One Size Fits All

Last night I was lying in bed and my mind was running. Have you ever had one of those nights when you just couldn't shut things off? I had long finished work, did some housework, watched a little TV and read some of my book, yet it was after midnight and my mind was reeling. The more it reeled, the more overwhelmed I felt.  With the everyday pressures of life, I do my best to unplug and recharge my batteries daily. I’ve learned that to mitigate my neuralgia it’s important to put healthy fuels in my body, to move at least 30 minutes a day and to meditate/pray at least 15 minutes a day. This, along with a mantra or two, usually keeps me feeling well.  My mantra lately has been “I will remain present minded and positive.”  Last night, I didn’t do so hot with that.

I rehashed my work day, going through a few less than stellar scenarios along with stressing about upcoming project deadlines and what needed to happen to get those done. Then I moved on to my kids. If you’re a parent of teens or young adults I’m sure that you can relate that parenting this age group comes with a whole new set of adult-sized worries. I have awesome kids (if I do say so myself), yet there are still issues to counsel and coach our kids on and let’s face it, the on the job training has been minimal and the pay even less. Once I did my best to turn these worries over to God, I moved on to some family stresses- aging and ailing in-laws, wondering how we’re going to manage to take care of them when they really get ill; nursing strained relationships- you know the like.  Since I had myself wide awake at that point, I moved on to the fact that I’m sick and tired of my neuralgia, of missing out of certain life events because I don’t feel well or the weather (too hot or too cold) is not cooperating. And lastly, while I was piling on, I got good and angry about my constant and seemingly endless struggle with my weight.

It was a pisser (as they say in England), a bloody pisser. While this post might seem like a big downer, hang with me here as I’m about to get to the good part.

As I was silently lamenting (while tossing and turning and keeping my husband up), God and I had ourselves a little moment.  He placed this thought in my heart- I am a one size fits all God. This reminder was as refreshing as a peppermint patty. Have you ever been out shopping and picked up a piece of clothing that said- one size fits most? Those labels are stupid and I declare them stupid because for the majority of my life I was- the other- not- the most. I was the one who didn’t fit into the label. I wasn’t- the most.

Yet last night, as God so kindly reminded me, He is a one size fits all God.  

All of me. All of you. All of us.

He loves us all, just the way we are.

He wants us all, just for who we are.

He seeks us all, in exactly the place that we are.

It’s like the John Legend song- “’Cause all of me, loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. Give your all to me. I’ll give my all to you.”

And in that moment, when God reminded me that He is my one size fits all God…

My negativity disappeared.

My worries lessened.

My anger deflated.

My mind was taken over by His peace and love. 

My heart swelled with gratitude. 

Who am I? This lowly sinner, a whiner and complainer; yet His grace is bigger and it covers me. 

He is my one size fits all God. I am not- the other. I do not need to be- the most.

His love is the perfect fit.  He is not just my one size fits all God, He is my all.

Holding tight to that hope, I finally closed my eyes and got some rest.

Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Ask for help. Continue with courage.  

Hugs and Friendship,

Tara