"Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!"

Remember that children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? That's was my Monday.

It began when  my husband found out last year's $500 flexible spending account reimbursement paperwork was never received and since it is long past the "due date" and we lost the mail confirmation number it is unlikely we will get the money back. After some tears, harsh words, and much regret we went to a local furniture store to check prices of mattresses as we are hoping to get my daughter in a "big girl bed" so I can lay down and read her a book at night instead of sitting and having to lift her in/out of a crib. We were in the store probably 15 mintues and when we came out we found a ticket on our car. Apparently we had parked in a loading zone (the sign was offset and about level with the hood of our car so we did not notice it). Ten dollars later we went to finish our errands. I thought, "Really God? Is this for real? What are you doing here? I already have so much pain, why does everything have to be so hard? What is the good in all this?

Then my husband left for work and when he was over half way there I realized he left his work keys here. Our daughter was taking a nap so he had to come all the way home to get the keys. He was fifteen minutes late to work and minus a few more dollars in gas and pay (although he did stay late to make up the difference thankfully).

About an hour before it was time to get my daughter ready to go 'trick-or-treating' (yes we don't have any major convivctions about this holiday despite being Bible beliving Christians who are aware of the pagan roots of Halloween....maybe we should, but as of now we don't) I developed a sudden onset of dizziness. I have never quite experienced dizziness like this in my life. I could barely lift my head off the pillow or open my eyes. I had to crawl to the bathroom a couple times. So I missed going with my little "lion" 'tick-or-treating'. I am still not 100%, but I am obviously better. I'm still not sure if the episdoe was related to the new medication I started a few days ago, Baclofen-which I've since stopped, or if I have a little virus of some sort. Either way it was frustrating.

It was a bad day...or was it? I did not like what happened, but was it really a "no good" day?

"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

How can I rejoice when I loose money, forget things, and sickness destroys my plans? I can have joy because my God is good and has good plans for my life. He ordained this "bad day" before I was born (Psalm 139:16) and even if I don't see the good in it I can trust that the One who gives us life and breath and everythig (Acts 17:24-25) is in control.

Now of course in the moment I could not see these things. I yelled at my husband where neighbors could have heard and my daughter saw my anger as I kicked my dog who was not obeying. What an example! I quickly forgot how just last week God had graciously provided an extra couple hundred dollar savings with our car/house insurance. I did not trust God. Instead I looked to my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I don't want to react like that when "bad" things happen. I don't want to have fear, anger, bitterness, discontentment, and doubt.  I want my heart to be firm, trusting in the Lord. Oh, how I need His grace!

"He [the man who fears the Lord] is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD."  Psalm 112:7

How do you react when you have a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day"? How do you trust that God is good even when circumstances make you feel that He is not? What scriptures come to mind when you are frustrated and afraid?