One of my least favorite things to do is check our postal mail box. It has junk mail more than things actually addressed to us. At times, I let it pile up for a week at a time and then stand there at the bank of several 5 inch wide by 5 inch high boxes that are about 18 inches deep, picking out all the papers and sh…tuff that is packed in there by my poor mailman. But the rebellion in fetching the mail only hurts me, not anyone else.
Today was no different … – except that there was a fat letter addressed to me. I opened it only to find my deceased father’s last will and testament. He has been gone for 2 years and I know he didn’t want to see me before his death for reasons of his own. He had been out of my life since I was a little girl as it was. However, to see that he had literally ‘written me out’ of his life 6 months before passing on was a blow that if I hadn’t already been sitting in my truck, would have flattened me.
I’d like to take the pain I’m feeling out on that mailbox that brought such torturous news to me today. But I know it’s not the mailbox or mailman’s fault. Neither was it the person’s fault who sent it thinking I should have a copy of it. They meant well, I’m sure.
My life’s philosophy is “Live Victoriously” – no matter what. And trust me, the ‘whats’ have been many. So how can I turn these lemons into lemonade this evening?
Let’s look at what I’ve learned just this past week of the attitudes I’d studied… I’ve learned about patience, kindness, joyfulness (Lord, we are going the WRONG way here! Help me out!!!), AHHHHhh…. here we go, Peacefulness. I was frazzled the day I studied this spiritual attitude, too. I wrote, “I want to practice being peaceful. Peaceful was described in one place as free from agitation especially in times of stress”.
I see I WANTED to practice being peaceful. So I kind of backed into this one, didn’t I? Here’s my chance to practice being free of agitation even when I’m stressed.
Well, does the fact my father wrote me off before he died change my value as a person in God’s eyes? Certainly not. Am I less of a person now, after knowing how he felt about me, than I was this morning when I woke up? Absolutely not. I AM a child of the Most High. HE is my heavenly father and he has never left me, or forsook me, even tho my earthly father did. God is the one who truly made me and has the keys to the heaven I will be abiding with God in when it’s my turn to pass on.
I ask you this evening, are you feeling the punch in the belly from a human? No matter. Your heavenly father loves you and will never forsake you. Let’s practice peacefulness and make a glass of lemonade, shall we?
Wonderful post, Cee. Such great points about practicing peace–it’s not something that just sneaks up and finds you when you least expect it. I can completely relate to a turbulent relationship with your father (look in my archived posts–hmm. I believe it may be titled something like Not So Merry and Bright or something like that–and that may give you an inkling. I’m still working on finding that peace. This post helps. Thanks,
Lori