the mess I don't want to clean up: Be not Ornery.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Be not Ornery.

I've been a little stressed lately. Little is an understatement. It's okay though. It's okay because I have a great family. It's okay because I can still put one foot in front of the other. It's okay because no matter how crazy it gets we still have it way better than 80% of the world... I'm sure. It's okay because I can remember to "be not ornery". A phrase I coined one morning after waking from a horrendous nightmare (my stress levels are directly proportionate to how awful my nightmares are each night) and just not being able to shake the angry feeling from the dream. I called my mom and asked for help- I was so mad I could barely think straight and it was seeming to be impossible to shake. She reminded me to be grateful. Grateful for everything. During the Holocaust *I believe it was anne frank* there was someone that was grateful for fleas. When someone asked how they could be so optimistic and grateful for such an awful thing she replied: I'm grateful for the fleas in our beds because it keeps the guards out of our barracks. They don't check our mattresses so we can hide our bibles underneath them. I don't have fleas to be grateful for but I can be grateful for stinky garbage cans because that means that we have enough food to eat. I can be grateful for being able to serve. I can be grateful for a wonderful husband that works weekends for our family. I can be grateful that my children are in my care and not someone else's that may not be as loving. I can be grateful for the opportunity to live in a mission field type area- even though I didn't get to serve a full time mission. I can be grateful for the never ending laundry because it means we have clothes to wear. I can be grateful for Dr. bills because it means we can see a Dr. when our children are sick. I can be grateful for hospital bills because it means I was able to deliver a happy and healthy baby.