Batten down the hatches

I was thinking about my questions this morning. I feel the need to edit them. I am focusing on two.

They are:

1) What do you need to THRIVE?

 Once again, I got this from a video snippet from the Power of Moms website. I went to bed and woke up pondering my questions from the previous post but this question kept resurfacing. I'd lay there thinking of what the other questions were and this would come without my needing to search for it.Thus my shift in focus.

 I think it'd be the ultimate therapy to have someone who really cares for me to ask me to answer this question. It may just be me and a personal appreciation for acknowledgement, concern and just plain having someone be interested in my needs but I would get a huge boost from being asked this. So, I am decided that since this question stalwartly stayed with me at bedtime and upon waking that the Lord (who loves me more and best of all) was asking me this question. He wanted me to answer this question, He wanted to listen to my answers and He wanted me to move forward knowing He'd be there to succor and encourage as I went about striving for thriving.

2) Before you can move on, what do you need to learn well?

Okay, now for the real. I am embarrassed to admit this mostly because I feel foolish. But I was writing in my hardcopy journal this morning and I went back to read a few entries. I realized that some things that I were needling me three years ago were still needling me! And thus we see a huge hit to my pride. I consider myself a fast learner and, at first,  I was disgruntled with myself for still wrestling with the same concerns. But then I realized that maybe this is my season of learning how to be a good wrestler. It takes years for professional athletes to become excellent and they do it by consistently improving on the basics and mastering the fundamentals. Although humbled, I feel less chagrined with my discovery.

It feels goods to edit, doesn't it? I love the relief of simplifying. It gives you so much more freedom to grow without self-inflicted stress. This is my time of life where my kids and I are in a constant stages of growth. Why wouldn't I need to batten down the hatches and hang on for the ups and downs and expect nothing but the unexpected. I think mommy brains long for the expected much too much and that leads to us getting all frustrated and getting in our own way. I like what Sister Hinckley said in this regard.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow what a ride!”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley
 
I like that it makes me view life thru a new perspective. I can batten down the hatches knowing the storm of life may toss me to and fro but I also knowing that I can thrive in the midst of life's tousles. I kind of like that.
So, let me go gather some stylish galoshes, throw on my trusty poncho and gird myself with some trusty tools that will aid me in my quest to thrive...no matter the weather.