Believing the Lies

Tonight was a difficult night.  Monday is just a full day with some of the extra things we have going on.  We are definitely not ones to over-schedule, and what we have going on is doable.... it just makes for a long day that just keeps going non stop until bedtime.   When I finally got home it was time to get some dinner together for the hungry brood, so I was scrambling to get my gourmet spaghetti dinner in the works.  While I was waiting for the spaghetti to cook I decided to multi-task and make the girls' lunches for the next day.  I got the lunches done just as the spaghetti was about ready...perfect timing!!!  I get the plates out only to realize that I totally forgot to put the garlic bread in the oven and I also forgot about the salad in the fridge.  Big deal right?  To me it was.  I was defeated.  What kind of a mother/wife am I that I can't even boil spaghetti AND put some garlic bread in the oven?  I felt like a failure.  I can't seem to keep the dishes out of the sink, get the clothes into the washer and now I can't even make the easiest meal a success.  I was sinking lower and lower by the second.  A few hours before I was reading a book and it was talking about all we pass on to our children and how most of it is from what they see NOT what they hear us say.  This being fresh in my mind I was quite certain my girls were doomed.  Brian was watching me spiral downward and was more than a little perplexed at my reaction to the events.  Close to tears  I said "do you want to know why I'm so upset?"  I told him about the book I was reading and told him that this is not what I want to pass on to my girls.  He said, "Are you kidding?  Do you really think THIS is what you're giving to them?"  He went on to list all the things that he notices that I do "right" every day without fail.  I have to tell you, he was rather convincing. A few minutes later when he walked by I gave him the biggest hug ever and thanked him for saying what he did.  He really did turn my night around.


Remember the movie "Pretty Woman"?  I don't remember exactly what she said but it was something like the bad things people say about you are so much easier to believe than the good things.  Why is this?  Why was I so ready to believe that I was a complete failure as a wife and a mother because of garlic bread?  What was I so ready to believe that I have doomed my children to lives of inadequacy?  Lies, lies, lies.   In the moments that I was believing this garbage I wasn't the most pleasant.  I was snippy, beyond cranky and ready to snap if you looked at me.  I was miserable.  I was right where the enemy wanted me.  In that state of mind the enemy could have planted all sorts of additional lies in my head and I would have sucked up every single one.   


Philippians 4:7,8 says "And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  


It is SO imperative that we guard our thoughts.  So many things both good and bad begin with a tiny little thought.  Whatever we feed is going to grow.  Allowing lies to swirl around in our head is pretty ripe soil and those lies grow so quickly taking on a life of their own in no time flat.   At the same time, what if we WERE to think on the things that we are told to?  The next verse says that if we put these things into practice "...the God of peace will be with you."   This is not the first verse I've seen that refers to God as the "God of peace".  How awesome that we serve a God that knows EXACTLY what we need even before we know our needs.  He knew we'd need peace, so it's there for the asking.  Always.    Good gravy I hope next time I ask.  :)