Stressed???........

At the end of today I felt exactly like the napkin ring that Samuel chose to play with today - yes, the one on the right. I hope to bounce back to the left one by morning!

This morning brought about various stress related issues:

• All 3 the girls need temp passports & Samuel needs a visa before we can leave for holiday. To achieve this the entire family has to visit the South African Embassy for fingerprints, etc. Not as easy as it sounds with a Dad travelling.
• Ellen & Marina are attending a Father Daughter Banquet on 21 Nov and we are still "dressless". After 2 weeks of limited shopping options/inappropriate dresses/"arm & leg" prices, we have decided to go the dressmaker route. Now pattern and fabric hunting!
• Decor for this special event became my responsibility, those who know me know decor / creativity / art in any form is not my gift. Thus a coffee appointment with a friend who is! Thank you Lord for giving us different talents and gifts!
• Oh yes, did I mention the school's fundraising Golf Day with Gala Dinner on 17 Nov? I still need to "sell" 2 golf teams (U$200 per team) and 10 dinner tickets by Friday(U$25 pp)!!

So Samuel and I went started early on our wacky Wednesday errands...... and after my coffee / decor meeting I felt quite ridiculous about my stress issues. My very talented friend, who by the way offered to do all our decor for the special Father Daughter evening, is a close family member of the couple brutally attacked on their farm (blog entry 3 Nov).

This couple are still very much in need of prayer. The husband is still not fully conscious and the full extent of his injuries is still unknown. The wife's severe head injuries have left her partially paralysed and then there is the emotional trauma. Please continue to pray for physical and emotional healing.

As I left my friend's house I knew why she and the rest of the family have been able to stand strong and go on with their lives:

Isaiah 40:29-31 declares: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

One of the best ways to counteract stress is to pray for others. -Anonymous