Not a Big Deal

What constitutes a "Big Deal" in your life? I mean, what are those things that totally make you freak out?
Some women, I've observed, freak out over things like poop on the wall. This is normal.
Other women freak out over dirty homes. Understandable.
Children get sassy and ignore you? Freak away.
Someone doesn't show up for an appointment/calling/meeting/responsibility? Get the freak on.

I, however, freak out about everything. All kinds of things. Over the years, I've gotten better at stopping the freakiness for a few moments to assess whether or not it's freak-worthy. And more often than not, the situation is NOT worthy of a freak-out session. For example, is my excess use of the word "freak" going to cause other women to freak out? We may never know...

Yesterday, I was busy doing my calling --primary pianist. Brandon had gone back home with #4 for a short errand during Sunday School. The nursery leaders had been told that #3 was Potty-Trained. He had gone to the potty only 20 minutes before nursery. He should be fine for a while. At least until I went in there in 30 minutes for nursery music (my other calling). However, whilst playing the piano, the nursery leader appears in the back of the primary room with #3 in tow. He had wet his pants. He hadn't even said anything. He just stood there and let the floodgates open. I was very, very, very, very, very grateful it was only pee.
So, there I was, with no change of clothes (they were in the van that Brandon had taken home), no husband to pass him off to, and our primary chorister was a substitute herself, our original one home sick, and she had very limited piano skills.
It was a moment that could have been very, very freak-worthy. But was it?
The sisters in my ward wouldn't allow it to become that way. Sister Counselor went and found a pianist. The nursery leaders said they'd take care of the music that day. I was told to just go take care of it. No big deal.
And so I did. And they were right. No big deal. #3 and I had a nice talk about telling people when we have to go potty; I even got back in time to play for senior primary.
I had come so close to have a fit (a mature, never-let-the-children-know-what's-going-on type of a fit). But why? To what end?
Ironically, the lesson for Sharing Time given by Sister Counselor was on gratitude. She spoke of her mother and how she had taught her children to always think positive. That no matter how bad and awful and crazy life can get, there is something there worth thanking God. We have blessings all around us and we need to see it.
So, here's my list of things that made yesterday's incident wonderful, rather than no fun:

1. It was only pee --no poop! Hooray!
2. I learned how wonderfully laid back my ward can be and how willing they are to help each other.
3. While I was home, I received a phone call to do something that may very well be an incredible experience (I'll blog about that later).
4. I saw that I tend to freak out a lot. And it helped me to reassess and be grateful for the positive.

To top that off, a friend of mine had been taken to the hospital Sunday morning with breathing problems --a condition she's had, but it got very serious. She has three young daughters, who a friend of mine took to church with her. The helpful friend has two daughters of her own and is 8 months pregnant.

And I was upset about a potty-training accident? Shame, people. I felt the shame.

So, how many of the tiny details in our lives really, truly, honestly are a big deal? If I was to take a wild guess, it would be...not many.