Stressed out cinnamon rolls

“No cinnamon rolls it is just too much it is making me stressed!!!”

Not exactly the normal phrase that comes out of J’s mouth when I offer to make him his favorite breakfast for his birthday. We had totally forgotten his birthday was coming until the day before, and the idea of having an “unplanned” event or holiday to celebrate felt like another change, stress and disruption to a not so normal type of normal. Perhaps we should back up, lots of change in our family over the course of the year, a change of continent, country destination (three times), language, culture, health status, and safety. Recently the loss of access to all our belongings that say “home to us” the swift decision to move to a new country in two weeks (more on that to come), and the loss of proximity to the many people that have become dear to our family and our concern for their safety and well being have slowly added up. As we’ve attempted to process each change, death, health status, and location adjustment we have handled it pretty well, but it doesn’t change the stress factors as being big and often manifesting themselves in odd ways. Abook crying in a coffee shop to a friend, PJ crying that she cannot finish her math book (she only had 3 pages left), and J being angry about cinnamon rolls.

Our trust in God’s provision, direction and leading are strong, but so is our sense of loss, disorientation and grief. We are not making comparisons – we know each of you has known the same stress, where that flat tire, or the missing box, or the broken can opener become the stress marker in a time of great strain and character building that make you say, that is it this is all too much!

We share this story for several reasons, the first is that it is just funny (we laughed about it later), and the second is to thank you for your prayers and ask you to keep praying for us. We are no different from you, life is hard here and we feel it, and leaning into your prayers has been such grace for us! We are using our resources well, delving into scripture, spending focused time as a family, laughing, playing, praying some more and seeking outside input to think through and process and grow in our times of trial…but sometimes even then there are days when we stand there and have conversations where the change in breakfast routine becomes all too much to take.

I made J cinnamon rolls for his birthday. Sometimes the best way to deal with feeling overwhelmed is to just keep going and we did, and you know what, they tasted great and he enjoyed three….and we realized that sometimes what we think is going to break us gives us a bit of something to laugh about instead.

Thanks for letting us lean into grace along with you,

J, Abuk and fam

4 thoughts on “Stressed out cinnamon rolls

  • 10 January, 2014 at 4:38 pm
    Permalink

    Sometimes I find myself thinking that I shouldn’t be so overwhelmed by my own small trials, because I do compare them to yours. And yet you’re right, in my own situation sometimes it is the broken can opener (or the Lego that I stepped on yet again) that does feel like a last straw. I will keep praying for you; and will you please pray for me in this coming week? I will be parenting solo as Gabe is in Mountain View for a full week for training in his new job. Which is a blessing, for sure! But it will be a difficult week for me. Love to you all!

    • 10 January, 2014 at 6:22 pm
      Permalink

      I am praying Em- single parenting is soo hard! It always amazes me what a blessing J– is to me, and the kids…especially boys. They need those wrestle matches with Daddy. Praying your lego stepping moments are few, and when they do happen know you are prayed for here – and maybe just maybe instead of pushing you over you’ll find the grace to laugh a bit 🙂 Love and hugs!

  • 10 January, 2014 at 8:41 pm
    Permalink

    Praying for you. Living overseas is sooo different. Everyday is hard work. Getting groceries, cooking … all the regular “life” things are soooo much harder overseas. Then there is the whole issue of paperwork… needing everything “stamped” and “approved” by someone, however, no one really knows who is supposed to “stamp” and “approve” them. I’m glad you are finding time to LAUGH. Tim and I, along with friends, came up with the saying “ooops, look at that, another DOHA moment” and we could all laugh our way through the frustrations. PRAYING for you always.

  • 10 January, 2014 at 8:42 pm
    Permalink

    Did my comment go through as another BEV… or did it assign me a different picture?

Comments are closed.