Thoughts on a No Good, Very Bad Day

The other day I was having what might be called a “no good, very bad day”. If you read the children’s book titled “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst, you know it is nothing more than a series of things that would frustrate an elementary school aged child.

And that is exactly what it was: a series of things that would frustrate an elementary school aged child and also me.

The place I planned to stop for a latte and egg bites for breakfast was closed due to internet issues and option 2 had a line long enough to make me very late for work. When I got to work, I spilled the free, but joyless coffee from the breakroom on myself, my wireless mouse quit and I found out that I was out of spare batteries. Frustrating, but not life altering.

My annoyance-o-meter was then on high alert. You know how a few small things can add up to make you dissatisfied with things that would typically be no big deal or can cause you to want to be snappy with people who are just trying to do their job or consider quitting your job to become a recluse. Anyone know what I’m talking about? Or is it just me?

The internal peace and joyful expectation with which I’d begun the day had fled like a guilty puppy caught gnawing on your favorite shoe.

But I did not want to stay in that frame of mind. It benefits no one, least of all me.

So, what is a Christian woman to do?

First, knowing that the answer to everything Christian starts with prayer, I prayed. Then I started counting my blessings that are specifically related to the things that seemed to go wrong. For example, I may have neglected to stock up on AA batteries, but I had just stocked up on Tide stain stick = tan pants saved from disaster. I also had some milk in the company fridge and a frother in my desk drawer = passable latte made with office coffee.

And then, because one never wants to add hunger to duress (unless you are specifically fasting before God), I went to our newly expanded vending area for an egg salad sandwich and some baked chips = hanger averted.

1 Peter 5:7 [NKJV] 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

You might think God doesn’t care so much about tan pants and the love of lattes on the day of the the most contentious presidential election in America that I can remember, with innocent people dying from war and weather disasters around the world, when I have not less that 12 friends or family members going through major health trials. Maybe. But He cares about His child having a “no good, very bad” day.

Why would He track the hairs on our head and not want us to express our concern that we may be losing too many?

Why would Jesus point out the beauty with which He clothes the grass, if He didn’t care when we

I look at it like this: when my children were young, even if I was paying bills while keeping an eye dinner, if one of them came to me with a scraped knee that needed attention or their 100th crayon drawing of the evening, I’d stop and give them the support, the help, the kudos they were seeking (most nights).

Nothing is too little for God to help us through. He doesn’t get exasperated with His children who ask Him to help them make it through a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” of minor, irritations. You don’t have to wait for a cancer diagnosis or war at your back door to bring your day before God and ask for His help.

In fact, I believe that bringing the little things to Him every single day – both the joys and irritations – helps us to put our lives in perspective and is great practice for communicating with Him when something big comes along.

Personally, I know that if I had not taken this day of minor annoyances to Him, I might have found myself letting it escalate to sin within me. It might have caused me to be impatient or snappy with others or to act in other ways that just are not what a child of God should find herself doing.  

It was a good day, really. I knew that. And, because I sought my Heavenly Father in the small things, I was able to put them in perspective and to keep in the practice of casting all my cares on Him because He cares for me. [ Peter 5:6-7]

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org