Oh Life

So I assume we can all agree that Forrest Gump was lying right through his teeth when he said that life was like a box of chocolates. Because I LOVE chocolate. Always. (And you do, in fact, know what you're gonna get because boxes of chocolate now come with the little charts that tell what each one is).

I don't always love the things going on in my life. I don't like when I find myself in the middle of a messed up situation that I have no control over... or reaping the consequences of mistakes I've made. Here are some options I've been considering lately in an attempt to deal with issues. I've also included the potential problems with each option.


Option #1: Put way tooooo many work and/or social commitments into my schedule so that I don't have time to really sit down and think about anything.
Problem: Sounds super unhealthy.

Option #2: See my therapist more than once a week.
Problem: Too expensive.

Option #3: Walk closely with Jesus and surround myself with people who will show me grace while being bold enough to point me back to the Truth (aka the Bible).
Problem: Seems too obvious, too easy. Right?

False. Option 3 is most definitely the hardest way to deal with things, because that is exactly what it entails. DEALING. Not numbing out. Not pretending that everything is okay. But actually facing all of the CRAP in life head on and saying, "Jesus, this doesn't make any sense. I have no freaking clue as to why You assumed that I'd be able to handle all of this because I'm pretty sure I'm about to break into a million pieces.  But whatever. Your Word says that there will never be a temptation for which You will not provide a way for me to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13) so I'm gonna acknowledge this broken mess I've gotten myself into and trust that You will show me the way out."

Now before you go thinking how great of a Jesus-follower I am, you should probably know that this isn't always the way I react to the things in my life or the way I always react to the Lord. Sometimes I say bad words (although I'm really trying to work on that one) and sometimes I think really horrible thoughts. Sometimes I just want to give up and go curl up in the fetal position on my bed (this one I still do on a fairly regular basis). But what always eventually surfaces in my heart and mind is the Truth of who Jesus is and how much He loves me...and that He, in fact, knew about the messes I would make long before I made them and who, himself, experienced the same temptations and frustrations as I do.

So, maybe I'm the only one here who sometimes feels crazy, lost, confused, broken beyond repair, tired, etc. But I suspect that is not the case. So how do you deal? And more importantly, is it working for you?

The lovely sweater that I took off as soon as I was able to get
 back into my sweatpants after church