Disappointed ...

Haven't we all been there?  I don't know if any of you are like me, but I have this curse.  No, I'm serious.  Any time I look forward to ANYTHING it almost always. never. (can you use those two words consecutively, cause I'm gonna ...) follows. through.  Seriously.  This is why I try and not plan anything until a few days out.  Because if I give myself time to be excited about it, SOMETHING happens to make it ... not happen.  My husband doesn't believe me, he thinks I make this up, but that's neither here nor there. 

Well, there's a little bit of disppointment going on with me right now (don't worry, no biggie, I'm pretty sure I'm just being a big baby but if I can't whine to y'all then who CAN I whine to?) and it's making my soul a little saddened.  And whenever my soul is saddened, the best thing I can think to do is turn to the Author and Finisher of our faith.  Because ...

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning (even THIS morning); great is your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion", says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who SEEKS Him. 

Lamentations 3:22-25

And here are a few quotes that pick me up when I'm "in my disappointed funk" ...

When you suffer and lose, that does not mean you are being disobedient to God. In fact, it might mean you're right in the center of His will. The path of obedience is often marked by times of suffering and loss.   ~Charles (Chuck) Swindoll

Faith is often strengthened right at the place of disappointment.  ~Rodney McBride

The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, "O God, forgive me," or "Help me."  ~Billy Graham (LOVE me some Billy!)

If I look at myself, I am depressed. If I look at those around me, I am often disappointed. If I look at my circumstances, I am discouraged. But if I look at Jesus, I am constantly, consistently, and eternally fulfilled!  ~Anonymous

And as I was typing this, a song from the Women of Faith Conference I went to last year came on and these lyrics are exactly my prayer (and really are most of the time, because let's face it, we're all broken and need to be rescued)

"I need you Jesus,

to come to my rescue

Where else can I go?

There's no other name by,

which I am saved

Capture me with grace,

I will follow you."

And when I need a visual reminder of the OPPOSITE of disappointment, I just pull up a few of these and turn that frown upside down.

{P.S.  Dear long hair and skinnyness, please come back.  Thank you.}