What determines a good day?
My thoughts spill from cleaning up a puddle pond of liquid detergent in my laundry room. Somehow the full ,new, “money saving” 150 fluid ounce bottle tumbled off my dryer leaving a fun-filled afternoon. OK, it wasn’t fun, but it was my “spilling ground” today (thoughts and literally). When my husband asks me “How was your day?” how will I respond? Will I start complaining about the difficulty I had with one of my daughters getting to school (tummy ache with no fever finally getting to school at 10:30 a.m.), the change in MY schedule today because of it, and my fun-filled clean up (I won’t have to start with it because I’m venting on my blog J). But transparently, it’s easy to start complaining about everything that went wrong in a day. What about the good in my day (spending time with the girls at lunch time, eating lunch with a good friend, my whole house smells clean from the spilled laundry detergent J)?
Face it. Every day is full of unexpected circumstances. We have OUR plans, but only occasionally have a day as “planned” (I’m not sure I’ve ever had a day “as planned”). So how do you determine a good day? If there are no surprises in YOUR schedule? If everyone in your family is well? If you have money in the bank account and money to plan your next vacation? If your boss notices your hard work? If the weather is nice? If the traffic is flowing? If your children obey and get along? Does answering yes to ALL of these make it a good day? No vomit? No fire? No blood? IF, IF, IF. IF everything has to go perfectly and as you planned, you will never have a good day.
My conclusion: I want to determine my day by my response to the day and not the circumstances. I’m working on this. I have many examples of what not to do (an impatient driver’s license picture that I’m glad I finally replaced). Did I respond with patience to the driver that cut me off? Respond with love to the rude cashier? Respond with faith when I get the “bad news” over the phone? Did I respond with joy when there are suds everywhere? (I really wished I used “Cheer” detergent)
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
How was your day?
(I tried to upload a pic of my disaster. Of course, it didn't work the four times I tried. :) Maybe tomorrow.)
So thankful for your post! I a trying very hard to change my responses to circumstances also and this really touched a nerve! Thank you as always, for your transparency!
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