Reconfigured

This was my view for what seemed like a VERY long time yesterday. Let me give you a bit of the back story. See at the very beginning of the year we (Dominic) started talking about this new online software program that we were going to need to start using as a part of program that creates our estate plan documents for clients.

I was less than thrilled because A) CHANGE and B) CHANGE. So there you go, a look into my mindset and how I was feeling about the switch. With this discussion we (Dominic) started talking about our online storage, backup process and some issues we were having with our current Outlook software.

We (Dominic) decided to take the plunge and make some changes and start the new year fresh. Now let me pause and say this. Dominic always asks my preference on things here at the office. He knows that I manage a lot of different things that he doesn’t often handle, so he absolutely takes into consideration how I am feeling about any process changes.

So know that I am joking just a little when I say that this was all his idea. Of course we talked through everything, and he took my thoughts into consideration. But mostly my thoughts were “Let’s just not make any changes until we absolutely are forced to please.” {Insert some stomping of feet here for dramatic effect as well} So being the wise business owner that he is…he had to make decisions based on reality and fact not on irrational(which were slightly rational) fears. Ultimately I know it will be the right move and we will be happy once everything is working correctly but you guys so far IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.

If it could go wrong IT HAS. If the process should have been simple and quick, an unexpected error would occur. We (Dominic) have spent HOURS and HOURS on the phone with tech support and his brother (more tech support) trying to figure out what the issues are. At one point Google Drive had triplicated every client file we had and all of its contents as well. All of a sudden my computer with its large SSD drive was completely packed full of memory and nothing would sync. #GoodbyeGoogleDriveYouHaveFailedUs

I am a less than a model citizen when things like this happen. I tend to get very “frustrated”…which Dominic correctly labeled one evening as coming off as seeming more like anger than anything else. And he is right. I have been angry. Angry that it isn’t easy and isn’t going the way it should. Angry that we had to make the switch in the first place and cause all of the problems. I know that growing pains can be a good thing but in the thick of it, I just feel the pain!

Today we are stuck in limbo. Our Outlook 365 “exchange server” isn’t connecting for some reason. I don’t even know what that means. Dominic is out of town for client meetings and I am at the office trying to do work that doesn’t include emails, Word or Excel. Difficult to say the least. I am supposed to drive to Sioux Falls tomorrow for a Dr’s appointment that I scheduled a year ago and am hearing now that by tomorrow morning we may be in a blizzard warning because of high winds and the snow cover that fell a few days ago.

I am irritated and short tempered about all of it and to be completely honest today is one of those days that I would normally go and feel justified in stopping at my favorite clothing store here in town, owned by a good friend, and buying myself a little something nice. Because a pretty new sweater makes a girl feel good when everything around her feels like crap.

I know my issues are totally trivial compared to so many, but there are days when the struggle piles on and it feels like too much and as I shared in the last few weeks – I have had a typical response mechanism to stress in the past. Especially when Dominic is out of town. He wouldn’t even know, at least not right now. the lie tells me.

And I look at the calendar and see it has only been 23 days. 23 days Lord and what has changed? I am still this crabby, angry, frustrated person inside. There still isn’t a full measure of peace within me. That truth itself could be overwhelming because it is true. Without God’s grace and mercy I am a MESS. But while not everything has been reconfigured in my heart yet….some things have.

Today, even though I want to and even when I could…I won’t stop and buy something to try and put a bandaid on the stress my heart carries. Today I recognize that it won’t fix the deeper problem. Today I paused. I deleted birthday coupons from my inbox because usually an offer of $10 free led me to spending way more than $10. I let go of $9 in product credit because it was going to cost me almost $6 to ship something to me, and I don’t need anything right now.

Little by little and with God’s CONSTANT help, my heart and my mindset is being reconfigured. I should have known when I committed to this “fast” that God would use it as an opportunity to reveal some of the deeper character flaws that I have. YUCK.

If all this has been revealed in 23 days I am a little scared about what is to come. #kiddingnotkidding

Change my heart oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God,
May I be like You.

You are the potter,
I am the clay,
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.

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