May has always been a busy month for my husband and I. We have our anniversary, our Son’s birthday, Chad’s sisters birthday, Youth Camp Fundraisers, and Baccalaureate service for Seniors just to mention a few. May is a challenge for me.

Yesterday, as I was hurrying through my to-do list, emotion, like a warm salty ocean wave, washed over me seemingly out of nowhere. I’ve learned out of many years of experience, how to push bad feelings aside and do the task at hand. However, this time I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

Along with that emotion was a flood of memories. My mind flashed back to a Summer vacation my Dad, step-Mom and I had taken when I was about 12. We went to the Capital of Texas and to the beach in Galveston among other places. It was one of the few trips we had taken together being that I was the baby of a blended family of 8 kids. None the less, I had a wonderful 3 day trip that seemed to end abruptly on the second night when the stomach bug hit. I can still remember regretting overeating the garlic popcorn on the beach.

Most of the time when I think of that trip, I think of that long second night of being sick. My first thought isn’t on touring the beautiful Capital building in Austin or the Alamo in San Antonio. My mind doesn’t normally take me right to the sandy Galveston beach where I hunted seashells. But…my mind goes back to my stomach ache and strong dislike for Garlic popcorn.

Often, the negative experiences are the first we remember. We often skip over the beautiful, uneventful moments. However, in those seemingly uneventful moments our hearts are still alive, taking in the sights, sounds and emotions.

Back to yesterday, I asked God to help me work through this fresh wave of emotion and to help me not shove it back in order for it to pop up at a most inconvenient time later. I admit, I don’t always do this and when I don’t, I end up trying to deal with it my way with a pound of chocolate at my side and blaming someone else.

However, as I got quiet before Him and asked His guidance through this wave, He gently helped me to sort through my thoughts and process what this ache was about. I was really missing my Dad again, who has been in Heaven 9 years now. As I let my brain catch up to my emotions, God brought clarity and healing. I cried and smiled as I thought of that short vacation decades ago. I thanked God for my Dad, again, who was not perfect but loved me with his whole heart. I was able to move forward in a healthy way. When I go to Christ with my pain, He always brings peace and comfort.

Are you weary and emotional today? Jesus tells us to come to Him. His ways of dealing with pain are healthy, peaceful and glorifying to Him. He will refresh your spirit and give rest for your soul. Let Him love on you today❤