worst mood EVER

Have you ever noticed how many blogs are so pretty with beautiful pictures about how beautiful everyone's life is? And they include great descriptions of all kinds of things going on with people, and how good it all is, and how even when times are tough, they can see God working and that makes them so happy, and it's all just so happy happy happy.

You rarely read - I'm frustrated, tired, discouraged, insecure, lonely.......

Well - today - I'm over it.

The thing about photographs is that they capture an instant. The thing about blog posts is that they are edited.

So why do we edit that way?

Is it because we know the Bible says "Do all things without arguing & complaining?" and "rejoice in the Lord always?" and we don't want to disappoint God.

Is it because we don't want to be judged by others as being whiners even when we're not?

Is it because we're afraid others will think our struggles stupid, or we'll ask for help and get none?

Is it because we're afraid God's answer will be something we don't want to hear?

Is it because we fear being pitied rather than loved and supported?

Is it because we don't want to hurt other people's feelings?

Is it because we don't want to disappoint ourselves?

Is it because we genuinely are trying to focus on the positive?

Why can't we just say - this stinks right now. What you're going through is hard. Period.

I recently had two friends about to go on special special kid-free trips. One to visit a sister , and one with her husband. One almost had the trip foiled and the other had to cancel. I offered, "Oh Man - THAT STINKS! Are you so bummed?" Both responded with a very unconvincining tone in the moment "I'm totally ok with it - it must be God's will" or "Yep - but it'll be ok - there's always other trips, right?" While those things may be true - why can't for one moment - we just be bummed and be honest about it?

I am currently reading The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. It's great. In it he differentiates between bearing the burden of your complaint before God and your brothers in order to gain comfort and aid, and merely vexing a fretting. He emphasizes that God wants us to not suffer alone - but to seek Him and expect others to encourage us.

So what's the line? When are we sharing our burdens and when are we simply complaini
I think it's important not to just lock it all in, because you threaten to erupt.

So this morning - I'm in the worst mood ever. This had been a ridiculously challenging year with a forecast for the next year for challenging with more challenges on the horizon. And even those this week was better than in any particular week has been in awhile, I'm over it.

I'm irritated that I have to spend all morning packing for a picnic I don't want to go to.
I'm frustrated I forgot to buy a card a friend whose party I'm going to before the picnic.
I wish certain someones would jump in and help with the gardening project that I won't have time for because I'm going to a picnic.
I am tired of my daughter throwing tantrums about her clothes and the furious about realization that I can't even allow her "would you like this shirt or that shirt" choices (totally different from "What would you like to wear today? Oh - you've always wanted a princess t-shirt dress and light up tennies? Let's go buy them right now!" types of choices.) I'm frutstrated that this means I have to think and plan ahead for what she'll be wearing each day and can't just decide in the moment - because in general I'm sick of thinking and planning ahead for everything and feeling like if I don't no one will, and I could just stop and let it all go to crap, but that's passive-aggressive, so then I would just be called to task for that.
I'm totally irritated that I'm going to church to hear the last sermon in the series, "Just because.......(fill in the blank) doesn't mean you have a right to a bad attitude."

Ok - now I'm also late - because I chose to take 10 minutes to write this diatribe.

So - hmmmm....do you think this vexing or bearing?

Don't answer that.

At least I'm being honest.

And don't respond with any Bible verses or anything that says "Bless your heart" or conveys that tone. Or I'll find you on Facebook and punch you.