"Tackle-It" Tuesday - When Life Doesn't Go The Way You Plan


So….last week, I had the brilliant idea to take a breath, slow down, smell roses, bake bread.  Aannnddd….life blew a big, fat, juicy raspberry at me. I went straight from the library to haircuts, from haircuts to ball pictures and an extra practice, then fell into bed exhausted.  Life does that sometimes.  It takes the plans you had and upends them. In those situations, only one thing matters.
Attitude.
Charles Swindoll, author of The Grace Awakening, said: “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” With each situation last Tuesday, I had a choice.  I could have been aggravated that an extra practice was scheduled on the ONLY free night I had all week, and that I had to pick up special “for boys only” protective equipment without my husband or the kid in question. Instead, I took advantage of the fact that Academy Sports is right next to PetsMart and picked up live plants for my fish. Then my toddler and I bebopped over to Krispy Kreme for drive-thru donuts. Yes, I know swimsuit season is coming. Please don’t judge me.

We made it home moments after the kids got off the bus. And despite the fact I only had time for a quick bathroom break and some yelling when I got home – “Don’t take your shoes off.  Just get in the car!  We have to go!” I was glad haircuts were on Tuesday not Wednesday.  Because his hair looked awesome for baseball pictures.  You couldn’t see it under his hat, but it did.  And it’s the sort of thing that’s important to a Mom and a little man who’s just starting to realize he’s cute.

I walked from baseball pictures to the practice field with a Mom I hadn’t met before, and (I hope) made a friend. We shivered and chatted together as we watched our boys play ball, and I went home more refreshed than I ever expected to be after such a day.

Because I didn’t let my circumstances determine my attitude.  I kept my heart and my mind open. Do I every time? Of course not. I have my moments where I’m snippy or I wallow, hiding under my covers sneaking chocolate. But every morning I get up and (forgive a baseball metaphor) try to hit every ball that’s pitched at me. Without whining about curve balls.

You can too. You’re the Babe Ruth of mommyhood, or wifehood or the classroom or the office. Focus on that ball. Grin. And swing. Just swing. Give life everything you’ve got today.  Hit or miss, tackle it with joy.



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