Turn that train of thought around!

I’ve been going through a difficult time lately…a bit of a valley.  I won’t go into all the details, but it involves being very ill off and on for the last four weeks, as well as not getting anywhere close to enough sleep.  I am not the best patient when I’m sick and you certainly don’t want to be around me if I haven’t had enough sleep when I’m well, so this period of time has been like a double-whammy for me.  Not to mention I’m in the last trimester of my second pregnancy (which is a HUGE blessing and I’m also blessed to have a 2 year old son keeping my days busy.)  So, adding unbalanced hormones to the mix adds a whole other dimension.  Let’s just say my attitude has not been the best.

This past Tuesday, I was wallowing…I had done what so many times the Holy Spirit has helped me put to a stop when my thoughts start going downward.  Today was different.  I had let my thoughts go downward and didn’t stop it.  I was focusing on being sick and feeling like an inadequate mother.

I finally got my 2 year old changed out of his pajamas at 1:30 that afternoon and we ventured out to play in the backyard.  Just sitting outside in the beautiful spring weather and listening to the birds chirp started to lift my mood.  Then, God sent me a “love note” …a beautiful little green hummingbird flew into our yard and hummed to say hello before flying away.

Then, I received a text message update about a teenager whose father is a dear friend of my sister and brother-in-law.  He is recovering from a gunshot injury.  His parents have been texting updates and they are amazing.  They praise God for every single step of progress their son makes and keep stating the fact that everything in his recovery, including his mere survival of the initial injury is a miracle.  They have been such an inspiration to me (they are handling their MUCH more difficult and painful situation  with such grace) and at the end of every message, they write a scripture verse.  The one on this day was Psalm 103:1-5.

I went and got my Bible and read the passage.  “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Well, that turned things right around for me!  Thank you, Father, for reminding me when I am tempted to wallow that I am to take my eyes off of myself and my present circumstances and instead focus on you and your eternal blessings.  For this present life is but a wisp of smoke and the gifts from our heavenly father we have to look forward to will last forever.  What a much better thought to focus on!

Melissa