With Thanksgiving.

Phil 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

You might just call me a worry wart. I take every situation and blow it sooo much bigger in my mind that it is and make it something it could be, something horrible. I assume the worst is to happen. Through all this, i get anxious. And I worry. And I FREAK out. I have had trouble taming it. It hasn't been easy. I need a dose of trust, a dash of faith and a whole lot of chill out. Growing up I was taught that none of this is of the Lord. So knowing this, and knowing that it is aging me, causing possible kidney stones, high blood pressure and aches in my heart - I need to just give it all up to God and let go. Easier said then done. I feel as if this has been consuming me over the past several months. It's made me irritable, confused and frustrated. Trying to do all I can to be rid of it. God heals all wounds. He wants me to give up my hurts and pains WITH THANKSGIVING. I kinda love that. He wants me to have joy when I call upon him, wether it be bad or good. He WANTS to hear that i am struggling and he WANTS to help. He is my friend in time of need - he is ALWAYS there for me. Faith and trust is something I am learning to hold close to my heart. I fear I may have forgotten this "oh so simple" principle I was taught since I was 4. Things have been so different for me this past 1.5 years. Living on an island. Away from all my security blankets (Dad, Mom, Sarah, Molly). People who, besides my husband, could make everything better. I believe God has taught me that HE wants to be my security blanket. HE wants to be the one that makes me feel safe and protected. He wants to give me happiness and joy. I was soo sheltered from in my box in Washington. So comfortable and so happy with everything going just right. Since moving here everything has been shook up. I'm surrounded by pot heads, swingers, wife beaters, drunkards, homeless and the mentally ill. I've experienced a Tsunami, a Fire across our street, an almost fatal car accident and a break-in in my hubbys shop. I've witnessed the cops taking care of numerous drunks and children selling pot. I hear the sirens several times a day and the Tsunami siren go off once a month for testing. These events, these sounds have haunted my dreams. My once peaceful mind has been filled with reality and I am trying to come to grips with it. My life has been shaken. The latest horrible thing...the fire across the street...really shook me up. Our house was filled with smoke. Everyone smelled like a bon fire. We were just watching, waiting for the wind to jump a spark over to our dry brush. The firemen took forever to get there letting the fire grow and grow. I was carrying Tigger everywhere. I wasn't in the house scrambling our things together. We were just watching - waiting. Praise the Lord the firemen got there and put everything out. The next day I said to Chris "Can I tell you something I'm scared about?" Of course he said yes, "I'm scared that while we are at work a fire will occur again and Tigger will be in there, and the neighbors won't think of him and we wouldn't be able to get there in time." Just then he said the most helpful paragraph that I have needed to hear this whole year. Chris said, "You can't just sit around worrying that these things are going to happen. Your going to age faster and die earlier and thats not fair to me. These things will happen if they are meant to, but they are out of your control. A fire is going to happen, a tsunami is going to happen and Tigger will die someday. The sooner you come to grips with that the longer you will live. You need to just chill out and trust in God." ok thats not word for word - but it's what I heard. He said exactly what he needed to and the timing was perfect. So, heres to being anxious free, happy go lucky Katherine that I am, chill and relaxed, trusting in the Lord our God that he is in control of EVERY situation. I am going to be Anxious for nothing, but in EVERYTHING -through prayer - with every ounce of thanksgiving, let the Lord know my worries and fears and my joy.