 RSV).” Disappointment tiptoes in darkness of despair, hope marches in the light of God’s grace!

Discombobulated

There are days I feel relatively well assembled…

As though the different roles of my life are jiving well with the others, that the many hats I wear are actually staying on my head, and when they do drop, I am able to laugh it off and get back on the ball.    When things seem to be falling neatly into place.  And when they don’t, I seem to have a resilience that allows me to take the “no problem!”/”don’t sweat the small stuff approach”.  When I’m feeling encouraged {despite the circumstances not always being comfortable}, hopeful, strong and as in control of the few areas of my life I’m actually able to be in control over.  When the kids are playing well together, are responding well to us/love/guidance {and being pleasant…always refreshing}.  When hubby is enjoying work.  When we actually get to see each other…awake {he works nights}.  And when we’re growing individually, and together, in our walk with God…and by all standard measures: life feels pretty darn good.

I sort of feel like this little guy here:

I like this state of being!

And then there are days when I feel less put together.

Not broken, just…well, disjointed.

Discombobulated.

Easily disappointed and discouraged; fighting the desire to fall apart when my boat is rocked too much.  Unable to be strong for my man when he’s feeling discouraged and frustrated about stuff going on at work.  Less patient with my kids {and then usually, with myself and others too}.  Fragile.  Not hopeless, but definitely less hopeful.  Unsettled.  Discontent.  Waiting for the axe to fall {as in: “watch he doesn’t get a better shift like he was promised!”}.  Unable to see God’s hand or trust God’s heart in the midst of discouraging news.

You know… a little more like this sorry soul:

So I’m more intentionally pressing into my source of strength and joy and comfort today, keenly aware of my complete inability to stand firm on my own, and for those who depend on me on a day-to-day basis.

I’m working on cultivating an attitude of gratitude amidst my somber ‘tude.  For it is, after all, a choice I get to make.

Discombobulated, yes.

Struggling, sometimes.

Grumbling about it, no longer.

As Abe Lincoln so succinctly put it:

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns,
or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

Thank you for that nugget, Mr. President…I’m pulling myself up by my bootstraps and choosing to celebrate the blooms amidst the pokey things.

I’m awfully thankful I’m at the mercy of a creative genius who knows exactly how to put me back together again, and actually delights in the process.

And I’m uber grateful for His mercies being new every single day {Lamentations 3:22-23}…Lord knows I need fresh mercy…and that His joy will be up for grabs in the morning {Psalm 30:5}.

And just in case I’m able to put in my order ahead of time, I’d prefer to be more assembled tomorrow…thank you.

{this}                                                                              {not that}

over and out.

By Joy McMillan, Simply Bloom

Be Content Where You Are

Why is it that we never seem to be content where we are? If we live in a small house we want a bigger one. If we live in a big house we can get overwhelmed or embarrassed that people think we have too much and want a smaller one.  If we have curly hair we want straight hair and vice versa.  If we are good at sewing we wish we could bake. If we live in the city we’d love to live in the mountains. If we travel all the time we wish we could stay home but those people who stay home long to travel.
 
Contentment. It seems so elusive at times and I think we have ourselves to blame.
 
Take writers for example.  I know writers who have a lot of deadlines to meet and would love to just be able to write when they want and about what they want.  Yet sometimes I long to have a steady paying column where I have a deadline!  It’s something I constantly struggle with – my real reason for writing.  Why do I do what I do? Do I do it to make money or do I do it to make a difference? 
 
I think our problem is that we are constantly comparing ourselves or looking at what other people are doing.  We take our eyes off of where we are at and look at where someone else is at.  Once we do that, we create a longing within ourselves and forget that maybe we were contented before we saw what someone else was doing out there. I know that’s happened to me and I’ve really been trying to focus on how God speaks to my own heart instead of comparing myself to what other people are good at or what roads in life they are going on. When I do that, I only feel “less than”.  You know? It creates a feeling of “I’m not good enough.”
 
Just recently I was battling those very thoughts.  I was seeing how other writers out there seemed to get so much accomplished. They had very successful blogs with lots of comments being left.  They had requests to write columns and I was struggling, wondering if I was reaching anyone with my words at all.  And then God sent me a special gift in the form of an email from a woman who touched my heart so deeply that there were tears in my eyes as I read her note. She told me that she admired me.  That my blog and ministry had impacted her life greatly and that I was anointed by the Lord to be doing what I was doing.  Wow. What a lesson from the Lord.
 
You see – I love helping others. I get so excited when I know that something I have written has encouraged or impacted someone in some way.  Yet I allow myself to look in on what other people are doing and it causes me to grow discontented. Kind of like a television commercial. We don’t know we need or want something until we are told we should have it – right? That’s like life. 
 
I am blessed – blessed – to be able to write and minister to women. I love doing it. I don’t tire of it and I always have ideas for new articles or blogs stirring in my head.  I just forget that true love and purpose sometimes because I get pulled into the real world. The world that thrives on popularity and success.  A world that I really would rather not get sucked into.
 
I am right where I am supposed to be. I am right where God wants me.
 
It’s so important for us to remember that when we let our eyes wander off of our road in life and onto someone else’s, that we need to be content where we are, no wishful thinking, because there is a reason we are where we are.
 
Whether you are living somewhere you’d rather not be living, or desiring something in your life that someone else has – it’s so important to know that you are not where you are by mistake. You haven’t been forgotten, neglected, or mislead by God. He knows and sees where you sit, stand, and walk each day. He sees your wishes and dreams and He knows every detail of your life.  Be content where you are. There are great riches and treasures to be found in your current “spot” in life if only you ask God for the eyes to see them with.  Maybe, in due time – He’ll move you on closer to where you think you should be, or maybe, just maybe He’ll take you somewhere else far better than what you thought you wanted for yourself.
 
I don’t know where God wants to take me in life.  But I do know that He showed me that I am being used right where I am. And for that, I am so grateful because I want to live a life of contentment. I just needed a little reminder of that.
 
 
Dionna Sanchez is the Founder of EmphasisOnMoms.com and writes a blog for moms to encourage them out of the lessons God daily teaches her. You can visit it at http://beautyinthestorm.blogspot.com