Too Blessed to be Stressed

In March of 2011, about six weeks after the passing of my husband of thirty five years, I was living in the thick fog of grief. Some very good friends from Texas sent me an invitation to join them for a while. It was a sweet opportunity to step out of the usual aftermath of death in the family. The purpose was not to run away; that’s just not me! I would rather embrace the storm and all the pain it brings and plow through, at the same time recognizing that everyone deals with grief in their own way. I knew this trip and the short time away would give me a fresh perspective on what I was going through and the new ‘normal’ that I was about to embark on.
One day while I was there my friend, Wanda, took me to an antique mall. Part of the mall was simply set up as a unique boutique with new items for sale. My eyes were drawn to a lovely black bag; down each side ran a white with black polka dot ribbon topped with a bow. It featured embroidery on one side that spoke to me! “Too blessed to be stressed”. I couldn’t decide right there but I asked her to take me back a few days later. That beautiful bag now lives in my closet and I still use it! The beauty is not necessarily in the item itself but rather in the constant reminder it is to me that, indeed, I am too blessed to be stressed!
In the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, God makes a promise to all who believe and follow Him. His thoughts toward us are always and only good. The promise includes peace, hope and a future! With that in mind I cannot help but understand how truly blessed I am. In the midst of stressful circumstances I don’t need to live in the stress. As I lean into God’s promises, focusing on the blessings in my life, I continue on my way to the party!