When Life Feels Out of Our Control

My intention was simply to straighten up the house, but that isn’t exactly how things played out.

With full hands, I hurried down the basement steps to relocate some items to the kids’ craft area. I felt something slip through my fingers and hit the wood stairs, and it took me a moment to process what had happened.

The plastic jar I had been carrying was filled with black chalkboard paint. Black paint. The container cracked, splattering black paint everywhere. All over the wood stairs, the walls, the carpeting, the door, the ceiling, my husband’s laptop, the sewing machine, the ping pong table, and anything else in its path. Did I mention that it was black paint?

After my mouth released a few expletives, my jaw hit the ground and I surveyed the damage with bulging eyeballs. My daughter, Ellie, was the only one home at the time, and she was quick to the scene. We began frantically wiping up whatever we could before the paint was dry and, surprisingly, we were able to remove the mess from nearly every surface. Except the carpet. We tried everything and it wouldn’t budge—even Google couldn’t help us. When it was clear that we had exhausted all efforts, Ellie looked at me with a familiar calmness and said, “You know what’s cool? Area rugs!”

While I may have been inclined to linger in frustration, replay what happened, kick myself, and wish I could rewind the day by thirty minutes, her response was to solve the issue as much as possible and move forward. And her humor replaced some of my frustration with a smile.

In big ways and small, life overflows with splattered paint moments. Situations that shake up our normal and send us searching for peace and solutions. As the years pass, the more I realize that challenges and change are a significant part of this mysterious journey. They are expected, consistent, and even valuable. And yet I often find myself surprised to be in the middle of a storm.

I was recently talking with a friend whose world has been thrown into a total tailspin because of circumstances beyond her control. She shared that each day she commits to staying positive because that is something she can choose to do. She went on to say that, more than ever, she has started to lean on God for strength. And the glimmer in her eyes reflected the peace in her soul. In an unpredictable world, He is unchanging and constant. Able to provide stability and refuge when we need it most.

Tough times will come—it’s something we can be sure of. But the way we walk through the darkest seasons makes all the difference. We can be empowered by the truth that we never stand alone, and within our grasp is the power to choose. The power to choose joy. The power to choose gratitude. The power to choose hope.

It’s been a little while since I stopped by the blog. Hope you are all doing well:)

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Maya Angelou