Week of Stress

A lot of decision making is happening for our family this week. 
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Norah, on Wednesday will have to miss school because she is going to go to Greensburg, PA to get dental surgery done.  She was unfortunately blessed with weak enamel.  Since she was a baby her teeth have always been a bit weak.  Even though we brushed two or sometimes three times a day, reducing her sweets, her teeth still have issues.  She will have her front teeth extracted in order to give her new teeth space to come out, and she will get some crowns on her molars.  She will not be able to eat anything for a while, and I am so stressed about the drive, about the surgery, about everything.

Ben will be moving on to daycare in the fall.  We found a place that can take him, and I have a bit anxiety over that as well.  Last time he went to daycare, he threw up all day, went through all of his clothes, and I picked him up later that day, without any clean pants.  Not too mention for months Ben was unhappy, and getting bit 2 out of the three days he was there.  He knows what’s going on and every morning he looks at me and says “no school.”  I guess he was traumatized enough.  He is also going through the difficulties of being ultra-resistant to potty training.  Not fun for mom and dad.

Eunkyung has to make a big decision what it comes to her internship.  She received a phone call that really puts a lot of stress on the table.  She is handling it with grace, and she soon will have to make a decision on what to do next.  I will spare all the details.  Nothing bad happened, but just an important decision she’s got to make.

So, today in order keep my anxiety on check, I went fishing at Glendale lake.  Well, instead of relieving my stress, I only increased it even more!  God gave me the opportunities to hook into a lot of fish… 8 times I hooked up, but somehow, some way, I get zero fish on the bank.  I even lost two big bass and one possible muskie or pike.  In the process I lost three hooks, two tungsten weights, one chatterbait, and one swimbait by getting it snagged in the bottom.  It was a rotten frustrating day of fishing.  Never had a day like that.  Brutal.  I got to get focused in setting the hook at the right time, especially when every fish at Glendale Lake was aggressively feeding. 

It’s only Tuesday, but man… I feel like everyone in the family is going through some big decision making (expect me, really… I mean… other than fishing techniques).  But that is all OK, because every decision we make, can always change the outcome for better.  Every challenge that God gives us only gives us the opportunity to analyze each situation to prepare for the future.  Regardless, of the situations, the future is always going to look bright.

There is a lot to think about in my head, but I am happy to be in these moments of life.  Rise up to challenges, be patient, don’t get too worked up, keep trying, and push forward to the best of your ability.  Make every decision with conviction and stick with it.  We will all have weeks or days like this and it reminds me evermore to take everything that is in my head to God with prayer. 

Prayers for Norah, Ben, and Eunkyung… and my wacky fishing day!  Through prayer we show our dependence to God and with God’s help we will find peace, fortitude, and grace.  So I am looking forward to these bits of stress because I know it will give me more perspective in the future.  Thanks be to God for everything that life may throw at us!  Amen.

By the way, my fishing day literally cost me, close to $15.00 of lost items… yikes.