Peace family, do you ever feel completely overwhelmed, and then something special happens that completely transforms your day?
Today has been one of those days! I was feeling really discouraged this morning. I have a lot of things on my plate right now, and a lot of work that I have to do today, plus a dentist appointment that I don’t want to go to, and everything is starting to add up. This morning, when I had to go home to take out a dog that I am caring for right now for someone else, I reached the low part of my day, but then a surprise turned things around!
I already felt overwhelmed enough that I considered cutting up all my extra credit cards and cancelling every ongoing cost, such as quarterly exterminators, plumbing plan, appliance warranty plan, and a gym membership I don’t ever use, because I am tired of dealing with everything. I have several problems in my house that I also need to deal with, including the ceiling light/fan fixture in my bedroom, which blew a fuse or something, so the light portion of it has not worked for about two weeks. It seems like my bedroom has been very dark for ever. Because of the extra animals that I am taking care of, one of them with ringworm, I have had to keep my cats mostly in my bedroom for about two months, and they get into everything. They love tearing up paper towels and pulling everything out of the garbage can and gnawing apart anything with strings, and spreading stuff all through the room. It is a huge mess.
I walked into my room, which smelled like cat urine. I can’t see anything because it’s so dark, so I crawled around with my hands and knees on the carpet (which I discovered is long overdue for vacuuming), feeling for any wet spots. I didn’t find any, so I hope it was just the actual cat box that stank, but I became overwhelmed down there on the ground with hair and bits of fuzz sticking to me, paper that my cats have torn up, and even finding some surprise dried hairball spots. This was the last straw. Without wanting to, I imagined family and friends seeing my room, and saying things like, “That’s really depressing and dark. She’s become one of those gross, antisocial people with only cats to accompany her in her squalor.” The things that I need to do and clean felt insurmountable and I was like, “Lord! I need help!”
Have you felt that way lately?
Anyway, when I went back into work, I got teary-eyed when Brian told me that one of our Peace Family members, named Mary, had heard me talking about how hungry I was for Taco Bell this morning, and she brought us about fifteen tacos! I saw that taco at my desk and was touched, and filled with gratitude. I bit into the crunchy shell, and I felt like God was saying, “Everything is going to be okay! I still care!” If you feel the same as me, here’s some good news: you are going to make it, too!
A taco might seem like a small, silly thing, but I can’t tell you how much better and more encouraged I feel after some prayer and honesty with God, eating that taco, and having a visit with my “therapist,” Dr. Pepper! I felt very cared for, and I know I am going to make it! I am just going to take one small thing at a time. Everything is going to be okay, and it doesn’t have to all be perfect at once.
Even cat pee on the carpet or in the bed, though terrible, wouldn’t be the end of the world. No matter what you are going through today, be encouraged! If I could give you a big hug, I would! Take some time out to talk to God. Treat yourself to a taco! We live good lives, and God is still in control. What really matters, is that we love him and that we love others. Everything else falls short. That is my taco testimony!
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