My new blog buddy, Eleanor, let me know that she’d been missing my posts this week.  It was so nice to be missed.  Things have just been kind of crazy around here and to be honest, (shhh) I’ve had PMS.  That may be too much information for you all, but I’ve been so irritable it’s been best for me to be quiet. 

I feel like I’ve made some progress since I can at least realize when I’m battling PMS and try to force myself to keep things in perspective during those times.  It has just seemed like NOTHING was going smoothly for me.  I often tell my husband that as long as I feel like I’m top of one thing, I’m pretty ok.  But when I have PMS, I tend to get very discouraged and overwhelmed.  I start looking at all of the things that are NOT done or aren’t going according to my plans. 

If I had been blogging earlier this week, you might have heard about my frustrations with trying to find workers for our support group’s enrichment classes, a location for our co-op or my messy house.  And while all of that is real, my grumping about them does nothing to glorify God or encourage any of you, at least not the way I would have written it then!  When I am that stressed, I can’t see the forest for the trees.  Hormones are powerful and I have just had to learn to pay attention and guard my mouth (or keyboard as the case may be). 

Now if this can encourage you that you’re not alone in these struggles; I’m here for you Sister.  I’ve already surrendered to the fact that my ministry may be to make others feel better about themselves.  They can see the mess I make of sewing projects and say, “Hey at least I sew better than her.”  Or they can come to my messy house and say, “Well it’s not as bad as the Carter’s.”  They can look at my almost 4 year old son’s scrapbook with about 10 pages completed and think, “Well at least I’m not as behind as Nancy.”  Of course, I could probably do better in all those areas, but I just want to make things easier on everyone else.  (I wish!)

But now let me tell you how my week has ended.  I did get a sewing project finished.  My husband got his bonus check.  I was invited to the internship. I found the things I wanted to get Jon for his birthday.  The boys are helping with the laundry and straightening the house.  And best of all, my husband got a new saddle for me!  He had been setting some money aside and surprised me with it today. 

I love what he did and I love why he did it - because he loves me, even when I’m grouchy and negative.  I know that God is the same way and I just love it when my husband loves me with God’s love.  When I was feeling so down this week, I kept telling God that I knew He was The Lifter of My Head and asked Him to help me overcome those awful mood swings. Knowing His love for me, I was even so bold as to ask God to show me and remind me of His love.  And He was faithful again… just like He always is, even when I’m grouchy and negative. 

So if you’re having a rough week, maybe you can say, “Well at least I blogged more than Nancy…”  I won’t be offended.  It’s my ministry.