A Fall Weekend and an Attitude Change

We produce an environment other people have to live in. We should be conscious of the fact that this environment which we produce by our very 'being' can affect the people who live with us or work with us. The effect on them is something they cannot avoid. We should have thoughtfulness concerning our responsibility in this area. We should be artists in doing something about the environment we are creating - artists before God, of course. We have His help because we are artists in this sense, in the hands of the Holy Spirit; for if we are Christians, He is dwelling in us, and we can ask for His power to help us.

                                                                      Edith Schaeffer - The Hidden Art of Homemaking

It was a gorgeous October weekend.

Family time, a fish fry with friends, perfect 70 degree weather, a visit from Stephen Grande's brother, time to shop and exercise by myself on Saturday morning, and a Sunday morning of worship were just a few of the good things we enjoyed this past weekend.

But even despite the idealistic circumstances, my disposition on Saturday morning was one of frustration and negativity. This mama was in a good old fashioned bad mood. I held it back most of the morning, but the shopping (which was largely unsuccessful) just pushed me over the edge. (I don't enjoy shopping these days. There is so little time for it, so I feel immense pressure to get what I need in a short amount of time all while sticking to a budget.) I felt as though I had wasted hours of valuable time and still didn't have what I needed. Anger, irritation, and anxiousness dominated my emotions and I was on the verge of being seriously unpleasant the rest of the day. Things were looking ugly.

My mind kept coming back to the paragraph at the top of the post found in Edith Shaeffer's book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking, a book I read this summer. I was so grateful to remember these words, to remember that I affect the environment of others around me, for better or worse. 

I desperately did not want to ruin my family's weekend (and therefore mine) by allowing my frustrations to get the best of me and to turn me into an unattractive person to be around.

I'm sure my mom and dad are reading and thinking - wish you would have thought about this more during your Jr. high and high school years.

 

So that Saturday morning, after some major internal conflict, a silent prayer, and a few tears on a very understanding husband's shoulder, I changed my attitude - or rather God helped me change my attitude.

And the rest of the weekend was simply wonderful - beautiful. 

I'm so grateful.

Praise God for fall weekends

- and attitude changes.