I never knew sparkles could do so much damage…
Well, I take that back. . . I did know that sparkles could do damage, which was part of my stress to begin with. I didn’t want sparkles all over my house and in every floor crevice and stuck deep in the dark recesses of my rug. I didn’t want sparkles tracked everywhere by my shoe and stuck to my hair and dangling off my eyebrow, but lo and behold, this is exactly what happened.
The second I got home from being out, my kids implored, “C’mon mom! C’mon mom, craft-time.”
I wanted to say, “I need a few minutes. I need to pray; sparkles stress me out,” but my son was already dumping the pint-sized jug of sparkles on the table. And, there I was — wanting to be the best mom I could be.
Ignoring my insides, I dove in head-first, “Okay, kids, here mom comes.”
At the table, my insides were throwing a tantrum: It’s going to be a mess. The table will be ruined. The craft time won’t be fun. And, worst of all, what if these crafts end up looking horrible and none of them sell at my kids craft show?
The idea of a big-, horrible-, icky-mess was plaguing me. And, frankly, I didn’t know how to control it, fix it, or manage it — while sparkles began to get dropped outside the foil, then on my white dining chairs, then into the glue pile that was supposed to have no sparkles in it if we wanted the other ornaments to look good.
Everything. felt. completely. out. of. control.
My insides were anxious.
I started barking orders.
My kids were having no fun.
My son went to his room and said, “Maybe I should just do the crafts with dad.”
And, my whole idea of fun — went kaput.
Inhale. Exhale.
Friend, like me, are you ever afraid of messes? Does the idea of mess ever create stress? Does the stress tend to make a bigger mess?
Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Christ already won my freedom. Yet, the second I start worrying about things being perfect is the second I yoke to stress. It is the fear of messiness actually welcomes anxiousness. Any obligation where we rely on man rather than God becomes a burden, not a blessing.
I can’t enjoy sparkles with my kids when I fear mess. I can’t be armed up in prayer, when I feel obligated to be ready at man’s notice. I can’t enjoy the moment, when I’m fearing the outcome.
How do you need to let go today? Are you seeking to control something or someone? Or, are you afraid of feelings you can’t manage?
You know, Jesus entered the mess of this world to save the likes of you and me. He wasn’t so afraid of the mess, that He couldn’t enter in to it. While we were yet a sinner, Christ died for us. He sees everything we face. He is not as afraid of it, as we are.
He has an answer. He has a door of escape. He is a ready-help in time of trouble. What if we were to turn towards Him and ask for all the grace we need in our times of trouble?
Maybe, then, we’d throw sparkles up in the air and dance under them!
Prayer: Father, I am letting go of ___. I can’t do it alone. I need you. Help me. Give me grace, abundant grace. Show me the way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
