God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
gravity and wrinkles
incontinence and gas
although I thank Thee Lord,
for extra wine in my glass
hormonal chaos and night sweats
metabolism with no will to burn
loss of memory and hot flashes
angry joints and nasty heartburn
and let me not forget
although I will for sure
the peril of losing eyeglasses
needed to see anything obscure
oh, and sarcopenia
don’t know what that is?
go look it up on Google
you’ll wish you never did
courage to change the things I can;
toilet paper rolls and bed sheets
a lightbulb and my clothes
T.V. channels and hairstyles
and the way I craft my prose
I guess also the way I look at things
cuz then the things I look at change
like worldviews and opinions
and things I once thought strange
and wisdom to know the difference;
like knowing that when I text someone
I shouldn’t hold the phone up to my ear
because that’s something you only do
when making a phone call, my dear
Or that milk doesn’t go in the pantry
and keys aren’t lost when they’re in my fist
that I’ll have no clue what to buy at the store
if at home is where I leave my grocery list
Living one day at a time;
because I finally realize every day is a gift and worrying forward moves us backward
enjoying one moment at a time;
because peering into the precious, and beautiful, and love-filled is what life is about
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
because I’ve come to understand that somehow, someway suffering always breeds new life
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
praise God for teaching me well that my way is not even close to the highway
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
because in 48 years I’ve never once got it right when pushing my agenda
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
which is easier now because I’m well-schooled in rolling with the unpredictable,
seeing beyond petty inconveniences, avoiding the traps of comparison,
and knowing love goes a forever way. Grace.
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
and already beyond happy with Him now
Amen.
Forward with Grace, crazy Mommas!
Shelby Spear
Shelby is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Certified Meditation Teacher (CMT), author, freelance writer, speaker, and love enthusiast who is passionate about helping others ‘change the way they look at things so the things they look at change.’ She has numerous stories featured in the national publication, Guideposts. She also has over 160 featured articles at online publications, including Her View From Home, Scary Mommy, Parenting Teens & Tweens, For Every Mom, Love What Matters, and Today. Her book, How Are You Feeling, Momma? (You don’t need to say, “I’m fine.”), co-authored with her dear friend, Lisa Leshaw, recently won the 2020 Publisher’s Weekly Book Life Prize as the finalist in the Inspirational/Spiritual category.
