Balloons-a-floating

While we were up in Canada visiting family, we helped to decorate for a preschooler’s birthday party. We jumped into filling the balloons and decorating with gusto. There was a helium tank available, so we used it up thinking we’d done a good thing. Until we realized that a couple of metallic helium balloons had been purchased specifically for the helium tank, and we were now completely out of helium. Given the chaotic environment it would have been a really convenient time to start freaking out about a problem so minor. However my husband and I didn’t let it get to us. The balloons were quickly filled with a bicycle pump, and then I taped them on the banister. No one would have ever realized the mistake. We kept our task before us and kept plowing through any issues that seemed to arise. For the most part the family birthday party turned out very well. Though I’ve been joking that I have sense discovered the Canadian equivalent to water boarding torture. . .it’s hours on end of listening to Barney-esk songs with screaming preschoolers. Let’s face it, after a few hours of that I would have told anyone anything they wanted to hear. (LOL, it’s a joke…you can laugh now.)

So many times people get so frustrated and bent out of shape when things aren’t going the way they had envisioned. One minor detail like the lack of helium can spin them into a whirlwind of chaos and confusion. This is usually when parents start snapping at kids and spouses turn on the ugly button. Really it’s not the other person, one is mad at, it’s just the situation. These small scenarios’ can quickly turn into huge catastrophe’s if one let’s the situation run wild.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Which means in my own words, stop the drama! It’s not the end of the world if something doesn’t go the way you planned. It’s not worth the drama to continue to react. It’s not worth an argument. You have to pursue peace with each other. Even if you feel you are demolishing arguments more than the other person. We’ve all been in those kinds of situations. But the choice is yours. Will you keep moving forward and pursue peace or will you let your emotions run wild.

Psalm 34:14 (NIV)
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

So there are my thoughts for the day. Pursue peace even when it’s not easy. The balloons on the banister looked like we meant to do it. You have to keep going forward in life. Forget what you thought you wanted, or the way you meant it to look. Make the best out of what you have in front of you. The life you have and the family around you is a gift. Ultimately do you want them to remember a healthy loving time, or one that is filled with a crazy roller coaster of emotions? The drama just isn’t worth it. Pursue peace!