Wednesday's Word....Paradise....

I complain a lot.

I am discontented.

I frequently get the “Can’t Help Its”. 

Things are never just so, there is always something out of place or that needs to be done.

So when the chorus of Phil Vassar’s Just Another Day in Paradise, entered my mind, I didn’t even make it to the verses before I started thinking I wish I felt that way. Paradise, yeah….someday.

And then I took the time to look it up :

The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it. 
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things

Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Friday, you're late
Guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise
Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue
But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Can me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between?

Yeah it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Well, it's ok. It's so nice.
It's just another day in paradise.
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

For just another day in paradise
Well, it's the kids screaming. The phone ringing
Just another day
Well, it's Friday. You're late
Oh yeah, it's just another day in paradise

Do I ever thank God that is my life? Some days….but not often, and I certainly never ask for another day just like the one before.

We have our woes and we have our struggles, but we have two healthy kids and a bright future. We have a roof over our heads. We have food on the table and clothes on our backs. We have some nice things, too, and a car to drive. We can’t buy whatever we want, or go where ever we want. We have responsibilities and we have blessings. Just reading the words to this song today reminded me that I should be thankful for this because I wouldn’t trade it.

Sure it would be nice to not have to worry…but I don’t have to worry I choose to worry.

Sure it would be nice if things were easier…but honestly, I am often the one who makes it harder than it has to be.

I could trade it, but what would I get. And what would I lose…it is far too precious to me.

So this Wednesday, I ask God to create in me a grateful heart, a heart that sees the blessing in the mundane, a heart that rejoices in the call of motherhood, a heart that feels His presence in the everyday life of our family. 

I have been in a really lousy mood this week, like really lousy.

Like bring other folks down with me, lousy!

I know it is not the weather, but the weather certainly has helped anchor this mood in my heart.

Truly, what happened is that frustration turned to anger and self-pity…turned to procrastination and defiance, which made me emotionally vulnerable and tired…Way to mess myself up!

So here I sit writing to you about it – two days behind on chores, two days behind on homework, months behind on projects and days behind on ETSY and other related chores! I feel this huge pressure to get it all done, to get caught up THIS INSTANT! 

THIS INSTANT! ALL OF IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, NOW!

Does it really? No…but it feels like it. I feel like I am losing every bit of the success I have had in the past month in just 3 or 4 days.

How can I be in a bad mood with this cutey around?

And that feels bad, real bad.

I am not sure which feels worse – not having the things done or feeling badly about it. As I sat upstairs rocking Jackson for the two seconds he will snuggle before nap, the song that came to mind was Alabama’s  I’m in a Hurry and Don’t know Why.

I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why

Don't know why I have to drive so fast
My car has nothing to prove
It's not new
But it'll do zero to sixty in five point two

I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why

Can't be late, I leave in plenty of time
Shakin' hands with the clock
I can't stop
I'm on a roll and I'm ready to rock

I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why

Oh, I hear a voice
That says I'm running behind
Better pick up my pace
It's a race and there ain't no room for someone in second place

I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why

All he wants to do is ride the horse all day!
Maybe this is God's way of telling me to "hold my horses"?

That voice is my voice. No one else is saying I am behind. I am in a hurry, and I don’t know why. I mean, I know, but it is silly, and it is making me miserable. And it is no one but me doing this to myself!

Honestly, Thursday’s chores are quick and Friday is usually chore free, so there is time to make things up there.  The rain will pass and I will get pictures taken for all my new etsy listings.

But Grace won’t be 4 years 5 months 16 days old ever again and Jackson won’t be 1 year 1 month and 28 days old ever, ever again…And my husband won’t ever been in week 3 of his third year of law school ever again, and this time next year we may not live in this house or this town..There are so many things I should be savoring.

So this Wednesday, I am going to slow down, both literally and figuratively. I am going to get some things done, but I am going to do the best I can to let all the rest roll off my back…

Are you going to slow down? What hurries you? Who is that voice for you – yourself or someone or something else?

Wrong Words Wednesday

Before Grace even opened her eyes this morning, as she stretched her sleepy arms above her head, she said, “What a wonderful day it is!”

I love her.

And when I told her daddy what she had said, he said, “Indeed, this is the day our Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad.”

I love him.

My family is such a blessing.

As the morning continued, I opened the windows to let in the soft, cool morning air and sunshine as it peeked over the horizon. My husband and I talked about what I would write about today. We talked about a few songs that are meaningful to each of us…but as the day has gone on this one is the one that I find myself singing.

I got rice cooking in the microwave
Got a three day beard I don't plan to shave
And it's a goofy thing but I just gotta say
Hey I'm doing alright

Yeah I think I'll make me some homemade soup
Feelin pretty good and that's the truth
It's neither drink nor drug induced
No I'm just doin alright

And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shinin when I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good?

I don’t know if praising God is  what Travis Tritt or the song writer had in mind, but for me the things that make me sing this song and  the times it fills my thoughts are times I am thankful, times that I am aware of the awesome blessings God has given us.

Something about feeling the sunshine even when my eyes are closed…I can’t help but praise God for that feeling!