Monday, October 1, 2007

Coping Skills

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cool day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Yes, I said "cool"! I was so surprised to step outside and feel the change in the weather... a cool breeze was blowing and the sky was clear with all the diamond-like stars twinkling and sparkling in the night sky, competing with the half moon. I wish I knew the names of all the stars, but, that doesn't stop me from admiring their beauty!

God's creation is awesome!

We spent a quiet afternoon yesterday, but my walk Friday was good, because I saw Mama gator back at the tower. She was very close to the shrubs and I imagined, hoping for a baby to show up. I don' t know if gators have feelings, but she looked sad to me.

The sidewalk work is going pretty fast, but still there is dust all over the place. I hope people will take advantage of the sidewalk and not walk in the street any more, but human nature being what it is, I expect we will still have some strollers in the street.

From Quiet Moments:

How we handle delays tells us a lot about ourselves. How do you handle a traffic jam when you left the house already late for work? What do you do when your flight is delayed because of mechanical difficulty or bad weather? How do you respond when the register in your checkout lane runs out of tape just as you get to the head of the line? Can you take a deep breath and enjoy a five minute break at the railroad crossing when the guard rail goes down to allow a train to pass?

Things rarely go as smoothly as we would like, and we don't usually schedule ourselves any extra time just in case something goes wrong.

The ability to accept disappointments, delays, and setbacks with a pleasant, generous spirit is a gift of graciousness that comes from one who has received grace from others in pressured circumstances. Life is a series of choices, and no matter what situation we are in, we always have the freedom to choose how we are going to respond.

Refuse to get out of sorts the next time your schedule gets interrupted or turned upside down. Pray for strength to remain calm, cheerful, relaxed, and refreshed in the midst of the crisis. And always remember: God's plans for you are not thwarted by delays!

Psalm 31:15
"My times are in your hand."

Never become irritable while waiting;
if you are patient,
you'll find that you
can wait much faster.
Unknown

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis