As I spotted the empty paper bag, neatly folded and stashed in the kitchen closet, it jogged my memory.
“I threw it away. I emptied that bag of all the tissue paper and threw it away.”
“It” was an embroidered cream doily and strand of jewels loving purchased for my mother-in-law’s birthday present from a favorite antique store. It was the morning of her birthday dinner and I was searching the house high and low. I didn’t even have any recollection of what I had done with it. No nugget of memory to base my search on…until I found the empty bag.
My heart sank in my chest and began to pound against my rib cage. My breathing began to be rapid and shallow. My head swirled. It felt like panic.
Exhausted from a late night. Pressured by commitments and expectations. Feeling the strain that all that was putting on my husband, our marriage and our family.
It was just too much. In that moment, I felt all the weight of what I’d been trying to push through, smile through, the entire week, or more like the month. The weight of it all was right there on my chest.
Photo Courtesy of Michelle Carter, My So-Called Handmade Life
The day before I sat with all my bible study ladies, staring at blank pages of two weeks of homework I never completed. My bible tucked into my study bag, it too had spent the last few weeks unvisited. (Loved Michelle’s post of a similar experiences, linked through above photo).
I’ve been living upside-down-backwards. No wonder I was panicking over small things. I was totally ignoring the big things. The things that could put me rightside-up again.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
Weary? Check!
Burdened? Check!
Rest? Yes please.
Jesus, here I come.
Grandparents’ Summer Cottage – A Place of Rest
Is there a place you go when you hear Jesus saying “Come”? Where is your place to be “beside restful waters”?
© 2012, Danielle Peters. All rights reserved. Love it? Print, email, pin, tweet or share but please don’t use my work without permission. {Copyright Fancy Little Things. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this article or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.}
About Danielle Peters
for our family, it’s the ocean. no phones, no laptops, no routine, no cares — just us, our tote bag, a packed lunch & playtime in the sun! tomorrow afternoon we’ll be off to the beach!!
Aimee Steckowski recently posted..We are thankful.
For us it’s the lake. Hardly a cell signal, no internet. Just peace, quiet, and family.
Hope you have a blessed 4th!
Heidi Milton recently posted..Blogging Without Borders {Ugly Duckling Dining Room}
For my hubs and I, it’s our room. After the kids go to bed, we can close the door, chat in peace, and get back to ourselves.
Julie S. recently posted..5 Things I am Loving Right NOW- July Edition
I love any form of water…with nothing but Brandon, the tripod, and I. Thank you Danielle. Much needed today <3
thanks, I think that you could post and re-post this message about every 5-6 weeks. I tend to crash land at that point from not stopping when the load gets heavy and resting for myself. We all need the time to free our mind, thoughts, and heart. I hope that you feel rested and energized again.
I agree with Ruth. I need to read this every 5-6 weeks!
For our family, it’s any place where there is nature. Mountains. Streams. Hills.