What About the Small Stuff?

My Ladies' Bible study just picked up for the fall a few weeks ago.  We're studying James this year, which is very exciting.  I have the honor of writing and leading this study every week and it's such a blessing to me.  Our conversation yesterday centered around James 1:1-8 - trials and suffering and how we should deal with them as Christian ladies. 

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4 (NIV)

One of the things that really stood out to me after we read these verses was that we often remember to ask God to help us with our "big" trials: illness, losing a job or spouse, or financial difficulties, but we don't often think to ask him for help with the "small" stuff: tantrums, perpetual chatterboxes, smart mouthes, or any number of daily minutiae that slowly drive us insane as mothers.  These are the times I need to remember to stop and ask God "Please Help Me!" 

What happens in your household when the small stuff builds up?  Around here Mommy has a bit of a meltdown and children usually start crying.  I wonder how often these meltdowns could be avoided if I learned to take the small things to God when they're happening, and better yet, if I could learn to rejoice in these trials that come my way.  But, how do I learn to rejoice in Abby's constant distractedness, Morgan's stubbornness, or Emily's know-it-all-ness?  Aren't these the things that are supposed to bother me?  It's a bit of a quandry. 

Considering my trials a joy doesn't mean that I don't ever discipline bad behavior in my kids.  If I read this passage further, I can see that testing my faith develops perseverance.  Dealing with these things gracefully will help me grow as a Christian.  I want to be mature in Christ and I want to teach my girls to be mature in Christ as they grow up.  My personal challenge right now is to let God take over and deal with these little things that make me crazy.  I want to let Him shine through me and help me weather these little mini-storms every day.  If you find yourself dealing with this same situation, whether you have children or not, I would challenge you to try the same thing.  Give it to God - let Him do the heavy lifting for a change!