Soooooooo…….the other day, my heat went out. I’d say it was my furnace but the maintenance guy said it didn’t. Anyhoo, it was FREEZING in my apartment! It was eighteen degrees outside and inside, I was wearing pants, socks, three shirts, 2 jackets, shoes, and a blanket. Yeah……. But anyway, the office was closed so I called emergency maintenance and he couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t go out again over night. So, I did what any freezing little sister would do, I grabbed some clothes and my other necessities, and I went to stay the night at my sister’s house. This was last Thursday. Mmmkay…………so………..here’s where it begins…on Friday, I woke up LATE! I still had time to make it to work on time. I got up and started getting ready for work…it was also kindergarten field trip day. My sister made me coffee (so necessary) but all she had was Maxwell House. Okay…no offense but all coffee is NOT created equal! But, due to my late waking up and lack of options, I had to make due. Now, when I grabbed clothes, I saw a pair of jeans and decided that they were “the ones”. Little did I know that they were the ones that would rip after I put them on…after I was ALREADY running late. I had to hurry and finish getting dressed so I could go back home for new pants. Out the door with ALL my stuff (including my sad cup of coffee), I got home and had to rush to find more pants. Finally dressed, and SUPER late (btw…I HATE being late!!!), I get in my car and start to work. I get caught in traffic….and let me tell you, 7:05am leaving your house traffic is MUCH DIFFERENT than 6:40am leaving your house traffic. I’m driving…hoping…praying…that I’ll make it on timer buuuuutttt I knew I wouldn’t (I did leave like 20 minutes later than I needed to). I had to text my coworkers to let them know I’d be late and that they would have to get my kiddos off the bus. I FINALLY get to work and can’t find a parking space……………….then I find one. I park as quickly as I can and rush inside. It is then that I realize that I forgot breakfast. Let’s analyze my situation…SUPER late…NO breakfast…and Maxwell House coffee (most people like it…it makes me sad. And y’all know how I feel about my coffee…well if you don’t…I gotta have it!), and I have to be on high alert during this field trip. All the makings of a “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!” 😉
I gave all of my sad little details just to say that I didn’t let the first 2 hours of my morning define my ENTIRE day. So often, we give up on our day, or week, because of minor details that can either be resolved or let go of. Now, don’t misunderstand me, there are times when drastic things happen and they do alter our demeanor and even our day, but that’s not what I’m referring to. As you can see, I had a late start, ripped jeans, and coffee that I didn’t like……but those are all trivial things (well, the coffee……I kid…I kid). Giving in to negative feelings and attitudes, and outlooks, would have ruined my whole day if I would have let it. It would have caused me to have an attitude and risk possible offending someone else and helping them to have an attitude or a worse day than they were, maybe, already having. And I know that I’m not perfect and that I have let it happen before but it SUCKED! COMPLETELY SUCKED! Like…when I allow STUFF to get the best of me, I just want to rush home and crawl UNDER my bed and try again…or not. So, letting a rough day run my life was terrible and I vowed to always do everything in my power not to EVER let it happen again.
So, after all that nonsense, I had to give God praise! Praise because I have a home where the heat went out of….I HAVE A HOME! I thanked Him because although I woke up late, I WOKE UP! I showed my gratitude to Him because although I was rushing to get to work, I have a job to go to and a car to get there. I blessed Him because, yes, my pants ripped and I had to rush to get more, but I have more pants. And that coffee was just coffee and I probably didn’t need it anyway (lies…ALL LIES! I did need it!). HA!
I’ve learned to plan for incidentals….pack a couple extra pair of pants, stop hitting snooze so much, pack breakfast with lunch the night before, and to BMOC (bring my own coffee). I’ve learned that I must do all that I can to remain positive…even if I’m running late…they roll their eyes, the kiddos are on 12,000…I miss my bed (lol). I’ve learned to smile more….worry less…..and hold the door for others even when they’d like to slam it in my face. Remember that each day is brand new, and it is a gift from God….one full of mercy. There will be days when you have to continuously remind yourself that, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24 Even when you don’t feel like it, remember that the Lord is GOOD! “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalms 100:5 And always remember to give thanks to Him. I’ve even found that when I’m having a rough moment, day, or otherwise, when I begin to just give thanks to God, it alters my outlook. “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalms 118:1
So….no matter what happened today or yesterday, on tomorrow, remember to have an AMAZING day. And don’t let the little things control you! For spilled coffee, there’s always a wash rag. For forgotten make up, there’s always a gorgeous smile. For a late start, there’s always an, “at least you made it”. It’s all about perspective.
Love y’all!
Ms. A.M.White