Oooo...A Problem!

I love this little store that is close to where my son takes his social skills class (the class is for kids who are overcoming autism). It's an adorable women's clothing boutique that is owned by a very sweet-n-petite younger gal (well, younger than me...she's probably in her 30s). She is always so bright and cheery! Even if I don't need to buy anything, I just love to go in there because she is a day brightener. She is a real deal ray of sunshine. Let's call her Helen (not her real name, but Helen means shining light, so, it fits!).

Helen's store was already really cute, but about a year ago she expanded, doubling the size of her store. She decorated the new space with the chic and popular whitewashed barnwood look. Fresh, yet comfy. Clean, but cozy. And filled with pretty things all around. She even hung dainty crystal chandeliers which added a touch of elegant charm. Helen's store is Joanna-Gaines-meets-clothing-boutique all in one. You just feel prettier when you are in there!

A few months ago, I dropped my son off at class and headed over to Helen's store. I was in need of some new clothes for a fun reason. I'd been out of the working world as a stay at home mom for quite a while (aka decades), but recently had started a new business venture and needed something other than my typical jeans and t-shirt outfits. Yes, I know the business world has moved to "business casual" attire, but I was more like "couch potato casual" and definitely needed Helen's advice and sprucing up a bit.

I walked in and she was her usual sparkling self, bubbling over like a pretty flute of champagne that makes you want to slurp up the overflow from the rim. "Hiiiiii!" she announced, greeting me with her sing-song cute style and smile. I told her that I needed a new look for heading out to meet others because I was starting up a new business.

"Oooo!" she said as her voice ran up and down a harmonic scale, "I just love that entrepreneurial spirit!"

While we chatted a bit and I answered her questions about what I was looking for, it dawned on me that she, herself, is quite the successful business owner. So I asked her, "Do you have any wisdom or advice you can share with me?"

She cocked her head back slightly, looked up at the ceiling for a second, then answered while she was moving the hangars along the rack, trying to find what caught her eye.

"Yes!" her voice rang with a lilt, "...I've found that when I look at the whole big picture with all of its problems, I get wayyyy too overwhelmed! BUT, if I just go over here, and see, Oooo...a problem!... I can fix that one problem. Then I move over to another area and see, Oooo...a problem!...I focus on that one and fix that one, and then move on. Then I can look back and see all the problems that I fixed and feel good about them without becoming overwhelmed."

At this point I am thinking that she is WAYYYYYY too adorable. Who looks at a "problem" like that?! Typically, my response is more like, "CRAP!...a proooooblemmmmm," sounding more like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

And that is when I got that oh so gentle and familiar "nudge" from God. But, before I go there, let me give a little background...

Have you heard this before?: "Consider it joy when you face trials of many kinds..." I have. Many times. And I have been talking to God about this for quite some time. Why? Because this is a tough one for me. My thoughts, when I encounter a problem, aren't to first respond with "joy". My response is more like, "joy????.... really?????"

Oh, I have tried faking joy. That doesn't work out too well. Because, usually I have an underlying sarcastic little hint of "this sucks" in it. You know, more like "Oh yay (rolling my eyes), a problem. Bring on the joy." In no way, shape or form did I ever look or sound like Helen and sing out, "Oooo...a problem!" Dang.

Ok, back to the story...and Helen. So that's when that nudge came. Right when I got the picture of how cute she was, going from problem to problem while saying, "Oooo...a problem!" in that bubbly voice. She looked like an effervescent, overflowing flute of champagne that faced a problem with a sparkle.

I knew right then that God was giving me a picture of what facing a problem with a real deal outlook of joy in the solving of it could look like.

It wasn't about a problem, it was about my attitude. The deep inside attitude that no one sees but Him. I felt like He was showing me that it's time to change. And, now, there was an adorable picture of Helen as an example.

Is it possible? Could someone look at a problem with real, true joy? And not just a work problem, but any problem?

All things are possible with God. Did you catch that? It took me awhile to see it...the word with. The way I have thought about that sentence has been: All things are possible for God. You know, like God can do ANYTHING. After all, He's God. But, He says with. It hit me. If you put it into a mathematical equation, it would look like this:

with= me (or you) + Him

Yep, no one has to solve problems alone. Probably why His name is also the Helper. All things are possible with God. Me and Him. You and Him. Us and Him. Them and Him. They and Him. Anybody and Him.

Well, since "getting the picture" of how Helen looked while describing her strategy of solving problems one at a time, I have been telling the story to others. I think it's helping.

Case in point: the other day I visited my dad in the hospital. He was going through a rough spot. I shared the story with him. Right before I left, he looked at me, smiled, and said, "Oooo...a problem!" in a cute, high pitched voice. We laughed. Yep, it's working.

Since then, I can't get it out of my head. Problems continue to come, some bigger than others. And now, I hear, "Oooo...a problem!"...and smile.

Well, since it's been sticking with the people I have been sharing it with, thought I would share it with you, too. Facing a problem? Or maybe lots of problems?..."Oooo...a problem!," Cheers!