My three month old baby hates to be in the car. He screams like crazy whenever I have to take  him somewhere. My daughters and I have nearly gone mad having to ride with him! The other day, my nine year old asked me to turn on some music in the car. She handed me a Switchfoot CD and asked me to turn it up. I had to crank it up pretty high to hear it over the baby’s shrill cries.

Then something amazing happened. He stopped crying.  I guess he likes his music loud.

Needless to say, we’ve been listening to a lot of Switchfoot in the car. One of the songs that is sticking with me is “The Shadow Proves the Sunshine”.

You can’t have a shadow unless there is sunshine.  Something blocks the sunlight, and the shadow is created.

I was thinking about the shadows in my own life. How the dark days that I face sometimes prove that there is light shining on me. On one side of me, the Lord is shining His light. On the backside, there are some shadows. I can’t have one without the other.

I have a choice to make. Do I turn my head toward the shadow and focus on its darkness, or do I turn my face to His light? I must fix my eyes on the love, grace, and power of Jesus in my life. He is shining on me. I can feel it.

My baby’s favorite place to hang out is on the back patio. He’s quite the outdoorsman already. We have a swing out there, and some days the only way to soothe him is to sit out there with him on my lap and swing him to sleep. As he sits on my lap facing forward, all I can see is the top of his head and his chubby legs sticking out.

We all know that God speaks in our quiet moments, so it was no surprise that God whispered some loving thoughts to me as I swung my baby boy.

I was observing his little hair patterns. His hair begins in a perfect swirl in the center of the top of his head. I can see the very first hair that sets off the pattern. I can see the many hairs that follow suit. It goes around and around covering his sweet head.

God whispered….

I am in all the details.

I orchestrated a perfect beginning for your life.

Every moment, every detail flows in the pattern that I decide.

My design for your life is beautiful.

I have it all covered.

Just trust Me.

Read a great quote today:

“Never pray for an easier life — pray to be a stronger person!  Never pray for tasks equal to your power — pray for power equal to your tasks.  Then doing your work will be no miracle — you will be the miracle.”  (Phillips Brooks)

I’m feeling quite overwhelmed.  I get little pockets of time to get things accomplished throughout the day.  However, I am a person that NEEDS to complete things.  It seems that everything in my life right now is half done.  I am am letting this predicament steal my peace and my joy.

Instead of whining about all that I need to do and wishing things were easier, I just need to pray and ask the Lord to give me the strength to be successful today. I also need to ask for wisdom to make plans and set expectations for the day.  Good grief… I have an infant! There’s no way all the housework will get done today, but He will help me get the most important things done.

I was reminded this morning that having three healthy children in a comfortable home is a PRIVILEGE.  I am blessed.   So, rather than act overwhelmed, I should act like I am blessed.

Perspective adjusted.  Thank you, Lord.