This summer has been more than hot, it’s been rough, on everyone. I’m not just talking about the Century16 shootings, but our families. Yes, deaths, yet also, economics, joblessness, foreclosures, fires, insurance claims, illness, and kids out of school.
Ever hear of Caregiver Fatigue? I have, yet I’ve never seen it so prevalent across the board, regardless of income, background, or location. Grief and tragedy are great levelers, but don’t ever underestimate, pure old stress. Especially for those of us who are often looking out for someone else instead taking care of ourselves.
Yep, I’m talking to you! ~chuckle~ I know I can’t be alone in overdoing because I care. I know you all too well. So here are some things that God has been teaching me this month.
· I can experience 3 different emotions in under five minutes when I’m having a bad day.
· A rough day at work, a rough commute home, equals a grumpy me when I walk in the door to my family.
· God wants me to treat me like His precious child, even as I treat others with the same compassion.
As Nathan and I have been dealing with family stresses, besides my ministry & his work, namely our aging parents health. We have agreed to make a healthy change together. We will no longer rely on our commute home to be decompression time between work and home. One word, traffic; enough said. =)
So instead, once we are home and before unloading the car, before going in and seeing each other, before greeting the kids, we will just go around to the trail behind our house and walk & talk with God for 15 minutes.
Wow, we were addicted after just two days, it felt and worked so good.
Now, I know our life is not yours, it just still has stress you don’t want to bring with you place to place. Take it to God, talk to yourself, choose something that would bless you. Give yourself enough grace to transition with God from one role or expectation to the next. I think you’ll be as amazed and addicted as we were.
My prayer for us all is to take the time to allow God to grant us that peace that passes understanding we pray for ourselves and others. I pray to be a light in a dark place. An example to the world of what a close relationship with Christ can do for all the healthy and broken relationships in our own lives.
With faith and hope for each and every one of us, I pray.
