Stress

Laughter in the Stress

Nowadays, I encounter more stress than I think I should. Stressors from being a wife and mother, stressors from work, stressors from school, and so much more. Has my patience weaned away and my worries grown? No doubt about it. The stress gets to me! I grow harsh when my husband tries to do something helpful. I get short when my kids are needy. I become blunt (and not in a nice way) when my colleagues aren't willing to collaborate. I even push my faith away when I feel convicted. But what would I do differently about all of this? Well, I've had to find the laughter hidden behind the stress. I laugh when my students tell me a corny joke. I'm crying with tears of pure amazement when my daughter tries to copy her brother but doesn't quite get it the first time. I'm feeling the weight drop when my colleagues deal with the same ordeals as myself. I have gratitude for my husband when he takes care of the little things around the house.
In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul said "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT). The more I pray and seek help from God, the more my stress becomes manageable and finding the amusement in life is easily doable.

God, 
Thank you for allowing our family the opportunities to better our household, even in times of great stress. Help us to breathe deeply through our moments of losing patience and to find those little grins hidden in the yearnings for attention. 
Amen.