...YET...

Chairs and BBQ items are by the door.  Check.

Birthday decorations are assembled and ready for enjoyment.  Check.

Clean hand towels are placed in the guest bathroom.  Check.

One more chore left to complete before all would be ready for the birthday party taking place later that evening.  Make the lemonade. 

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, the brain’s main function can be described this way, “This three-pound organ is the seat of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator of body movement, and controller of behavior.”  My definition would be closer to this: the brain can run a million miles an hour, mixing heightened emotions with reasonable jobs/plans to be formed and carried out. Usually. 

Back to my story…I was prepping everything for the get together.  The last item on my to-do list was to make the lemonade.  Arranging the drink dispenser on a pretty lace napkin, ice bucket to the side and cups for juice made the little table look put together.  Ingredients for lemonade were placed in the container. The mixing spoon was in my hand as I poured that first huge cup of water.  I walked away to get a second cup.  And then a third.  The fourth trip is when I heard the dripping noise.  To my horror, the spigot was open and juice was running all over the pretty napkin and on to the wooden table. 

Aaaaahhhh…how could I? 

Ladies, all I need to say is menopause.  Men, go ahead and roll your eyes and under your breath laugh at us.  Let me tell you, menopause brain is a REAL thing!

Yesterday I smacked my elbow on the corner by the stove, therefore throwing my garlic bread across the flood.  Three days ago, I got into the car before I realized I left my purse in the house.  Countless times I have walked into a room only to find myself puzzled.  To top it all off, today I cannot find the birthday present I bought someone yesterday!  Come on Holly, pull yourself together for crying out loud. 

I could allow this frustration to become a consuming irritation.  Today, I want to laugh it off.  Send my friend another silly video from Instagram about menopause.  And keep going.  To become consumed with how my brain used to function, how it functions now or what it will do or not do in the future will cause disappointment and bring on grief.  Don’t get me wrong.  I do not like spilling or dumping.  Cleaning up or looking at another bruise is not how I want to spend my time.  So instead, what do I do? 

Habakkuk lived in a terrible era.  His country was making one bad choice after another, while horrific consequences loomed at the door.  Keen awareness of the book of the law gave a clear definition of right and wrong.  Deep faith allowed him to respectfully question God and wonder if good days would ever become a reality.  In the chaos he pens these words of wisdom, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  (Habakkuk 3:18)

The word "YET" just jumps off the page. My world is falling to pieces, YET... Grief is overwhelming, YET... Instability creates an anxious heart, YET... This word identifies the negative present while switching to the hope which is soon coming. Habakkuk talks about wickedness, invading nations, failing crops, injustice, violence and more. Then he pivots strongly to the word rejoice.

Strongs Concordance explains that in this verse “rejoice” means to jump for joyful triumph. “Joyful” means to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion, to be glad.  Can you picture this? 

 A crumbling fearful nation watched a prophet jump up and down, spin around in circles with heart-felt gratitude towards a God who saves.  (I am making a huge assumption here.  But come on!)  The country was in a downward slide and this man was talking about joy.  People around him must have thought he lost his marbles.  Habakkuk had developed a solid belief system.  As life became challenging, he went back to his foundation in the Lord therefore finding joy.  What a wonderful example of how a choice can change an attitude. His statement has been called “…one of the strongest affirmations of faith in all Scripture.” (NIV Study Bible notes).

Frustrating menopause brain moments are in my present and probably for the near future, "...yet I will rejoice in the Lord..." When challenging moments hit or life begins to crush in, choose joy.  Say Habakkuk 3:18 out loud.  I challenge you to take a quick read through this short book.  Absorb the terrifying words of doom then transition to celebrate the declaration of who God is. 

Lean in…better YET, spin around in joyful triumph.