Because technology is awesome, I’m on my back porch, with my dog, listening to my soothing fountain, blogging. I’m drinking a peach mango sparkling water and all is right with the world. We had fall for like one day and now it is sort of summer again. But it is good because it’s not like a Texas summer since it is only 83 degrees. I’m also out here because there are at least four men in our home working on things.
Today begins the third week of people in our house working on things. It is the third week of not being able to find any piece of clothing at the right time because everything is in the garage. We keep asking each other “Have you seen my khakis, my black belt, my sweatshirt?” The answer has been no every time and the hilarious side effect is that we each end up wearing each other’s clothes.
My husband and I keep going to the pantry for things and remembering all over again that there’s nothing there. To say we are disoriented is an understatement. I keep saying “It’s like camping without s’mores or a campfire or views.”
So imagine my delight when something I read actually helped me. In the new devotional book by Sarah Young, “Jesus Always”, a line jumped out at me last week. “As you go about your work, perseverance is essential. If you start to grow weary or discouraged, remind yourself, ‘I get to do this!'”
Isn’t that great? Not I have to do this; I get to do this! In counseling, we call it re-framing. I get to sit outside and blog. I get to have new ceilings and floors. You can apply it to anything. I get to exercise and am grateful to be healthy enough to do so. Not, oh no, the holidays, rather I get to celebrate with family and friends.
I shared this insight with my husband as I do all of my insights. Now we are correcting ourselves with a smile every time we complain. I get to wear my high school football player’s sweaty hoodie. I get to prepare dinners from the food I can locate in the garage. I get to improvise all the taken for granted basic comforts of home. We get to move our furniture from room to room as the men work.
Life is good. We are so blessed. Oh, and tonight I’m going with our 18-year-old son because we get to vote; him for the first time. Please, no matter how you feel this year, vote! Sacrifices were made so we could do that. I’m so grateful.
What “have to do” can you re-frame as a “get to do”?
Dr. Cindy Ryan 
So glad I took the time to read this!
Makes me smile reading each image you paint with your words.
I “get to” remember that we went through this at our house, too. We still laugh about the picture we took of the two of us, smiling, sitting in the ‘garage kitchen’, eating on a makeshift table because our kitchen was…nonexistent. It is one of our favorite pictures we have–the two of us, laughing and smiling and enjoying the experience.
Great reminder Cindy, thanks for sharing your wonderful insights! Bet it will all look beautiful when completed!