I had every intention to start off the New Year bound and determined to hit the ground running. January 1st is always a definitive point of recognition for me and I love it. I feel revived and motivated knowing that a new year awaits me. I think it reminds me that the good Lord sets us free and strengthens us to do the extraordinary. He renews us. He transforms us.
I woke up January 1st and grabbed my list I made a few days earlier to help me stay focused. I was motivated to get our home and my life organized since the mess of celebrating the holidays lingered around my house. Instead I was thrown for a loop! A gigantic loop! In fact, I am writing this right now in a hotel room, tucked away on the bed with the chaos of my husband playing with the kids trying to make this experience fun for them.
January 1st…instead of jumping into the expectations I hoped would make me feel accomplished, my husband bumped into my happy new year with some not so happy news. He found mold in our house. I was beyond bummed. I was angry. I was frustrated. And I cried the ugly cry.
We would have cleaned it up and carried on, but the kids have colds and I didn’t want to risk their health. I already feel bad enough that we have been living with the unsuspecting mold growing. I couldn’t bear the thought of staying there. My husband agreed to stay where the kids could get rest and clean air. And because of the holiday, the professionals won’t be there until after the weekend.
My husband just looked over and said, “I feel displaced.”
When things like this happen it is so hard for me to be strong. I feel bombarded with negative thoughts and my anxiety rises.
Chaos. Crazy. Nothing of what I planned for. Nothing over the last two days were on my “New Year” agenda.
So what do you do when the new year does not start off as you expect?
Depending on how you feel…cry the ugly cry. I think its worth it to get the emotion out. Then take a deep breath and pray.
In my case, my husband offered to pray and then I followed. I can’t tell you how much prayer really helps, just do it. A few other things you can do is be flexible, because stuff happens, and keep a positive perspective. I suppose there is always someone going through something worse. That doesn’t devalue what you feel when you hit a bump in the road or someone or something bumps into your happy new year…it simply means that what you are facing might not be that bad. You can make. You can start again.
And just for the record…even if the first day of the new year or the first few weeks of the new year include some unwanted circumstance that throw you for a loopty-loop…just ride it out and start again when you feel like you can.
Life can be hard. And it isn’t going to let up just because it is January 1st.
The only one who can help you through the hard is God. He is there with you and He has the power to help you through it. Trust Him.