Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Maintaining Peace

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Sitting here in Lake Tahoe, enjoying the beautiful teal water and pine trees with perfect 82 degree weather, I can't help but ponder peace. In this beautiful place, where my circumstances are near ideal, it is tempting to wish for these conditions to be constant in my life, with no worries or schedules to maintain, homework to do or chores to be completed... but I know that I will be able to maintain this sense of peace with God's leading the minute I hit the road to go back to "real life".

As single parents (and people in general), our lives are often fraught with uncertainty, battles and challenges. That does not mean, however, that WE in turn have to feel uncertain, embattled or beyond our limits. Finding peace amidst the stress has been a focus of my experience during my transition from wife and mother of one to single mom of three, and I'm grateful for the advice I was given along the way - without it, I would have been lost in the whirlpool of bad choices made based on emotion and not protecting the abundant blessings that I have.

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The most important of the advice I've gleaned is to trust God with my circumstanes, understanding that he has me right where I am supposed to be at all times. It sounds cliche, and repetitive, but the simple reminder of this fact has brought me to my knees in prayer with thankfulness in the midst of my most difficult battles.

Another nugget of truth is to take each day as it comes. One foot in front of the other. This is so much harder than it seems for a "planning" personality and a personality type that leans toward perfectionism (I am a perpetual "fixer" of broken things) - but with prayer, I've gotten better at this. I want to be able to enjoy each day for all of its quirks and joy, and to take the "bitter with the sweet" gracefully, as my Great-Grandmother Laura would say.

Lastly, when I start to feel overwhelmed and my world is crashing in around me, I remember that tomorrow is another day. There is nothing that a good night's sleep and some coffee in the morning can't fix. Then, I look at my mirror and ask, "What can I accomplish today?"

Although today that list includes tennis, attending a celebrity golf tournament, heading to the beach with a cold beverage and splashing with my kids in the beautiful water, working on my tan and eating sushi, I know I'll take this feeling home with me and smile in the midst of the craziness that is sure to be just around the corner. Enjoying the circumstantial breather, though - for sure! :)

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2 comments:

  1. Great writing Erin!! You've faced everything wtih such grace & faith - you've been an encouragement to me (and others). Thank you for being so transparent and writing about your struggles. I think the biggest thing I learn from you daily is that I need to be more open with people about how I'm feeling & what I'm struggling with or what I'm celebrating. Thank you for letting God use you!! And I love your pics! Enjoy the rest of your time in Tahoe... I'm jealous!!

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  2. lovely blog--a gentle reminder to live in them moment and let GOD take care of the rest!! Thanks

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