It's the little things

I think most of us are stressed to the max. We are sick and tired of the pandemic. We are tired of all the political news. We are weary of masks or those who don't wear masks, or those who do and we don't. We had hope that by this point we wouldn't be wearing masks and now some are saying we will be wearing them into 2022. It is exhausting, overwhelming, and I think it is safe to say we are all over it. Add in the snowstorms if you are on that side of the country, or the incessant rain and mud if you are closer to where I live.

 Yet, these are not the things that seem to put us over the edge. It's the little things. You know what I mean? So yesterday, I was trying to clean my puppy's face. He was having none of it. I am like, I just want to get the eye boogies out of your eye, they are gross. And he is all like, get your hands off my face, I am going to eat you to death. I found myself getting frustrated, and I am like why? Is this really a hill I want to live or die on. No, it is not. So I walked away. This morning I was trying to put on his harness and it would not go on. (remember my post last week where I lost my stuff over this SAME issue?!) Yep, the EXACT same thing this morning. It would not fasten, it kept twisting, I was getting frustrated, he was being good, but he finally had enough and was over it as well. I cannot explain the extent of my frustration in that moment! 

So, why do these little things get to us so much? I think because we do not address them and adequately deal with them. So, they become this rolling ball of frustration, that just keeps rolling, getting bigger and bigger (like a snowball), and then slams into something solid exploding it all over the place. I truly believe that these little small things can be used by God. I believe that the hard things will be good. I know God can do great things with small things. 

So, how do we handle these things that keep getting thrown at us? I think the right attitude is the first thing. I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "I can't." Which always reminds me of "Can't never could do anything." I despise those two words, "I can't." Once you have that attitude, you are 100% right, you can't, because you have convinced yourself that it is impossible. One of my favorite sentences/Bible verses is "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). I know it's hard, but it is so much harder when we are trying to do everything in our own strength. If we look at that test, or that assignment, or that paper, or that person who is always negative, or that coworker that hates your guts or your whatever, and say, "What can I do at this moment." Start with one thing. The first thing. Writing your name on that test, that wasn't so hard, was it? Saying "I'm sorry," to start mending that relationship...one thing. What one thing could I do in my frustration this morning? I left the harness off and put it on later. I also chose not to take my frustration out on Junior, it was not his fault I could not get the harness on. One other thing I chose to do was to text Matt that we HAD to get a new harness because I could not keep fighting with this harness. I refuse to let it be a constant source of frustration at the beginning of my day. Thankfully he had already ordered a new one and it will be here toward the end of the week. You all, God can do good things with small things. Have you ever seen a mustard seed? They are tiny. The picture is for reference, it is a mustard seed on half a sheet of notebook paper...it's like a speck. Luke 17:5-6 says, ^"The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you." Faith as small as a mustard seed was used to represent the smallest of things...we need to take our focus off these small things and put them on the one Who can do great things. When I am frustrated and frazzled my focus is on all the things and not the One who should be the object of my faith and attention. Little is much when God is in it.  What are some of the things that you do to help you when "all the things" start getting to you?

I have written this on and off all day, so hopefully it makes sense!

Here is a song that I have been listening to on repeat lately:
You can listen here

"Good God Almighty" by Crowder

I can't count the times I've called Your name some broken night
And You showed up and patched me up like You do every time

I get amnesia
I forget that You keep coming around
Yeah, ain't no way You'll ever let me down

Good God Almighty
I hope You'll find me
Praising Your name no matter what comes

'Cause I know where I'd be
Without Your mercy
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

Tell me is He good? (He's good)
Tell me is He God? (He's God)
He is, Good God Almighty

You say Your love goes on forever, that Your mercy never stops
So why would I assume You'd be somebody that You're not?

Like sun in the morning
I know You're gonna be there every day
So what on earth could make me be afraid?

Good God Almighty
I hope You'll find me
Praising Your name no matter what comes

'Cause I know where I'd be
Without Your mercy
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

Tell me is He good? (He's good)
Tell me is He God? (He's God)
He is, Good God Almighty

Praise Him in the morning
Praise Him in the noon time
Praise Him when the Sun goes down

Love Him in the morning
Love Him in the noon time
Love Him when the Sun goes down

Good God Almighty
I hope You'll find me (I hope You'll find me)
Praising Your Name no matter what comes (No matter what comes)

'Cause I know where I'd be
Without Your mercy
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

Tell me is He good? (He's good)
Tell me is He God? (He's God)
He is, Good God Almighty

Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the Sun goes down

Jesus in the morning
Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the Sun goes down