How do you get over the "supposed to be's"?

I struggle a lot with how things are "supposed to be", I think all of us do.  And maybe some people handle it better than others, I am a major type A personality so "It's not fair" has been ingrained into my psyche forever.  I think people who know me well know that I have a bleeding heart for just about everyone in need and not much compassion for those in power to help those in need who turn a blind eye or for those who feel they have a right to sit in judgement of others.  But it is a constant inner struggle and argument with God about how things are "supposed to be" and why they aren't.

I have yet to learn what I know many people whose faith astounds me have learned, that God will and does take care of things in his time.  I somehow feel He needs my help to speed things along, yeah I am sure the creator of the universe needs MY help! 

I can only speak for my reality and what I know on a daily basis, but lately I have been having such an incredibly hard time with the journey I am choosing to be on (and quite often falling off that path) and where everyone else is in life.  I live quite near the area I grew up in and actually not far from the high school I went to, in fact if we don't move from this neighborhood my children will go to the same high school I went to (not thrilled with that...).  But some good friends and I affectionately and not so affectionately refer to this area as "the bubble", because it feels to us that many (although not all!) people who have chosen to live here act like they live in this special world where nothing bad can penetrate and that we can all put blinders on to the reality of the rest of the world. 

Which brings me back to my struggle of how things are "supposed to be".  I was thinking about how our house needs some work done on it and how it will not get done right now due to money and that frustrates me because I would hate for people in our neighborhood or visitors to judge the outside of my house or even some aspects of the inside as not being perfect enough.  Our house is supposed to be painted, we are supposed to have a new front door, we are supposed to have two cars instead of one, I am supposed to have a perfectly manicured yard and beautiful swing set for my children to play on, I am supposed to be working out an hour everyday and eating only carrots and water for meals so I look like the perfect model of a bubble mother/wife.

It's the comparing that I get into that I really should stop most of all.  It is SO damaging to my soul and spirit.  I am just living this life that God gave me with this family in the house at this time in my life.  I need to stop and remember that the only thing I am supposed to be doing is loving Him, my neighbor and helping my fellow womankind on this earth.  I think if we all took a glimpse inside someone else's world for a bit during a not-so-good time we'd not only give the other person a break, but also give ourselves that much needed break as well. 

I pray that you would be as kind to yourself and a stranger today that might be struggling as you would to your dearest friend who needed some help and love today.

Peace Always
~Melinda