P cubed

Patience, Prayers and Peace. That is what P cubed stands for today.  This revelation came at the Perfect time!

I suppose my week of ups and downs could be blamed on the time change.  Or the fact that Minnesota has jumped straight to summer. Or that I worked a lot more this week than usual.  Or the  stress of starting a basement remodel. Or...?????  Whatever reason I pick, it doesn't matter.  What matters is that I apply my P cubed theory  to today and let God give me a fresh start to the day.

Patience!  That is a hard one sometimes.  I would love to lose 10 pounds this week.  Or have my house clean in an hour.  Or have the basement remodel done today.  But everything in life takes time.  And it isn't on my schedule - it is in God's time.  I can usually convince myself of that but it isn't easy.  I can get my coffee at McDonald's in less than two minutes - why can't my house be clean in an hour (and stay that way?)  The weather in Minnesota right now is perfect for long distance biking.  I would go every day if I could.  But I need to be patient and finish what needs to be done first - cleaning, American Greetings work, church commitments - before I can enjoy myself on the road.  There will be sacrifices made today so that I can hopefully have tomorrow to myself on a 40 or 50 mile ride.  And for me it will be a great test of my patience to see if I can get things done and make it through the day with out becoming "crabby!"

Prayers! There are days when I get to the club in the morning and right off the bat I am focused on my prayers.  Then there are days when I get to the end of my workout, with my mind still cluttered and realize I haven't taken the time to pray and give my problems to God.  Today was one of those days.  Two nights of less than adequate sleep, three days of go go go, and a list a mile long of things that need to be done now plus the requests of friends and family - spoken or unspoken - for needs in their lives  - and my brain was overwhelmed this morning.  I struggled to make myself do an easy day in anticipation of my ride tomorrow but it took me a good hour before I realized I hadn't given anything to God.  I was so focused on what I thought I could do to help everyone and "Fix" things in their lives, that I had pushed God aside this morning and crowned myself "Superwoman!" 

I am so happy that God has patience with me.  And that He will listen to my prayers.  When I finish a workout and don't feel any better mentally - I know I forgot something.  That is when I realize I NEED to take time to pray.  I know I am not Superwoman - nor do I really want to be.  But there are times where I just get so focused on what needs to be done and think that I can do it myself that I lose sight of who can really get it done - and that I need God to help me.  Prayers went up and on my drive home  I felt that weight coming off my shoulders, that clearing coming into my head and that feeling of God being there with me and that leads me into Peace.

Peace! I have a friend who signs all his emails with the word Peace.  One word - a powerful word - that is a wonderful reminder that we can have Peace in our lives.  But it isn't something that just happens.  I find that Peace comes usually after Prayers have been sent up and when I have found the time to be Patient in life.  Allowing God to take on my struggles brings me Peace.  Surrounding myself with a serene setting in the great outdoors brings me Peace.  Watching the joy my children bring to me and others brings me Peace.  Knowing that God will keep me on this wonderful journey to a NEW Shari brings me Peace.  There are so many opportunities to find things to bring me Peace, I just have to remind myself to make the effort to look.

P cubed.   That's my motto today.  My workout is done, Prayers have been said and I know that God is already working in me to bring me Patience and Peace.

Peace to you my friends.