One of those days?

Have you ever had one of those days? It seems like everything that could go wrong, has. Your children were up earlier than usual. You spilled coffee {ahem, espresso} grounds all over kitchen counter. One of the kids wet the bed. You slammed your arm into the counter... again. Everyone wants to argue. There is yelling. Words are said. Hurt is done. All before breakfast.
I have had a few of these days. Sleep was short. Patience is thin. Life seems a mess. What do you do? Can you push reset? Literally? No. But you can step back and re-boot.

1. Take it to God. Ask Him to forgive you, or if you don't think you're in the wrong, then ask Him to show you what you did wrong. I know this one can be tough but we are all sinners. Asking God to show us our own sin can lighten our load. If we know we are sinning and God points it out to us then we are ready to make a change. It can also point us in the right direction to forgiveness. Ask God to help you forgive the counter if you have to because you know you had ill feelings and every time you see the bruise on your arm those feelings are going to bubble up again. So, just get over it now. Then ask your kids or husband or whomever it may be for forgiveness. Apologize. I don't care who started it, ask God for help and then do it!
2. Take a minute (or 30) and do some deep breathing. Even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom.  Get that heart rate back under marathon pace. Drink some cold water or some hot tea. Lay down. Do some stretches. Read a good devotional or head to Proverbs or Psalms to refresh.
3. Get out! Really! Go get some fresh air, weather permitting. Heck, why not go dance and play in the rain? Do something fun. Plan a picnic for lunch. Take a walk. Play at the park. But also take a moment to appreciate the world around you. We have so many gifts that God gives us each day but a lot of us have a tendency to overlook them. If we stop each day and search for the simple things that we usually take for granted that can help us fill our hearts with joy.
4. Call a friend. Read this! Don't just skip the explanation, because this is important! Do not call your friend to complain or moan about your day. If you are in the same area, invite her to coffee or lunch. If you are far away, have a good heart to heart or even send a note. Put the focus on your friend. What does she need? How was her morning? Take the focus of yourself and your rough morning. Putting others first is sure to help your heart re-boot.
5. Remember that this is only one day. You'll have so many days that you look back on, you're not going to remember the stupid counter that nearly ripped your arm off. You'll remember the picnic, the dancing in the rain, the coffee with a friend. Vow to get to bed earlier and wake up refreshed tomorrow. Talk to God and ask Him to help you tomorrow. Be careful how you word your prayer. You might just get what you ask for.