And that's when I lost it.

I mentioned our summer New Braunfels vacation in my last post.  Vacations are great and this one, our annual family getaway with Kevin's parents, was wonderful.  But there is still a lot of stress that goes along with getting your family out the door and living away from home for a time with small children.  I started the weekend under the weather a bit.  When we got to our condo on Friday we couldn't get the key out of the lock box.  The mattresses were terrible, so no one slept well.  There were no condiments for the lunch meat sandwiches (that one didn't really bother me, I'm just throwing it in for my husband and father-in-law).  Burger King had no ice.  Etc., etc., etc.  Really nothing big and very little to complain about, but just small nagging things that built up until, after a long day in the sun at SeaWorld, I stepped in gum at a gas station on our way home.  I looked down at my shoe and the gum that someone else had been chewing now ground into the floor of the van--the second piece of gum I'd stepped on that day actually--and that's when I lost it.  I began to sob.  I think I also threw a chicken sandwich. 

I love it when you react super emotionally to something as an adult and people try to comfort you by reminding you that even Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers and wept at the death of a friend.  This was nothing like that.  I was throwing a great big, adult sized fit over gum and I have no good excuse except that I was simply too tired to do anything better. 

It's not that the vacation wasn't relaxing.  I actually sat by a pool and read two magazines cover to cover.  Two!!  But I guess I got caught up in all that relaxing and didn't spend much time with God during our trip.  If I had, surely I would have remembered to hand all those little annoyances over to Him. 

I like to picture that I have a spiritual bucket.  It gets full of all sorts of unpleasant things, big and little, and needs to be emptied often.  I do this by starting my day in prayer.  Before my feet hit the floor I ask God to prepare my spirit for the day, thank Him for the joys and hand over the burdens.  When I don't do this the bucket gets full until it has no choice but to overflow into a heaping, chewed gum, chicken sandwich throwing mess.  And I have I mentioned how heavy a full bucket is?  But God's peace is light and freeing.  "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. The will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:30-31. 

Ain't no eagles flying around with a bunch of buckets 'round their necks. 

So my point is this.  Empty your bucket.  Even when things are great and the vacation is wonderful and the day is perfect.  God needs to be a part of your good days just as much as your bad ones.  Take care of your soul everyday.  Because there's a lot of gum out there and you never know when you're going to step in it.  XOXO...Kelly