Stress: Who's In Charge Here?

Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered. - Dr. Seuss

*****

Yesterday by way of my famous 'sit down gardening,' I cleared and pruned two-thirds of my longest flower bed (and could barely step into the house afterward, oh dear), but it was fifty perfect, sunny degrees out there and so afternoon-silent, that God's whisperings almost tickled my ear.

And while gathering leaves, I thought about how, out at the farm, I was often sick. Oh, not constantly, but probably I had a yearly cold. And once while sitting in my huge garden, a 'stomach thing' began, so I swiftly, but gingerly, rolled my wheelbarrow with a trowel and cardboard seat into the barn, then trudged inside the house where I sat, immobile, for 24 hours.

Then there were all those 'vacation weeks' I forced myself to take lest my weary head explode with the complete overhaul of the farm I was attempting to make in less time than it took God to create the whole world.

But here at Hobbit Cottage? My last cold was in March of 2011 (while still out at the farm) and there've been no 'stomach things' and my self-imposed vacations are not vital, lest-I-die necessary, but rather, quietly chosen, no big deal.

The difference? (Besides more faithfully taking Vitamins D3 and C and acidolphilus and krill oil?) 

Stress. The handling of it, the not letting it boss me around, making my decisions. 

As in, there is ...

... more acceptance of a day (or myself) rather than trying to rearrange it (and me) into something else, altogether. 

More telling my emotions to knock it off because I've decided to view things God's way, instead.

More respecting my own creativity rather than trying to copy (or keep up with) that of the extremely creative ladies online.

Less complaining about our world and more praying for it. 

Far less complaining about the weather. (How foolish to hate something which cannot be changed rather than just change my attitude about it.)

More doing what God's called me to and less venturing into areas where's He's not anointed me to wander.


All lessons which I too easily forget and must learn again and again until they become a vital, breathing part of me. But oh, when they do!

**********
"... be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."   ... Ephesians 4:22,23


"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."   ... Proverbs 4:23



Are you adrift in a sea being blown by winds & tides or sailing your life in a specific direction regardless of changing currents? ... Bruce van Horn


How Stress Affects Your Health


*****

RIP Mickey Rooney. I remember when I saw him on a talk show and he'd just become a Christian and kept talking about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. The host was, like, "Uhm, that's nice. Now tell us about your latest movie."

Then a long article I read this morning about his life mentioned nothing about his Christianity. But given this poor, ol' godless world, I was only a bit surprised. Oh, how we need to pray...


*****

Oh! Oh! Saw my first robin of the year today. April 7th. I feel blessed (more than usual).