And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa
So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh Oh Oh
(This Is The Stuff....Francesca Battistelli)
My mom found this song a few weeks ago, at the time I’d never heard of it, now I notice it all the time on the radio, and on this particular day it is very much stuck in my head. I keep randomly bursting into song: “45! In a 35!”
I could probably (and I probably do) act out this song on a daily basis…
Ashley’s Life vs “This Is The Stuff” – A Comparison:
I lost my keys in the great unknown – “where are my keys! I need to leave for work five minutes ago! No time to talk. I’ll eat later! Who moved my purse!?”
And call me please, ‘cuz I cant find my phone – since there's no signal in the basement (where I live) I get notified whenever I get a call by one of my brothers. So I have to go upstairs and sit in my parents room to return calls. Or if it’s nice outside I walk around (and around and around) the neighborhood and talk. Or, I make calls on my half hour drives to work on my BluTooth (since handhelds are illegal) But I’ve also been having issues with my phone keeping a charge, due to plugging it in with the charger for my BluTooth (what a spaz attack that little incident gave my phone, poor thing hasn’t been the same since.)
45 in a 35 – I literally see at least five cop cars when I’m driving to work (usually going somewhere around 80…speed limit’s 65)
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind – running behind is right! Thankfully the speed demon in me is slowly being tamed each day, as I realize how much I can’t afford a ticket, not only in money sense, but also at the risk of destroying a perfect driving record!
Whoa – good word
This is the stuff that drives me crazy – my new catch phrase
This is the stuff that’s getting to me lately – and breaks me down so fast
In the middle of my little mess – mess is right! Sorry Mom…
I forget how big I’m blessed - - - whoa, hold the phone. Blessed? This is a blessing? Blessed: highly favored or fortunate (Google definition). So wait a minute, with all this junk and insanity, I’m supposed to remember that I’m “highly favored or fortunate”?? how is that possible when all I’m doing is rushing, and nothing seems to be going right, to feel “highly favored or fortunate”? Um, well, I can feel that way...because I am...so very much so.
I could probably make a list as long as my arm in very small print about all the things that go “wrong” in my day. Unfortunately I’m also reaching that age of maturity (silly growing up!) where I can recognize exactly what lesson I learn from each thing that goes wrong. Lost my keys and phone? Be more organized. Running late? Get up earlier. That was simple. But what about the other things, the ones that drive me insane, but I cant do anything about? Things like, being in a whole new world (cue Aladdin soundtrack) and not knowing where anything outside my street is? Or what about not knowing a single person for more then a few weeks of acquaintance? How about these questions that wont leave my mind about my future. what DO I want to be when I grow up, and how in the world will I find money enough to get there?
This is the stuff that gets under my skin – it just wont leave me alone! It nags at me more then my mother trying to get me to clean the bird cage!
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing – there's the refreshing breath of spring air. The thing that keeps me going, and often the only reason I’m smiling. I don’t get it. Trust: have faith in, reliance, confidence (cue Sound of Music soundtrack). I can trust that God know exactly why every little, minuscule, nit-picky thing that happens, happens. Not only does He know, but He causes most of it! (though, I think the lost keys are my fault).
It might not be what I would choose - nope. But I’m beginning to appreciate more and more of it. It’s that whole “lessons learned” thing (cue Veggie Tales soundtrack)
But this is the stuff You use – how has He used it? The big stuff, such as the move and people issues, that’s simple. I was stuck, and I was comfortable. That’s a dangerous place to be. I was stuck because I knew everything around me too well. And I was comfortable with my surroundings and not doing anything but going with the easy flow. By moving me, God took me from that place and said “OK, now grow" (grow, grow, grow…cue JJ Heller...a song of which I couldnt find a video)-:
I needed to grow, to be in a place where I was not (am not) comfortable. To meet new people and experience new life and learn how to interact in a place where I am totally unfamiliar. I have always had that security blanket of friends to fall back on if I went too far our of my comfort zone. God took that away from me so I can learn how to fall back on HIM.
And as far as the whole “What am I going to do with my life!?!?” question, He’s using that also to teach me to trust Him. The path I’m walking is dark, but God is my flashlight. These days the light is a little dim and the distance it shines is short, but He will make the way brighter when the time is right.
Whoa! He IS using this stuff!
So break me of impatience – “Wait”?? How much longer? It would be great if I could just, You know, get a tentative schedule, just so I can mark it on my calendar?
Conquer my frustrations – it’s an uphill battle.
I've got a new appreciation – fun thing about it is it’s always a surprise that I learn to appreciate the stuff He uses!
It's not the end of the world – in fact, it’s more like the beginning
Oh Oh Oh.....
P.S. click on the song titles to hear the song for this musical post :-)
