You know how there's this thing that you dread and then the thing happens and you find out that you didn't need to dread it? This happens to me all the time, and quite possibly I need to chill out quite a bit, because things often (usually) aren't so bad. Besides operations and stuff.
The first day of school was not an operation, and despite the crazy business of it (completely unrelated to school in any way), it was a great day. Paul woke up at 5:30 this morning. When I woke up too he asked me how I was doing. I said that I was sleepy. He said that he couldn't sleep anymore because he was too nervous. Being up early gave us plenty of time to prepare. I got ready, made lunches, did laundry, ironed, and cleaned the kitchen before anyone even got up. Then the girls got up and instead of our usualy leisurely morning, they got dressed and ate breakfast with time to spare. I even got to fix their hair, and Grace had a last minute wardrobe change. We took the girls to school. Taking them to school is totally an understatement. We live 7 blocks from school so it makes sense to walk. Today it made sense for everyone at school to walk. I wish that you could have seen the processional to school. Picture sets of parents with their school-aged kids walking or riding scooters. Picture younger siblings in strollers. Picture new backpacks and cameraderie and lots of cameras. Now picture this parade of people stretching 7 blocks long. With crossing guards- at least 2 at every intersection when you get close enough, and some that even have baskets of silly bandz to hand out. It was quite the event. We got there and found the girls' classroom (I worried for years about whether or not the girls would be in the same class. They are. I could have just not worried and tacked on a few years to my life). Their teacher, Mrs. Thomas (described by some as a golden teacher (I worried for months about whether the girls would get a good teacher. They seem to be in good hands. I could have saved Paul some pointless conversation not worrying about that)) had some activities set up to do and after that we were on our ways. No tears by them or me (I worried about that for days, and could have saved myself some tears in the worrying process if I had let myself). When I picked them up this afternoon, Grace exclaimed, "we had fun!!!" I worried about Grace the most. Would she be able to be happy in school? My little worrywart? I shouldn't have worried.
First day. Aren't they cute? And little/big?
On the way to school- note the processional
Outside of Class
With Alyssa- things are already going great
Spankin' new backpacks. So cute.
Back to worrying- what is the point of worrying? Is it good or bad? Unnecessary? Able to be trained off? I went searching along the church's website for articles or scripture pertaining to the topic, and here are a few that interested me:
8 Percent Worry
Someone has mathematically calculated that forty percent of our worries will never materialize; thirty percent deal with old decisions that cannot be changed; twelve percent focus on criticism that is mostly untrue; ten percent deal with our health, which only worsens when we worry; and only eight percent are legitimate. The point we would make is that life does have real problems that may be met head-on when we eliminate useless and senseless worry.
J. Spencer Kinard “The Spoken Word” December 1979 Ensign
Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
I'm just getting started on this don't worry be happy theme and I don't have it all figured out yet. I think that it starts with faith that God is watching over us. Last year when I was worrying about what teacher my kids would get, my friend Mary said, "you know that Heavenly Father loves your children even more than you do, so you have to trust that he will do what is best for them." Maybe after the faith is service. And a joyful attitude. I'd like to get to the point where I don't fear my fears and I don't fear the unknown. Maybe that is why I'm given these opportunities to worry, so I can learn not to.
What do you think?
