Perspective

Perspective. Some times it's hard to gain. Other times it smacks into us relentlessly like choppy waters against the side of a boat.

Yesterday was a day that found me grumbling and generally crabby with the days events. Sweet Princess Pigtails once again had a random fever and her glands were swollen. Not really any other symptoms, but I was not comfortable going forward with our plans to go to the beach with some friends. So, we were here all day. Princess Pigtails was questionably sick and understandably whiny all day. Whiny makes me crabby.

DH was, by no fault of his own, later leaving the office than I had hoped he would be. Later leaving equates to worse traffic and a longer commute putting him home later than I expected. I try to be understanding about these things. But last night? I was crabby about it. It cramped our time for dinner as a family. I could make excuses about the day wearing on me and that being one more thing. But those would just be excuses for me choosing a poor reaction.

I had a final planning meeting for vacation Bible school scheduled for last night. The hope was that all six of us that have been involved in the planning process could be there. We were not all there and in reality it was fine. But given my attitude for the day, I was crabby about it. Big shocker, huh?

I came home and wallowed in my crabbiness to DH. (Who once again listened and tried to encourage me...) And yet, I went to bed with that nagging feeling. You know. The one where the Lord is gently nudging you to give to Him and let it go. But I wasn't ready. I guess I was having too much "fun" grumbling about how bad my day was and how disappointed I was.

Then this morning my mom called with news that brought perspective upon me with frightening speed. A young woman from a former congregation that my dad served had passed away from cancer yesterday morning. She was 25 years old. We've been praying for her and her family during this 2 1/2 year battle, reading the updates on her CaringBridge site and wondering when she was going to finally get some good news.

Her healing came in God's perfect timing and in His perfect way. The Good News did come. Not in the manner that our human minds and hearts hope for but in a way that our souls unexplainably understand. She is with our Lord now. She is pain free and the struggles she endured as a result of this journey have come to a close. Faith allows us to mourn and celebrate her life and faith simultaneously.

While I was whining, grumbling and complaining--Brittney was called Home. While I was lamenting about how the day could've, should've gone--that dinner was quick, my darling child was whiny and people missed a meeting--a family began mourning the loss of their daughter.

Tears streamed down my face upon hearing the news and the deafening sound of the waves of perpective burned my ears.