This morning, I found myself growing grumpy with stress. I hate it when I do that to myself (and to my family). As if letting myself become tense and overwhelmed really helps me get through the day? Um….nope. And yet, as I was reading World History to the boys, in the back of my mind I was creating a long “to-do” list of everything else I needed to get done. In doing so, not only did my school time with the boys become not fun, my tension level kept increasing. (Why? Why do I do this to myself?)
One of the items on my “to-do” list: Give Matt a Hair Cut . It needed to be done before he left for his soccer team pictures at 2:45. But before that I needed to do this and that and that and this (Blah, blah. You don’t want to hear about my to-do list.)
By the time I finally broke away from my other tasks and met Matt outside for his hair cut, I had worked myself into a bit of a crazed mental frenzy. I gave him a half smile and admited to him that I was feeling like a bit of a basket case. I’m sure he loved handing over the scissors once I’d confessed that. ;)
He (bravely) sat down and we began the hair cut. I’ve done this cut plenty of times, so it only took about twenty minutes from my “busy schedule”. Guess what I accomplished during that time? Yes, a hair cut. But guess what else? I got to have uninterrupted conversation with my husband. Now there’s something that hasn’t happened for a while.
It was just what I needed. Time to reconnect. Time to process. Time to shift my focus off of myself and onto my husband. I suddenly became very thankful that this chore was on my “to-do” list.
And shucks, as an added bonus, we saved money on a haircut too. What a deal. ;)
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Mandy says
ah the simple things:) They really make such a difference.
Sheila h says
Cooking, cleaning, and teaching I can do, but I may have to shave my husband’s head if it will get me uninterrupted conversation. Love this because it is such a small but important part of marriage.
Janel says
So Sweet! God uses the simple things to show us His blessings!
Melissa says
Sometimes we just need to slow down for a minute to get God’s perspective! Don’t become weary with well-doing…..sometimes I need to stop being Martha, and be Mary!
Marci says
Do you list the winners for the give away on this part of your blog?
Laura says
I’ll have a separate post on my blog later this morning announcing giveaway winners. I just got behind yesterday. :)
Anne Kimball says
Good for you for being able to reverse gears during the haircut. That is something I have a LOT of trouble doing once I get in “that” mood.
Tyanne says
I REALLY need to cut my husband’s hair, too. I suppose today I am grateful he is patient with his hair getting too long until I am able to get there! Glad God can use something as simple as a haircut to turn our moods around!
Amy says
If you ever figure out how NOT to get grumpy over crazy to-do lists, please share. That’s a lesson I really need to learn!
Lori says
Funny that I did that same thing yesterday morning….but it was my son’s haircut! And, yes! We’ve saved tons of money over the past 18 years using scissors and clippers of our own for our family of six….especially with my husband and 3 boys. My daughter and I sometimes go somewhere, but that’s only because I can’t see well doing the back of my own! :)
Pam says
Just thought I’d join you today, remembering today’s date and being so thankful to God for his always open arms, freedom, gift of prayer… how he writes hope on our hearts in the midst of such atrocities as 911 and continues to do so… Linked up my post, “remembering…candles in the darkness.”
lj says
Good for you for soaking up the blessing!! It’s been tough in the mornings at our house too
because of the new routine, but you’ve graciously reminded me that being cranky distracts
me from being grateful. Your blog is beautiful and you’re a wonderful mom:-)
Jeri says
I’m kind of slow at cutting Craig’s hair, so I get even more time with him! :) I always love our hair cut conversations.
Jenifer Parker says
I REMEMBER cutting my husband’s hair while he was in the Military. It had to be ‘just so’ and I was very careful. We wives in the military community did a LOT of things ourselves because the pay was so LOW. But with God’s blessings (the only way we could have done it) we got thru.
Kimberly S. says
Awesome on the conversation time with the hubby. My husband just shaves his head completely every couple weeks. Takes him 5 minutes. He wishes he’d go bald, but at almost 38, his hairline hasn’t even started to recede. At least it’s cheap and easy to take care of, although annoying when he steps out of the shower, runs a towel over his head and says “Hair’s done!” to rub it in that I have long hair that takes forever to dry and style. Men! Haha!
Lisa says
Thanks for hosting, Laura! Today I’m sharing a long-overdue post about all the blessings of August. So glad to have this venue in which to share what the Lord is and has been doing in our lives!
Blessings,
Lisa @ HappyinDoleValley :)
Britt @ Honest to Goodness Living says
Thanks for hosting, Laura! Love all of the encouragement here on your blog :) God is good!
Lisa Cernik says
Laura,
Thanks for the post. I guess I’m not the only one, I do the same exact thing all the time…maybe we ARE too busy, but what to do? What do we shave off our lists?
Also, I just lost my husband recently and this was a nice reminder of the times I would cut his hair. It was another thing to do on my list, but I sure enjoyed it once I got to it…that time together.
Lisa
Dottie says
Sometimes a few minutes of uninterrupted conversation and connection with your husband is just what we need. I’m glad it helped you. Today I cheated and submitted a post I wrote last week, but my sweet son is what I’m most thankful for right now.
Jennifer says
I get myself all stressed over nothing, too! And with 2 kids under 1 right now, my to do list is constantly impeded by the needs of my little ones. Thank God that he reminds me about what is really important by having my kids remind me!!
Sarah says
Glad you were able to rest and refresh!
Heather Smith says
Since my hubby own and operates a drywall business, he’s busy…..A LOT! Since we have 8 kidlets, we’re VERY busy……A LOT!! Since I CANNOT do it all on my own, GOD hears me whine…..A LOT!!! Yet HE is strong in my weakness! Cutting hubby’s hair out on the deck last weekend was a “mini date”. I’m not all that fast so it gives me more time with JUST him. What a blessing!!! :)
Laurie Collett says
What a special gift & double blessing — time for the haircut & for quiet time with your husband too! Thanks for the great post & for hosting the linkup, & God bless!
Faith says
Thanks so much for the inspiring post :) God has shown me that being thankful is the key no matter what’s going on in my day.A while back He showed me this verse (psalm 50:14-15) because I was getting frustrated a lot and felt overwhelmed and was taking it out on my family and feeling justified because I was so “busy”.
I was reading the bible that morning, and it was one of those moments where a verse just JUMPED off the page at me and I realized that my unthankful attitude was what was causing my stress and that I was not trusting Him but my feelings instead. I was setting my schedule around what I wanted to accomplish also, and not letting Him help me make it, so when it didn’t go the way “I” wanted, I would get upset and feel sorry for myself….
I still struggle with my sinful, unthankful attitude sometimes, but He has really helped me slow down and just trust that He is in control and will always be faithful to work out my (or I should say “His”…because everything I have, including my time is His!!) schedule exactly how it should be…when I focus on that, I am free from worry and able to enjoy the “little” things, like giving my husband a haircut (which I do as well sometimes!)because, like you pointed out, there is always a blessing to be thankful for because God is in control of everything and lets it happen for a reason, because He loves us! :)…Hope you have a blessed week Laura!
Hillary says
I am thankful that you made commenting easy again, thanks for your hard work to fix that problem. Also, thankful for the encouragement to get funky in the kitchen. We have company coming next week and I start some college classes the following week and so am extra thankful to have been spurred on by you…there is bread raising in the oven right now.