Overwhelmed?

By Kristin Hammett

Dear Ladies,

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I must say, that I still find myself laughing when I hear Frosty the Snowman playing in the stores when it is 100 degrees outside. It is very amusing to me. There are Christmas decorations everywhere, music playing, and watermelons for sale! I am ready to do something festive around the house. I reminded my husband that Thanksgiving IS over, so we can start playing Christmas music. To which he replied, “I’m going to write a book – Lies Women Believe.” Ha!

He is wonderful husband though, even if he doesn’t like Christmas music. I can’t begin to tell you what a blessing he has been this month. Sickness paid a visit and as far as I’m concerned, she over-stayed her welcome. I’m about ready to kick her out.  But I’ll be nice and give her a few more days. 🙂 You’re the best George! Thank you again for all you do. (He’s my proofreader.)

God has shown Himself strong on our behalf here this month, and we praise Him with grateful hearts. Several hungry people have come to know Jesus this month! With that, it has also been one of the busiest months for me. Schooling seems to be going well for now, but Monday is coming! My baby Luke is going to be 2 years old next week. I don’t remember getting old. What happened? We enjoyed a sweet Thanksgiving with family and friends. The kids are loving the summer weather and all the excitement that brings to the backyard: kiddies’ pool, mud, and frogs. It’s not really nice when all those 3 things mix, but I tell you, it has.

This time of the year is a flurry of activity for everyone, for all different reasons. It can be downright overwhelming, can’t it?  Just this past week,  Luke colored all over his arms with markers. Cocoa, our dog, decided to stencil my floor with mud footprints. We had four extra people for lunch one day. So I was trying to  make lunch, while homeschooling, and cleaning up glue sticks smeared on the floor. The prize winner was my young, darling, aspiring hairdresser who attempted to cut her entire ponytail off. Thankfully she was only about 75% successful.  I’m sure things like that never happen in your house. 🙂

Life becomes overwhelming when we look at the circumstances; the waves, and not at the One walking on those waves. It’s when we look at what’s wrong, instead of what’s (or Who’s) right.  But if you’re like me, it’s not always the big things though, sometimes it’s the small things that can seem overwhelming and make us feel like those Christmas snow globes decorating our end tables.

Psalm 77:3  “I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed…”

There is a relationship between complaining and being overwhelmed. We know the outward verbal complaining isn’t right. Most times you can just bite your tongue and stop that though. But the Lord challenged me about that inward strife that can pop up in all of our hearts. That really is frustration and complaining before the Lord. When we let that go; when we let that come to a full rolling boil, you and I will find ourselves OVERWHELMED every time.

The opposite of complaining is a thankful, grateful, praising heart. Praise can be a sacrifice, because it involves surrendering what ever to the Lord. Viewing life and responding with  thankfulness to God for Who He is, What He promises in His Word, His many blessings daily, and the grace received from others lifts a heart from being overwhelmed.

As one author stated, “Gratitude is a life-preserver. Choosing gratitude rescues me from myself and my runaway emotions. It buoys me on the grace of God…” Another writes, “Thanksgiving gives effect to prayer and frees us from anxious carefulness by making all God’s dealings a matter for praise, not merely for resignation, much less murmuring. Peace is the companion of thanksgiving.”

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Phil 4:6-7

Peace is certainly the opposite of being overwhelmed. At this time of year, we rejoice that God sent the Prince of Peace to take away our sin and to destroy the works of the devil, so that we might KNOW Him that is true. 1 John 5:20. Yet we are in a world where most don’t know Him.

May we rest in His peace, and share that Gift with others more than anything else.

Love, Kristin