Pam Halter
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Parents Blog

Stirring the Cesspool
Thursday, July 11, 2013 by pam

I read this quote on Facebook: "What matters is the nature of the sufferer, not the nature of the sufferings. Stir a cesspool and a foul stench arises. Stir a perfume and a delightful fragrance ascends. But the movement is identical." Augustine – The City of God

Wow.

Do you get it? It's all about attitude and let me tell you, mine stinks. I'm stirring a cesspool most days. Sure, I'm not happy Anna has autism and uncontrolled seizures. I'm tired. And I’m tired of being tired. I hate feeling oppressed by the situation. I try to look for blessings, but I often fall short of seeing them.

It isn't all bad, you know. Anna is loving and sweet. She loves unconditionally. And because of her, I'm able to stay home and work on my writing and editing. It's rather nice not to have to venture out into the world to work.

And it's not the big things that get me. It's the little ones. I have a small bookmark that says:

 

            "Tis the little things that bug us

            And tend to hold us back.

            We can sit upon a mountain

            But not upon a tack.

So true! I know this and I still let things get to me. What can I do about this? I'm going to work harder to see the blessings I have. And I'm going to try to get more rest so I can bear the burdens better. I don't want to stir the cesspool anymore.  Who's with me?


Comments

jenny From pa At 7/17/2013 9:47:23 PM

Oh Pam....right there with you. My biggest struggle isn't so much a bad attitude, but fear... fear of the future, fear for the day... what's going to happen next? Walking in faith these days, without anxiety and worry is my minute by minute challenge. I love Rom. 4:18-21

Julie Ann Monzi From Gettysburg, PA At 7/11/2013 8:23:11 AM

Me! Pick me! That is soooo true about the tack. I can handle those big issues that arise with calm and tact. The little things? They make me melt.

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