I love the fall. It’s my favorite season of the year with the cool weather, fresh produce, and ever-changing color of the leaves. This year with the changing of the seasons came a change in our lives.
My husband started a new position as Dean of Students/School Counselor in a charter school in a low-income and high-risk neighborhood. While a wonderful opportunity for him to serve the community, it means longer hours away from our family. I am now the parent in charge of drop off, pick up, homework, dinner, and after-school activities, plus I’ve got full-time job.
The transition hasn’t been easy for me!
Stop
…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV)
My new schedule with all these added responsibilities was intense and more than I anticipated.
I was intimidated by the unknown and the newness of it all. It was extremely difficult to grasp how to juggle all the balls in the air without one of them dropping. Day after day, I felt a sense of pressure to keep up; I struggled to hold it together. Friends who asked me how I was doing those first few weeks got an earful!
I started to vent. Okay…more like complain. I know better!
The more I spoke, the more I disliked what I heard.
Why was I allowing murmuring and complaining to rule my thought life during this new season? Didn’t I know it would cause more harm than good? I paid more attention to the negative thoughts than the positive ones.
I decided that each time I felt myself creeping back to complaining mode, I would stop.
Look Up
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?
Psalm 121:1 (NKJV)
The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the thoughts that He thinks toward me…that His thoughts for me are of peace, not of evil, to give me a future and a hope. I know this is true, so why would I complain about what God was doing with my husband, his new job, or my added responsibilities?
God said that His yoke is easy and light, yet I tried to handle everything by myself. I was so “busy” and focused on what was before me that I forgot to look up to Him…to what His Word says…to what He says about me…to what He’s teaching me.
Give Thanks
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)
When I give thanks, I experience His strength and peace on new levels. I no longer tremble at the amount of work I have. Giving thanks helps me look forward to what the day brings with joy.
In the wake of Thanksgiving I will continue to think of all the things I can be thankful for…I will STOP, LOOK UP, and find a million things to GIVE THANKS for!
Diana Jones is a compassionate wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She is passionate about sharing God's love and all that He has done throughout her life. She is also looking for opportunities to grow spiritually through reading, prayer, singing and being in fellowship with others. She is thankful for the opportunity share her stories here at Circles of Faith.