When you wake up sweaty and tired to the sound of a crying baby.
When kids can’t seem to communicate outside of a whine.
When cut grass continues to track inside the house, and flies are close behind, both conspiring to drive you slowly insane.
When you’re five months pregnant on a muggy August day in Mississippi, and the air conditioning goes out.
When you hate yourself for yelling at the kids.
When grease from the hot bacon burns you.
When the kids just won’t listen.
When you drop things repeatedly and bending over is really hard.
When you need to wash your greasy hair, but know a blow dryer will be torture in a hot, stuffy house.
When your legs hurt. And your hips hurt. And your head hurts. And you’re nauseated.
When you get a stain on your shirt right before walking out the door.
When you absolutely have to go to the DMV.
When you sit in the DMV parking lot, it’s pouring a torrential rainfall, and the toddler is finally asleep.
When you realize you forgot your umbrella.
When you walk into the DMV and realize you’re that pregnant lady, the one with little kids in tow and nappy hair to boot.
When the picture on your license does not lie.
When the AC repairman leaves and the vents are still blowing hot air.
And they tracked more grass in your house, which is also mixed with mud.
And your house is on the market.
And now the landscaper can’t come because of the rain.
And the cable and Internet are acting hokey.
When nothing, absolutely nothing about your day seems to be working according to plan. You’re tired, achy, and feel like your prayers for patience are not working out. Or are they?
When it’s a bad day, and despite how much you want to find the good in it, you’re having a hard time.
When you realize the kids are happy and healthy, and the one growing in your belly is doing just fine.
When you think that maybe the rain will cool it off outside. It should certainly keep homebuyers away until floors are mopped.
When you realize you have somewhere to go if it doesn’t cool off.
When you realize that perception is everything, and perhaps the stuff that seems bad may not be so terrible after all.
Even so, some days are just plain bad days, and it’s not always easy seeing a silver lining, but you hold on tight because you know who controls it all.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Isaiah 58:11
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
When you smile despite the bad, a slight smile, but a smile nonetheless, because you trust that tomorrow will be a better day.
When you smile, a slight smile, but a smile nonetheless, at the thought that tomorrow may not be much better.
But you know there’s always the next day. Right?
