Under my skin

So I woke up in kind of a funk this morning -- you know it's going to be a bad day when you're sweet dream is interrupted by the alarm, the bathroom floor is covered with mud (from last night's slip and slide, ha), the clothes you wanted to wear are all dirty, and it's winter outside. Again. And of course I've just been loaded with homework for the last week, averaging about 5 hours of sleep for the last 5 days or so, so I was still really tired and that didn't help -- it messes with my head.

But then I just had one of those moments in chapel... I was just sitting there watching people file in and it struck me how many people were smiling. (Which, of course, got me started wondering why we smile. Have you ever thought of that? Why does our mouth, of all things, show our emotions? Why not.....our hands? Or.....our posture? Why do the corners of our mouth turn up when we're happy or open wide when we're shocked or squeeze together when we're angry? God could have made it so that we touch our ears when we're upset. Or......twist our head to the side to "laugh." Crazy, huh?)

But that's besides the point.

Anyway, I just had one of those "outside-yourself" moments and realized how much junk was going through my head, and how many worries I was hanging onto, and just saw what my attitude looked like from the outside. And I just felt Jesus right there looking me in the eyes, his hand on my shoulder, telling me, "Let it go, bro. (This is how God talks to me. haha.) Look around you. You are so blessed! You are loved!! And I've got big things for you. Let me take this from you today; let it go."

It's SO easy to get lost in the moment. To be rushed through life. To hang onto the past. To worry about tomorrow. To stress about what other's think. To get lost in yourself. And I suck at that, so much! My mind is my best friend and my worst enemy. How sad is that???

But He knows me. And He reminds me again and again, "It's alright. I'm here. I'm in control. Let it go."

He lets me trade my sorrows,
He lets me trade my pain,
He lets me trade my sickness,
He lets me trade my shame,

For the joy of the Lord that's found in Christ and the assurance of His extravagant love and guiding, sovereign right hand.

What amazing grace!! :-)