Stress

. . . "You gotta let it go" my husband told me again yesterday . . . Inside I screamed,  ". . . but I am!!!!" . . . Okay, maybe I am as best as I know how . . . But it keeps coming back and sneaking up on me and grabbing me . . . Stress . . .

Busyness that I can't say no to . . . Weariness of noise . . . And cooking for other people besides my family . . . cleaning rooms that don't stay clean a day or even a few hours  . . . and changing diapers that keep getting stinky lol and settling squabbles day after day . . . Homeschooling yet again and again and again . . . Going round and round in discussions with a disgruntled teen . . . Knowing or not knowing how to encourage a friend . . . Wanting to be there for the little people at church, yet needing lady conversations and encouragement myself . . . Keeping myself out of negativity . . .  Praying again and again for wisdom and strength to raise our two year old who has mad fits . . .

How do I let go and continue to leave it there? . . . How do I take His burden which is light in exchange for my heavy ones ?. . .

I have been watching the summer green leaves of the trees that surround our house wave and swing and sway with the wind.  At first, after we put the windows in, I had to look for positive things to override my disappointment of us ordering the wrong size (they were all a bit shorter than we were thinking) . . . All I can see unless I go over and stand by the window is sky and a few tree tops . . .

I found multiple things to thank the Lord for!  Number one, I don't need to worry about quickly finding, making or buying curtains! These shorter windows certainly provide more privacy from the road! Secondly, this is good of God to remind me daily that I need to look up more often . . . To look higher than I normally tend too . . . To keep my focus heavenward! And thirdly, I don't need to see the mess of building materials or children's outdoor toys scattered around.  I can blissfully look at the sky and tree tops and watch the few birds that tweet and twitter to their hearts content above the commotion below!

So, this afternoon, as I was enjoying my daily tree watching, I noticed something again.  I have been becoming particularly fond of the popple trees to my chagrin! . .   (These are the trees that my husband plans to take a chainsaw to 😟 . . .)

I can stand and stare at these tree leaves for long periods of time - just watching their leaves!  The leaves are quite round, but they dangle and twirl and flutter and flip and flop like no other tree leaf! ( At least that I've noticed - now I have not been watching the tree leaves closely for very long, just a few months, and we only have a few varieties in our yard and the woods beyond).

Interestingly enough, this is what I found when I looked up the tree online. "Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called QUAKING aspen,[1][2][3] TREMBLING aspen,[1][2] American aspen,[2] Quakies,[1] mountain or golden aspen,[4] TREMBLING poplar,[4] white poplar,[4]popple,[4] as well as others.[4]"

So I'm not alone . . . Many have noticed and it has adjectives to it's name like quaking and trembling!

So what has this to do with my subject of letting go of stress? 

Those leaves . . . They are held on by a "strong  arm" of a stem . . . But they twist and turn and are utterly flexible and happy . . . No stiff neck/shoulder muscles holding them back . . . They are loose and "carefree" . . . They are happy and light . . . They are glorifying God by BEING . . .
Not stressing, not worrying, not caring burdens that God didn't intend for them to carry . . . They simply let go and let God order the wind and rain and sunshine that He deems best for them, for that day, that hour, that minute! . . .

I have so much to learn!

I have so much to let go!

I have so much room to grow!!!