Heather says:
Almost every year in the late summer I take a road trip from my home in South Carolina to Minnesota. Along the way I get to visit friends and relatives, it’s one of the highlights of my year. Is it easy? Heck no, I’ve got three small children. Each year when I start making plans acquaintances say things like, “You’re so brave, I could never do that.” These comments usually just make me uncomfortable, but this year I began to give thought to using the trip as a fundraiser for a charity that empowers women, such as My Sister’s House. So, I started researching the logistics I began to get excited. It looked like a manageable and fun project.
That’s when things started to fall apart. It hasn’t been anything big, but several unexpected expenses put a dent in the not-quite-necessity budget. Additionally, even though this isn’t rational, sometimes it feels as though a series of small mishaps and frustrations are a warning.
Friday I had to drive up to Richmond, VA for an errand (file this under one of the unexpected expenses). While sitting in a traffic jam that wasn’t moving, I heard a paraphrase of a quote by Mother Teresa, ” In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.”
Have you ever noticed how you can hear something your entire life, but when said at the right moment those same words can be a wake-up call? This was one of those moments. Sitting there, with hundreds of other people all wanting to just go, I began to reasses my plans. I made the decision to postpone the trip until next summer. This will allow much more time, thought, and effort to be put into the project.
Why bother to share this with you, when I had made no formal announcement? The words struck a chord and I wanted to share the moment. Sometimes Ok, often I become frustrated with the daily grind and mostly it’s my own fault. I tend to do things in a half-assed, scattered manner. When things don’t go as planned, the pity party starts and my days become filled with resentment. Seriously, how spoiled am I?
Thursday I spent a good portion of the day sweltering in a laundromat with no AC. I had to repeatedly remind myself that I should be graetful that A) it was a one time thing and B) that washing machines and air conditioning even exist. Over the next few weeks I plan on forcing myself through an attitude adjustment. Lofty, amorphous goals are on hold, while I focus on perfoming the small things with great love. I need to remind myself that success comes in finding joy in every season.
I love Mother Theresa's quote, too. It sits on a 3x5 card on my desk at work to remind me that doing ALL things in love makes them a different experience.
Bless you and Ivy ............
and Pam, I will keep your husband and your family in my prayers.
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