Dust Happens: How to S.H.I.N.E. in a messy world

Sometimes I am super busy and I simply don’t notice the dust accumulating all around me. Then there are times when all I can see is the dust. Lately, dust is accumulating by the truck load and I’m not talking about the dust on my night stand.

Maybe, like me, your life has been dulled by the dust of life itself—you know the dust I am talking about. It is fear we have because life is so out of control right now. It is the hurt caused by someone close to us, the fear of being laid off from work, or the worries about our country and the economy that you can’t seem to shake. Are you as weighed down by this kind of dirt and dust as your coffee table is with that layer your kids are now drawing pictures in? But did you know there are diamonds hidden in that dust?

I love acrostics because they help me to remember simple truths. The truth is we don’t live in a dust-free world, so instead of trying to rid our lives of dust, instead we should learn to focus on shinning in the midst of the dust. Here is an acrostic I use to help me to remember to “shine” instead of whine. 

S: Simplify your daily routine. There are things we must do every day that, if simplified, would make for a shinier day. Meals are one of those things for me. One suggestion I have found to simplify this task is to take your family's top 10 meals that are also easy for you to prepare. Put them on index cards listing all the ingredients needed. If your family can help with any of the preparations for this meal, write these out in step by step instructions on the back of the card.  Shopping for that week’s groceries is also simplified by taking these cards to the store with you or using one of the apps offered by the grocery stores and just swing by and pick it up. Then. at the beginning of the week, post the meal cards on the refrigerator in the order you will make them. Now you won’t have to answer, "What's for dinner?" fifteen million times!

H: Help yourself by allowing others to help you. If you live by the motto “If you want something done right, do it yourself,” this is a step you will need to work on. I have found if I want my husband’s help doing laundry or cleaning the house, I need to allow him to do it his own way, and then be grateful that it is done (even if it is not the way I would have done it). Especially when we are now home around the clock, we need to learn to accept the help. Or let a neighbor lend a hand, it will do them good to know they are truly helping you. 

I:   Invest in you. There is truth to the saying that you can’t give what you don’t have. Invest in yourself by reading, taking time for you. How do you start? Make a list of all the things that make you feel good. Now, categorize them into three areas: 1. Quick pick-me-ups—these are the simple, no-cost things like taking a walk and calling a friend. 2. I’m worth it! These are low-cost with little-planning-needed ideas such as fresh flowers from the grocery or a cup of coffee with a friend–even if it is virtual. 3. Queen for the Day—these ideas take some budgeting and planning but, after all, you are Queen for the day. And they may need to be planned for when life gets back to normal, but it is something to look forward to. Ideas like hiring a babysitter so you and your husband can go out-on-the-town or, as my Sister just did for herself, hire a one-time cleaning crew to do a thorough Spring Clean. But you might say, “I can’t spend that kind of money.” Try looking at it this way…if it is a way for you to renew yourself, then it is not selfishness but a way for you to invest in yourself so there is more of you to give.

N: Near to God. This can be as simple as putting on a worship CD or drawing a bath at the end of the day to spend time alone with your God. Where are you the closest to God? Find time, or better yet, make time to go there often. My favorite scripture tells us “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen you. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring” (Isaiah 58:11 NIV). Would you guess that my favorite place to be near God is in the garden?

E: Encourage someone else. Nothing is more helpful in helping us to see diamonds in our own dust than stepping into someone else’s dustbowl and lending a hand. Look around your church, your community, or choose an organization and lend a hand. If you are going to the grocery store, ask a neighbor if they need anything. Have a basket of cards next to the sofa so you can jot a few notes of encouragement to a friend (don’t forget to put the address book, stamps, and return labels in the basket too). Or, just have a Share a Smile Day and count how many smiles you can give away in a day–in my neighborhood everyone is walking so it is a real opportunity to pass on those smiles. You will be surprised the number of people who are willing to return a smile, and before you know it you will begin to shine!

Sometimes, however, shining in the midst of the dust means looking at dust in a new way. There are times when we need the help of a friend who will listen to our struggles but love us enough to help us see the situation in a new way. These friends are true Diamonds when they help us choose to look at the hurts in our lives as a chance to become more compassionate, a job loss as a chance to start anew, and worries about the future as a chance to become more grateful for what we already have.  

So, if you are like me and find you see more emotional dust balls than you care to see, turn those dust balls into dust bunnies by taking a few of the simple steps we’ve discussed here. Then you, too, can begin to S.H.I.N.E. in the midst of the dust. 

What are some ways you S.H.I.N.E.?