The "It is what it is" Prayer

My husband is always saying "It is what it is". Truly, it does take the pressure off of worrying about things you cannot control. In the past several weeks, I've been experiencing a lot of nerve pain. Burning, stabbing, aching pain in my hands and arms that is not relieved by any medication I have been prescribed. The times I can spend sitting watching t.v., I spend with the electric heating pad wrapped around my hands. In desperation on Friday, I went out a bought a pair of "mittens without fingers". They are heavy knit, with a warm, fleece lining. They are also electric pink with black butterflies on them. (I will post a picture later.) I've been wearing my day-glo mittens around the house to help keep my hands warm. They really have helped soothe the pain, if only in my mind. They also take me back to the 80's...so Madonna-ish! Anyway, back to my husband's saying... "It is what it is" really reminds me of the Serenity Prayer. I am posting it here today, in it's original form.

Full Original Serenity Prayer

by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.