Every year, we as a church celebrate the four weeks leading up to Christmas; we call it Advent. We light candles, we think nice thoughts, maybe say a prayer or two. But I've never felt as if I were living it, that is, really preparing my mind and my heart and my spirit for the coming of Christ. So, based on a friend's "365 Days of Kindness" Project, I am going to be live and act according to the 28 days of Advent. So, here it is. I hope you’ll feel free to join me if you are so inspired.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Day 24: LOVE without freaking out





“Trusting God’s plan is the only secret I know in the gentle art of not freaking out.” – Lysa Terkuerst


Today’s post will be very short; I am very tired.

Today, my son, David, had his car towed. He was supposed to have moved it before the plows came, and he didn’t. He called me in the middle of the day. He needed: 1. proof of ownership, 2. an exorbitant amount of money, and 3. a ride from his apartment in Hopkins to the car place in Minneapolis. His father found proof of ownership and took it to the towing place, bless his heart. And he paid the cash.

I provided the ride. The very long ride. When one is stuck in traffic for what feels like forever on Hwy 394 and then Hwy 94 with your son in the passenger seat, there are a number of options. I took the high road. David thanked me for not “freaking out”. And he is right; I did not freak out. I could have freaked out, I certainly have freaked out many times in the past, but this time I didn’t.

And that is an act of restraint. But also, an act of LOVE. Waking up and walking to your car in the early morning, only to find it missing, has got to be a really distressing experience. So, I figured my raging and yelling and all that goes along with “freaking out” could only compound, and certainly not help the distress.

So, because I am trying to welcome the Advent experience of hope, and joy, and peace, and LOVE into my life (and into my son’s life), I kept my mouth shut. 

I LOVE him very much.

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