My boys on the other hand, enjoyed Frozen so I've seen it in bits and pieces a few times over and every time the refrain gets stuck in my head. I go around for days humming the tune and then "Let it go, let it goooooooo..." *insert more humming* "...the past is in the paaaaaaast..." *humming* "...let it goooo LET IT GOOOO!!" and then my kids end up staring at me like I'm nuts.
What I've noticed is that this song doesn't get stuck in my head as randomly as I'd originally thought. Usually it goes something like this:
Husband's socks on the floor half an inch from the hamper... "let it go, let it gooooo..."
Boys have dumped out every single toy box in their room and ripped the sheets off their beds 3 minutes after I've cleaned their room... "let it go, let it goooo..."
Some silly disagreement resurfaces between Husband and I... "the past is in the paaaaast..."
Dirty glasses at the bed side... "Let it goooo..."
Previously neatly folded laundry waiting to be put away thrown about the room... "Let it gooooo..."
General destruction and mayhem which was entirely avoidable had anyone in my family the least bit of courtesy... "LET IT GOOOOO!"
You get the idea. The pattern of mommy working hard at keeping house and raising kids while keeping everyone fed reasonably healthy food and in clean (and sometimes even ironed) clothes; then getting fed up when it seems like everyone takes for granted the fact that she'll take care of everything; then finally something small and stupid (like socks) being the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. It's a vicious cycle, which absolutely had to stop for the sake of mommy's mental health and everyone's emotional well being.
The Lord works in amazing and hilarious ways, and quite often under the radar. This is just one of the ways He has taught me a hard and necessary lesson -- whatever problems I may have with others are my problems. The first time I came across that concept was in the book To Love Honor and Vacuum by Sheila Wray Gregoire, and I was skeptical. I mean clearly I was justified in harping on people for their shortcomings! But when I was completely honest with myself, that was pride talking. The annoyance of the socks on the floor, and taking the offending socks personally is my problem not my husband's. When I'm tired or over extended it's much easier to give in to reacting without thinking first and making a big deal about the stupid socks. When I'm of more sound mind it's easier to remember that they're just socks and the fact that they're on the floor does not reflect how Hubby really feels about me. The socks on the floor don't mean that Hubby is being purposefully disrespectful, intentionally adding to my never ending to do list or being at all malicious. In reality they're just socks which he flings in the general direction of the hamper before bed, because he'll end up putting them in the next morning or eventually. And it's entirely up to me to make the decision to let it go, and if I can't then to give it to God and pray for a conversion of heart.
It's amazing how something so small and silly as socks and three words from a maddeningly catchy song can become so emotionally charged and then become an example of the mutual submission that makes marriage work. Along with this lesson comes the realization that not everything revolves around me. Shocker!! When all I do is complain about how hard the kids are on me, how it would be nice to get a little help for me, how tired I am because of how hard I've been working, the problem is me. With this attitude there's absolutely no room for submission or even love. Remember the wise words of the annoying snow man, "Love is putting someone else's needs before yours."
The idea of submission is so hard especially to my prideful self, but taking a fresh look at it from a different point of view that includes humour, an annoying snowman and a silly song makes it just a bit easier.
