Laying down burdens, picking up faith.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30

It's the simple things that can be so easily over-looked.

I have slipped into some serious crap over the past couple of weeks. Partially because I've allowed myself to and partially because I began settling for what is around me rather than changing it. I've always said that I want to be a thermostat, not a thermometer. I want to change what's around me for the better, not leave it the way it is and not do anything.
 My family has been going through a lot of problems and challenges this month specifically. Accident after accident. Problem after problem, literally in layers. I'm pretty sure that this is almost the worst I've seen it. I feel like it's an attack, like the devil is trying to blind everyone, including me, so that we settle for what our circumstances declare rather than what God's word says.
Complacency is really easy, and that's what I've had problems with. It says that you don't have to care. Complacency says that You don't really have to be a thermostat. Sometimes it's okay to be a thermometer. Besides, just laying back for a while isn't going to hurt anyone. Loosening your guard and your morals isn't going to mess up anything. Accepting things is okay. Wanting to be like everyone else is okay.
But is it really okay?
This is where I stand. In the middle of this family crisis and in the middle of the last week of raising the most money for my trip to Kenya.
I've felt like panicking and quitting, but that would require me to say No. And I won't do that. I'm not quitting. Even if a tornado comes and rips my house apart and takes all of my stuff with it. Even if the day before my Kenya money is due I still don't have enough. Something is going to happen. Something always happens. Not because I'm looking through the eyes of an optimist, but because God's word promises and he always keeps his promises, even when everything looks hopeless. I love Jesus. Even when I'm frustrated because I don't have a car. Even when I don't make perfect grades. Even when my family is the way it is. Even when I make bad choices and when I mess up.
He still loves me.