This time of year in Ohio, we get two kinds of stink bugs that gather all around our doors just waiting to get into our houses. It’s so annoying! Once in your house, they hide and come out all winter at various times. This can drive me nuts! Well, my solution is to have a little battery-operated sweeper handy to suck them up when they make their (proud I got in your house) appearance!
I have to admit, I drive my own self nuts at times too! I bet there are a few of you that know what I’m talking about. I have a very bad habit of thinking about something else when I’m doing a task. Therefore, I cannot remember where I put things or if I shut the garage door. Solution: I have to keep reminding myself to focus on what I am doing at the time. When I do that, my memory is pretty good.
Oh, there are those things that we cannot control as easily that drive us nuts, like when we make phone calls to providers or insurance companies etc. It’s those calls that have too many prompts that do not fit our needs, then we are put on hold forever. There is no solution to fixing THEIR problem but we can make the most of our time, for instance: put the phone on speaker and clean, cook a meal, do the laundry or go thru the mail and clean off your desk. Hey it’s stuff we have to do anyway, right? Today with cell phones, we can carry our phone everywhere we go making it easy to multitask.
Things that drive you nuts can, if you let them, make you angry like traffic. I remember Mark calling people that cut him off, goat ropers! I have no idea where that came from but he would get pretty bent out of shape while I was sitting on the other side of the truck quietly laughing at the name, GOAT ROAPERS! Maybe people that try to lasso a goat are just as out of control as people in cars, I don’t know, just saying! Anyway, until Mark, I had never heard that expression. It’s a good memory for sure.
Over the years I have calmed down some. I have found that these silly things are not worth stress, anger or me losing my peace. I try to figure out a way to work with the things that drive me nuts like the bugs, my deficiencies and other people’s shortcomings.
In our lives there are always going to be some big events that change our life or alter things. These are the things that need prayer and attention, not always the little things that drive us nuts for a minute or two. Just as we swat a fly down, we need to swat down any anger that tries to rise up in us over those silly little things that drive us nuts. What is it they say? “Don’t sweat the small stuff!”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
So, I just sucked up probably 30 bugs in my office while I was writing this. Now I see on the ceiling that I have 22 more to get. I tell myself, “It’s ok, it’s only about 2-4 days a year and it’s over.” You know, I’ll take bugs any day over tough life changing issues. Maybe that’s how we should view those silly little annoying things? By being thankful. “Lord, thank you that my only problem today was bugs!” Anyway, look at the bright side, the things that drive us nuts can produce patience and perseverance; these are wonderful qualities to acquire for sure.
Prayer
Lord, who knew that bugs and other silly things could actually help us acquire such attributes as patience and perseverance. Help us keep from letting annoying things ruin our day. May we learn to metaphorically step over these things and keep going. Continue to show us the good side of things and the lighter side of life, as we trust you with the rest. Thank you, Lord, for everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.
God Bless
Sincerely,
Sally
