Thump, eh?

After having a (what is seaming to be) 'regular Thursday breakdown', it was nice to read this just now.  Well.  Gives good perspective.  Read on...will leave my comments for the end.

Week of July 22
Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud
When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven.
The character of a person is also checked by thumping. Been thumped lately?
Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You’ve-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren’t big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I’m being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these two paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.
How do I respond? Do I sing? Or do I thud?
Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There’s nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.
If you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart.
The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to day living.
There is hope for us “thudders”:
1. Begin by thanking God for thumps. I don’t mean a half-hearted thank-you. I mean a rejoicing, jumping-for-joy thank-you from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are that God is doing the thumping. And he’s doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Heb. 12:5–8).
2. Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not “thump-proof.” You are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps—you can’t avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.
3. Be aware of “thump-slump” times. Know your pressure periods. For me Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slumps. Fridays can be just as bad. For all of us, there are times during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. Bolster yourself with extra prayer, and don’t give up.
Remember, no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)
Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

So, I'm definitely NOT a singer, but a 'thudder'.  No fun.  Praise God the meltdowns haven't been weekly.  However, when they come, the day of the week they land on is ALWAYS on a Thursday.  Usually the night we meet for life group, which leaves me fighting going all day long even through our 30  minute drive.  

It was nice, though.  After reading #1 above, I stopped and prayed, oh and praised a little too :)  Thinking that the Lord may be trying to teach me patience...and possibly not to just try to 'get through' whatever period - which is what I usually do.  See, with Tyler working evenings and lately working late at the office, it leaves us little time together not even just to hang out, but talk, discuss and decide things...needed connections, not just the desire to have an hour of quality time with hubby.  I pray for patience, a kind heart, a servant attitude - so that I can continue to do for him, help and encourage him through his 'busy' times and look for a day of rest ahead.  Maybe a Saturday or Sunday where I can sleep in and he'll wake up with Emma or maybe an evening I can 'tune out' and maybe read or do a mask or my toes...something to qualify as 'me' time.  For the past couple of months, I've been planning to use a GC I have for a facial - thinking I can have a few hours away solo.  BUT, my 'rest' that I look forward to and press on for during whatever is going on hasn't been happening, for one reason or another.  

I guess enduring 2 months is better than just 1 week :)  (my melt-downs were weekly for a while).  Praise God for that!  I just need to keep pressing and praying!  And asking for prayer as well!  I want to be able to make it through these times and continue to be that patient, loving, caring and serving person...not turn in to the 'i want to go lock myself in the closet where I can't hear anything and can hide from the world' person.  Is that TMI? :)   It's the truth...no hiding here.  And, I've only done that maybe twice...and not recently, so no worries :) 

NEEDLESS to say...I'm MUCH better today.  After emotionally draining myself with some good crying yesterday, I slept WELL last night and here I am, gearing up for another day! And, yes, I realize it's 10 :)  I 'start' my day when Emma goes down for a nap, when I have my quiet time.  She fought it for an hour and a half this am, so I'm starting late today :) 

Now you know how you can pray for me!  And I'd much appreciate it:)

Have a great weekend!  And if you have any prayer requests, don't hesitate!