Life Challenges

As I go through life I have a tendency to do things the simplest way. Get things done the quickest and easiest. Keep it simple. Not embrace a challenge. However, sometimes the challenges come your way even when you aren’t prepared for them . . .

I’m learning that some things are worth the effort if we work hard at them.

I’m on vacation right now. Before I left I made sure that all of my electronics were charged up. I didn’t want to get stuck with something dying at the worst time. I was prepared! I was proud of myself for thinking ahead. I thought wow, I’m so smart to be proactive to get this done before I leave town.

I got my car all packed up for a few days away from home. It always seems to take longer than it should. However, I was so excited to leave for my little vacation I wasn’t going to let that derail my mindset. Well . . . I sat in the drivers seat and turned on the ignition . . . nothing . . . I mean nothing! The battery in my car was completely dead! This was a challenge!

I had charged everything I could think of except for the one thing that I needed the most. (I had cleaned the interior of my car the day before and apparently had accidentally turned on something that drained the battery). There wasn’t going to be a vacation if I didn’t have a car to get me to my destination. This was a challenge!

What was I going to do! I did what all good wives do. I made a panicky call to my sweet husband. He was at work and unfortunately he happened to be out of town at that moment. This was a challenge but I knew I could depend on him to help me. I waited around 45 minutes and all of a sudden he was there along with a friend, they fixed me up in just a couple of minutes and I was on my way!

I told Lon he was my knight in shining armor only in a bright fluorescent safety vest! He really is so good to me!

What do we do when life gives us challenges? At one point in my life this would have pushed me over the edge and completely ruined my day! I was a door slammer when I would get frustrated. (Like that was going to help solve my challenges and frustrations) Thankfully, that’s not me anymore. I have had to work hard on this over the years. I was disappointed the car wouldn’t start, yet knew it was out of my control. What good would getting upset do?

I’ve had to work hard to control my emotions when I would get frustrated. God has helped me throughout this journey. Looking back I can see a huge difference in how my life has grown over the years. I have a long way to go and am still striving to be the person God intends for me to be.

I’m staying at a sweet & cute tiny house with a pond just outside my front door. There is a kayak in the water waiting for me . . . I’ve always wanted to try this. It’s scary to think about trying something new. I have a tendency to shy away from anything that is outside my comfort zone. I really want to try it . . . I really do but, I’m afraid I may tip over! That’s a challenge.

The wind is howling outside the comfort of this cute little oasis. I may not be able to even try it if the wind continues. This is a challenge! I hope I can give it a try.

I knew there was going to be a kayak here. I’ve been contemplating this for a couple of weeks now.

While I was home yesterday, I spotted this cute or kinda ugly caterpillar. It was repelling down our front cement steps. I thought how brave this little caterpillar was!

For as small as this little guy was he was doing something big. He was being brave. It wasn’t a challenge for him. He knew he could do it so he did.

Would he be fearful of trying something new? Could I be as brave as that little caterpillar going down our steps?

Some people may think I’m brave. I’m staying in a tiny home in the middle of nowhere all by myself! Yet that’s not a big deal for me. Getting into a kayak and trying to maneuver it all by myself would be something brave for me. That’s a challenge!

It’s hard for me to look outside the comfort of my world. To try new things whether it be new food or a kayak, it’s hard & intimidating for me. I want to be more adventurous in my world. Embrace challenges, not run away from them. Who knows what a positive outcome this could have. One new thing that I embrace could open up a new world of possibilities.

UPDATE: The morning that I was scheduled to leave my little cabin the wind calmed down. The water was hardly moving at all. I thought, here’s my chance to give kayaking a try. It was a pretty chilly morning but I decided that God had calmed the waters just for me. I took off and loved every minute of it, except for the muddy toad I was sitting on when I first sat down! Embrace your challenges & try new things!