"There is a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." — Ecclesiastes 3:4 NASB

Reality Du Jour

Some days I hate my life, my job and my circumstances. I get tired of nagging my children to eat their veggies, stop whining, do their homework, stop whining, brush their teeth, stop whining, clean their room, stop whining, go to bed, and stop whining! Too often, I feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Parenting alone produces waaaaay too much mama trauma drama.

And I whine—often.

Stormy emotions often roll over my day, shipwrecking my attitudes on fear's reef. On my whiniest days, rough seas drown out my hope and faith and I need a lifeline. My cry is the same as Jesus' disciples terrified by The Perfect Storm waves assaulting and burying their dinghy underwater. As their boat tossed about like a toy caught in the swirl of a tsunami, they yelled, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!"

Is Anybody There?

Jesus awoke from his nap drenched to the bone by the rockin' and rollin' waves enveloping the fishing boat. He asked, "Why are you afraid?" Then he stood up and scolded the winds and the sea. The Sea of Galilee obeyed and smoothed out like glass, becoming perfectly calm.

On my toughest days, it's easier for me to whine than admit, "Lord, I'm afraid to trust you."

What type of man do the winds and the sea obey? The kind of person who uses his power to throw a lifeline to a solo parent drowning under the weight of panic and her responsibilities.

God has been faithful to me. He saw the first recorded single mom's circumstances (Genesis 21:17). The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard…" Through every frightening turn of events, Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). He understands every one of my whiny cries. I will cling to God's life buoy and believe Hebrews 6:19, "I have this hope [in God] as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

I'm thankful that God provided for me in the past. He's faithful to me today and will make available what I need for tomorrow, next week, next year.