Give me a word, Lord: DON’T WORRY. BE HAPPY!

Matthew 6:26-27 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Yesterday was a manic Monday. It didn’t start off that way. I went outside at 5 am to hear the beautiful sounds of birds happily singing their spring welcoming songs. The turkeys were gobbling. The goats and sheep were sharing their baa-baaing while hopping and jumping around. The emus were making their gentle whistling noises. Everyone was enjoying the beginning of a new day. However, when I arrived at work, we became super busy from the very first moment. We were so busy that I felt like a dog in an never ending battle of chasing my tail all day…a tail that would never be caught. I always strive to deliver the highest quality care, and I will continue to do that even on the craziest of days. On those days, I must try a little harder, work a little harder, and never forget that our loving Father is right there beside me guiding my path. No matter how tough it gets, I know that my Savior has got me right in the palm of His hands.

I confess that I am a neurotic, type A personality, worry wort, not-enough-hours-in-the-day-to-accomplish-everything-I-want-to-accomplish woman. And days like yesterday sometimes overwhelm me, but my God always takes those opportunities to remind me that He has got me. I am His and He is mine. He sends little reminders throughout the day. My husband stopped by the house long enough to take a few pictures of my new flower blooms and send them to me in the middle of the day. I didn’t ask him to. He somehow knew that I needed a little bright color in my day. I arrived home to a nice hot cooked meal on the table and happy dogs who are always so excited to see me and welcome me with such great delight. God puts these people and critters in my path to delight my soul! I just know it!

Sometimes the big things in life overwhelm us, but we must take time to look for the little things. God places so many little reminders in our paths all day long to remind us that He has got us and He gets us. He knows when we are going through troubled waters, and we must remember that we are never in the boat alone. Our God is paddling the boat. He has got us in the palm of His hands.

I’ve spent many an hour wondering why our good Lord blessed me with so many wondrous things in life. He allows my husband and I to have many wonderful critters that entertain us for hours on end. No bad day can end as a bad day when you are able to pick up a newborn baby goat and cuddle it in your arms. A happy little puppy will take the blues away instantly. And the birds of the air and land never ever seem to have a care in the world. Our critters do not worry. There is not a worry in their little minds. Why? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Their heavenly Father feeds them! God takes care of the tiny little birds of the air. They don’t worry and fret. They don’t wonder how they will get through the day, the week, or the year. No, my friends, their Father feeds them. He takes care of them. Aren’t we far more valuable to Him than the birds or the air? After all, we are created in His image.

When we are feeling weak, He makes us strong. Our strength and our identity comes from our Savior. He has made us a new creation. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17) We are His children. See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. (1 John 3:1) We are redeemed! But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13) We are capable! For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13). We are worthy! But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) And never forget that we are wanted! So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:15-16)

The next time you are having an overwhelming day or maybe even a no good, horrible, crazy, chaotic day, don’t worry. Be happy. God has got you! God has got me! We are sitting safely in the palm of those mighty hands! We are His, and He is ours, and that is really all that is important! Don’t worry! Be happy!