Let me start by stating, no, the title isn't a typo. It was intentional and you'll be finding out why here shortly. Today's blog will begin with a history lesson. I have always loved history: the how's and why's and how it relates to us today. This history tidbit comes from "The Mystery of History Volume Two" curriculum my friend and I are using for homeschooling our children this year.
On this particular day in class, we were reading about the history of Iceland. The first people to fall upon this land of fire and ice did so by accident, but those who went there on purpose dug their roots in and stayed for good. When trying to figure out where everyone should go, areas of land were marked off. Each of these areas had their own chief and hosted outdoor assembles where the people would gather as a counsel. These were called ping (Icelandic letter p looks different) or in English:"Thing". Each "Thing" was made up of people from that area who decided on laws, solved disputes, and laid down justice. Around 930, the Icelandic's created a parliament which they called Alpingi (In English: Althing or "All the Things"), bringing each area and thing together as a whole governing body. Their governing system is the oldest that is know and is still used today.
Now let's jump forward a bit to January 2021 to the modern family.
My family's week is usually at max capacity as is, but this last week was bursting at the seams. Between helping the hubby on his jobs, running all over town to grab job supplies, running my daughter, Montana, to dance classes, dance competition practices and rehearsals, homeschool, trying to keep house, trying to keep up on laundry, making sure the dogs are feed and happy, trying to stay on top of business paperwork and emails, keeping up with social media managing, keeping up with church and services, finding time to pray and read my Bible, and making sure my people were feed, healthy, and happy, it was a lot.
(Side Note:For those who don't personally know me by now, I'm not exactly someone to reach out for help or ask for assistance if I need it. Not quite sure if it's a pride thing, a mom thing of "I can do and handle all things", or just the modern day push to be perfect and have it all together all of the time, but here I am in all my glory!)
Continuing, not only were all of the above needing my attention, there were also important business documents that needed sent by a strict deadline, as well as my daughter's competition costume needing to be pressed by a cleaner by week's end. Needless to say, there was stress. But, as I always do, come hell, high water, or endless days filled with hair-pulling and lots of coffee, I got it all done. I remember myself on Sunday afternoon, leaning back in my office chair, accomplished and relieved. All the things were done and the little people in my head (my brain) were satisfied and celebrating with margaritas. Debbie's world was well, or so I had thought.
Monday came and with it, an email and a phone call that the wrong paperwork had been sent in and I need to fix it and send it back in within thirty minutes or it wouldn't be processed when it should. Okay, no big deal, I got this! Tuesday comes next with a message from the dance studio letting me know that the dress wasn't pressed right and therefore, wasn't holding the rhinestones correctly, but since it now had rhinestones on it, the cleaner may not be able to press it properly. Now, tweenage daughter is unhappy with me. This stinks, but not abnormal, I can turn this around. Throughout the next few days, calls and emails came in on missed payments I swore I made, as well as invoices sent to the wrong clients for the hubby. My once happy and content brain, was now filled with little people flailing their arms, running in circles, and screaming, while everything was on fire. All the things I thought I'd perfectly filed, burned to ash.
After the flames settled, I started to wonder where I went wrong. The dress seemed fine, although it was rushed and pressed unprofessionally by someone else because I didn't have the time and I didn't take up another dance mom's offer to take it to the cleaners for me. Why? Because I didn't want her to think I wasn't capable of doing something so simple myself and I felt she would think I wasn't cut out for competition preparation. Why were the emails and payments not sent correctly?! It could've been because I was running around all day with caffeine jitters and by the time I was sending anything out, it was late and my brain was crashing. But since I'm the only one who knows how to do it (Not true, but that is what I told myself), I have to do it. And as I broke it all down, it all started to make sense. Everything did work out fine in the end, but how much trouble could I have saved myself by just asking for help?
So, to answer the question in the title: "I Did Althings (or all the things), So Why Does Everything Suck?!", it's because we aren't suppose to do "all of the things" on our own. We were not created to do life alone, but to do it together. Your Althings, or your tribe, or your people (Whatever you wish to call them), want to help and support you if they can. It doesn't only take a village to raise kids, it takes one to accomplish everything that needs to get done, something I think we need to relearn from history. In short, it's okay to let someone else do some of the things. There's nothing defeating or shameful about allowing someone to bless your life and allowing them to do life with you and your family. This will also give you a chance to return the favor and do something to help them out.
If you're like me and you struggle in this area, my challenge to you this next week is to let someone do one thing for you. Whether its picking up your child from school or helping you with some paperwork, let go and allow help. Also in return, do one thing for someone else. Take a little something off of their plate and bless them. Because you cannot give or receive anything with your hands clinched shut.
In closing: Lay down your pride and just let someone else press the dress!
That's all from me for now. Thanks for reading and have a blessed week!
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