Accepting What Is

Accepting what is
(That I sometimes wake
up with an exciting hairdo)

Does not mean that there is no way to make it better!

I am reading a book called The Five Thieves of Happiness by John Izzo where he talks about control as a thief of happiness -- specifically us trying to control people, or situations.  Trying to control what is not ours to control sets us up to be unhappy.  It's like saying we will only be happy if it is sunny -- and then it rains.  Or I will only be happy if my friend is happy.  What if they are chronically unhappy?  Do you have to be chronically unhappy too? 

When Derek and I were first married I cried a lot -- over just about everything.  At first, Derek would be sad too, but then he told me that he would always be sympathetic when I felt sad, but that he didn't think it was a good idea for him join in my sadness.  He was right!  I knew he cared that I was sad, and quite frankly, a happier Derek had a lot bigger chance of helping me snap out of my sadness!

When I opened my journal today I read about the lesson I had learned with Dan's food allergies.  I didn't feel peaceful about them until I realized that they just are.  Me using my mind to wish them away wasn't working.  It did nothing but make me grumpy, and keep me from finding solutions.  I then listed some of the challenges my children were facing. I had "struggled against it all -- feeling sorry for me and them."  The solution I came to?  "I need to accept that these challenges are and be grateful that the Lord will help me.  I need to not only trust that He will try (to help) but that He will help ...

Accepting what is helps us to be happier than trying to control what we can't change.  Accepting what is can move us forward, helping us find happy solutions to the very problems we are fighting so hard against.