Heart check

 Have you ever had an EKG? The nurse will put electrodes on your arms, legs, and chest and then attach them to the heart monitor. They are, of course, checking to make sure your heart is doing what it should and is healthy. I have had more than my "fair" share of EKGs, the most recent one two weeks ago, but thankfully everything looked good and healthy! However, that is not the type of heart check I am talking about today. Luke 6:45 says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." 

I woke up this morning with a bad headache, it was pouring down rain and I knew I had to let Junior go out to go potty, so I was procrastinating because I didn't want to go out in the rain. Matt, being the awesome man he is, offered to take him out for me, before continuing to get ready for work (love that man!). I decided to be helpful and while he was getting his jacket on I tried to get Junior's harness on (we don't put the leash on his collar because we don't want him to get hurt when he starts pulling!). I could not get it on right! It was way too tight! I said to Matt, "I don't know what the problem is, but I know he didn't get fat overnight!" So, we put the leash on the collar anyway, knowing Junior had to go. Matt took him out and I helped get him dry and then made my coffee. Matt looked at the harness and said it was twisted which is why it wasn't going on right. I was like "okay" and sat down for breakfast while Matt went to get ready for work. I sat down at the table, starting praying for my food and devotion time, and Junior starting whining at me and trying to jump out of his playpen! I look at my coffee and look at the dog and said, "Okay, but you had better have to go!" I once again grabbed the harness and tried to get it on him. He was squirming all over the place, trying to get away, I got it around him and try to snap it, and it will not fasten!! A few ugly things came out of my mouth, taking me by surprise. I skipped the harness and took Junior out, where he pooped, while I was praying. I said to God, "I don't know what is wrong with me. This is not who I want to be!" I had gone from 0 frustration to 10 frustration and it was not even 5:20 am!!! It's not even a Monday! Although I will say, Mondays and Thursdays are notoriously the hardest days around here. Mondays because we have to get back in the school/work schedule. Thursday's because we have Church on Wednesday nights and never manage to get in bed before 10 and it takes me a while to settle, then the alarm goes off at 4:50 am, so we are always tired. 

I know we are stressed and everyone is a bit frazzled from the pandemic, and I was tired and had a bad headache, but that is no excuse for getting that frustrated. I spend time every morning filling my cup and thought I was doing a pretty good job of it. However, what came out of my mouth was not what I was putting in, and this caused me to do a heart check. I needed to get to the root of my problem because my heart was not working right! I am just carrying too much that I still need to surrender. I am carrying some frustration from things not being how I want them to be (it's out of my control). I am carrying some frustration from people not necessarily doing what I want them to do (also out of my control), I need to surrender it. My blood pressure is good one day and not great the next (out of my control). The harness was getting on my nerves and is not easy to put on (I can fix this by getting a new harness). I could go on, but won't. Ultimately, I needed to do a heart check-up and it reminds me, yet again, that I try to carry too much and need to surrender the things that are out of my control...and then leave them there!! How  is your heart? Are you finding that you get angry, frustrated, sad, etc. more than you should? Maybe it is a time for a check-up, and maybe some fine-tuning. Life is hard for everyone right now, we keep thinking things are going to get easier, and when they don't it creates extra stress and great disappointments. When you find yourself thinking "what is wrong with me?" or "I don't want to be like this," then it is a time to do a check-up, and maybe give yourself some grace, knowing that everyone is struggling. If you can't figure it out on your own, don't hesitate to reach out to a trustworthy friend who you can talk to, or a professional. As I was getting ready this morning I listened to this song, especially since it had started as "one of those days." Read the lyrics, listen to the song (I recommend it!!), and know that whatever you may be facing, God has got this! He is in control (and will carry our burdens if we will only lay them down), and He can handle them way better than we can anyway! So, I ask again, how is your heart? Are you taking care of it? Putting good stuff in so good stuff can flow out?!

"You Got This" by Love & the Outcome

[Verse 1]
Have you ever had one of those days
When nothing really goes your way
Then you see it wasn't meant to
You get a new view, yeah, yeah
Everybody has sleepless nights
Lost in the worry, will I work out alright?
Feels like I'm going crazy
Stressed out praying, yeah, yeah

[Pre-Chorus 1]
I know it's not a lot, know it's not a lot
I give You all I got, give You all I got
I know it's true, I can count on You

[Chorus]
I don't know the way
But You got this
Give me the faith
That You got this
Even today
You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this

[Verse 2]
Caught up in the same mistakes
You catch my fall when I fall on my face
Learning slowly, God You show me, yeah, yeah

[Pre-Chorus 2]
There's a better way, there's a better way
I give You everything, give You everything
I know it's true, I can count on You

[Chorus 2]
I don't know the way
But You got this
Give me the faith
That You got this
Even today
You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this
Yeah, You got this
Give me the faith
That You got this
Even today
You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this

[Bridge]
Breathe in, breathe out
Feels good to shout it out, shout it out
Breathe in, breathe out
Feels good to shout it out, shout it out

[Chorus 2]
I don't know the way
But You got this
Give me the faith
That You got this
Even today
You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this
Yeah, You got this
Give me the faith
That You got this
Even today
You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this

[Outro]
I know that I know that I know that You got this
I know that I know that I know that You got this

You can listen to the song here.