Everyday Life and Happiness

So I came home from work today and things were tense from the moment I walked in the door. My husband was yelling at our new dog because she wouldn’t stop nipping at our 4 year old Jackson. Jackson was yelling at the dog. My 11 year old AJ was yelling at Jackson because he was getting the dog antsy. In short…I felt like I walked into a war zone.

Shortly after hanging up my coat my husband and I had an argument. It was over absolutely nothing…but being married for almost 12 years we know where eachother’s buttons are and we know how to push them. Shortly after the argument the slamming began. Slamming down the dinner dishes…slamming down the forks while setting the table.

I sat at the table as we said Grace and realized that all of this was silly…that I fed into the frustration that was in the house and that I said things that I did not really mean.

I looked at my husband and said: I call a DO-OVER.

He immediately understood what I was getting at and the war was over.

The do-over was one of childhood’s most powerful rites, for it exerted our dominion over the laws of space and time. The clock was rolled back, the game was restored to its exact status as before the contested event and play was resumed.

Sometimes when we come home into our own War Zones it can be hard not to buy into the hype of the frustration level that the household is currently experiencing. And it is okay to ask for a Do-Over. It is then that it is more important than ever that we remember that each of these people in our lives that are making you crazy at that moment is a gift from God.

So the next time I walk into another War Zone – I’ll try to remember to count my blessings first and be thankful for my gifts.