Into the Word #4 (The Missing Peace)

Into the Word Wednesday was created by these inspirational women.  Check out their links and join in if you'd like!                           
                                   Falen and Laura at Upward, not Inward

Sarah at Fontenot Four

Kelly at The Houtz House Party

Becky at Tales For Ashes

Kelly at Exceptionalistic

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Last night, after watching the Olympics until midnight (I'm going to be dragging until they're over,) I went to take my evening meds and discovered the extra samples I'd just received from my doctor were missing.  

I looked every place they should have been, and they were not there.  I looked in places where they could have been, but they weren't there either.  Then, I started looking in places I knew they weren't, like under sofa cushions and in the refrigerator.   No samples.  Then, getting more frazzled, I looked in all those places again. 

I finally went to bed about 1 a.m. without taking my dose of Niaspan, because I couldn't find it.  I've been on this pill one week.  I did not get to sleep until 3 a.m., because I kept thinking, what happens if I suddenly stop this pill?  I stayed awake, wondering if I was breathing differently, if my heart was skipping, if my blood was getting thicker.  Anxiety-ridden stuff.  I was also kicking myself for not remembering what I did with the next three weeks of sample packets.  

This morning, I started all over again.  I looked in the same places I'd looked before, thinking maybe at 1 a.m. I simply didn't see the samples packets that were staring me in the face.  Nothing.  

When my daughter got up, I asked her if she'd seen the samples.   Yeah, she said, a week ago.  She helped me look.  She looked in all the places I'd looked and even searched the two cars.  I sifted through the trash and the recycling bin.  I got more and more disgusted with myself.   I was dreading having to call my doctor and explain I'd lost the month's worth of free medication she was so kind to give me.  I was so worked up.  And, so irritated with my limited, clearly diminishing memory. 

Suddenly, my girl came from the guest room, waving the sample packets in exultation.  "I found them!"

We hugged and danced around, and she took me to the guest room closet where we store our back stock of groceries and paper goods (we're couponers.)  There, they had been.  Right next to the eye vitamins and two boxes of Russell Stover's chocolates. 

"Thank you, Jesus!" I kept saying.  

"Thank you, St. Anthony (the saint of missing things)!" my daughter kept saying.  

We were two happy girls.  I felt the cinder block slide off my chest.  I'm telling you, I was in a tizzy. 

I wrapped up some things and then sat down with my daily devotional.   Here's what it said:

Trust Me in the depths of your being.  When you feel flustered and frazzled on the outside, do not get upset with yourself.  You are only human, and the swirl of events going on around you will sometimes feel overwhelming.  Rather than scolding yourself for your humanness, remind yourself that I am both with you and within you.  

                                                                            Jesus Calling, Sarah Young 

I laughed out loud.  How closely God watches us and knows our frustrations.  How crazy I get when I misplace things, run late, get buried beneath the clutter.  My tolerance for life's headaches is very low. Thank God, God is unaffected by the world's chaos.  His peace is constant and unwavering and available for the asking.  

My prayer for all of us today (particularly me) is that when life gets frustrating, we remember God is unflappable, and we, too, can be.  Being upset or crazy doesn't help us solve a problem any faster.  In fact, it can curtail clear thinking and exasperate the issue.   

We all know people who have a calm, steady nature and, when faced with a challenge, simply work the problem.  I want to be like that.  It's clearly not my nature, but with God's help, I hope to reduce the number of melt-downs. 

What circumstances aggravate you?  Are you able to maintain an inner peace while resolving a problem?   If so, what helps you do that?   

Frazzled minds would like to know.