I’m Overwhelmed
“I’M OVERWHELMED!!!!” That was my mantra all summer. You see, my husband had this grand idea earlier this year and the idea was birthed in April and delivered to our home in June. Mocha, a busy, hungry, nippy, rowdy, disobedient chocolate lab puppy was added to the Britt mix and she was cute…
for two weeks…
and I soon found out that everyone’s promises to pitch in, to clean after, to feed, to play with, our newest family member was….um, not so true! So this family plan became my project and I soon became overwhelmed!!!
Fourth of July came and there were fireworks, but not the beautiful kind! I was hot and popping off all right.
By August, I was fit to be tied and by then it was clear that my next ministry would be a prison ministry if I didn’t get away. I was overwhelmed and everyone, including the dogs felt it.
On the spur of the moment, I decided to use a friend’s buddy pass to go to Chicago to see my mom. I could not wait to get out of dodge that morning in August. I just about jumped out of the car as it was still rolling in order to get into the airport. I thought it strange that the airport was so crowded that early and my worst fears were realized when I couldn’t get on the 6:00 a.m. flight…or the 6:30…or the 7…or the 8…or 9…the 10…the 11…the 12 or the 1. (DON’T EVER USE A BUDDY PASS DURING THE SUMMER!!)
I met some amazing people there while I waited, like the Christian public school teacher with the wayward daughter with Asperger Syndrome and the son who had turned his life around, had joined the military and was coming home before being shipped off to Afghanistan – (I know she must have felt overwhelmed); and the off-duty flight attendant who explained why the airline workers were so angry all the time…no raises in 17 years (that can be overwhelming!!). She was desperate to get on a flight to Chicago to see her mom, knowing that the chances were great that her mom wouldn’t remember her anymore (how overwhelmed must she have been); and the mom who had followed me to each gate after she wasn’t able to get on with her two small boys.
I found myself applauding for each person as they made their way onto a flight that I couldn’t get on.
As I limped away back home I realized that each woman I spoke to that day had much more to be overwhelmed about than I did.
My amazing husband surprised me the following day with a paid ticket to Chicago where I spent a glorious week loving on my mom and being catered to and coddled by my two greatest cheerleaders…my sisters. The day before I returned to Los Angeles, my sister introduced me to some new music. The title of one of the tracks caught my attention and I was about to gain a whole new perspective on the words “I’m Overwhelmed.”
…God is amazing.
Yes, indeed…I returned from my trip with a new perspective on what being overwhelmed really looks like.
I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You
God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You
Armoured Up 
My Beloved sissy…This by far has been my favorite blog to date..It brought me to tears. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on being overwhelmed in everyday life…But ending with being Overwhelmed in Him! Love you and glad you enjoyed your visit..and anxiously waiting until the next time…Love you with all my heart..
Love you sissy! You are my heart, indeed! xoxoxo
Please, hear me! This is not to down play your overwhelming events but hopefully this will be an extended encouragement. You, my dear, were overwhelmed just for me. If you hadn’t been, you would not have written this encouraging piece. I just told my husband last night how OVERWHELMED I was. I felt that I needed to go see my sisters in their state to absorb some comfort, love and encouragement, which would probably end up being a visit with each of us expressing how OVERWHELMED we all are. Not to say that that would be a bad thing, seeing that everyone needs to vent.
I don’t usually read people’s blogs but was compelled to read this today after seeing it on your sister’s wall on FB. Thank you, Carmen! If I needed anything during this period in my life, it was this blog today. Yes, sometimes I don’t feel like I get it right. A lot of times I don’t, honestly. But when I think of the goodness of Jesus and the awesome works of the hand of God, I am awestruck and that tends to take precedence over all that which overwhelms me.
I am truly glad that you bought that new puppy and that everyone bailed on you, causing fireworks to fly, inspiring you to start a prison ministry (that’s real talk, girl) and sending you to use a buddy pass that wasn’t in your favor. God knows what He is up to all of the time. He isn’t slack concerning His promises to any of us. He was surely mindful of this girl today. Thank you for your transparency! God keep you in Jesus’ name!
Humbled,
Shante’e Lewis
Thank you my sister! I’m praying that He overwhelms you with His peace, His mercy, His grace and that you get a chance to get away to your soft place…your sissies! It’s amazing how the “no’s” in life are the ones that teach you the greatest lessons!!!! Bless you Shante’e!! xo
I also love this blog! Boy, can I relate. Not too long ago, I traveled the friendly skies and met some incredible people in the airport and plane because I prayed the Lord would give me his heart for fellow passengers. Tiring as it is to wait, it sounds like the downtime in the airport was just what you needed after a hectic summer. What a wonderful attitude!
I really appreciated your focus in this message from your heart Ariene and amazingly as we delight ourselves in The Lord, He delights in us and so Spiritually as you found, we soar with Him on wings like Eagles.
Proverbs 11:19-20 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are His delight.
Christian Love from us both- Anne