Stress

I should really re-read my last posting. It's amazing the way anxiety, tension, and stress can sneak into my life and begin to overtake it. This week has been much more stressful than last week and my anxiety level has steadily risen each day until I woke up with a bad headache and sore throat this morning. If only I would remember one of my favorite Bible passages: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6. The only thing my stress and anxiety did was affect me negatively. I know in my heart that God is in control; I wish my head would remember that too.

To help me focus on the positive things, I'm beginning a list of things I'm grateful for:

1. God loves me, even when I mess up.
2. I have wonderful, loving, supportive parents.
3. My house is warm and cozy.
4. I can teach, interact with, and positively influence 18 wonderful children in my classroom.
5. Someone invented flavored coffee.
6. My car provides reliable transportation.
7. My dog, Tosca, enjoys sitting next to me on the couch.
8. The TV series LOST returns for season 5 this week.
9. I have great friends who enjoy getting together.
10. Spring will be coming...someday.
11. My sister and brother and their families.
12. The ability to read and check out books from the local library.
13. Facebook - to keep in contact with family and friends, especially those living far away.
14. Medical Technology that improves and extends lives.
15. a working snowblower

God's Goodness this Weekend

As I was driving to school this past Friday morning, I was meditating on God's holiness and goodness (the theme of our sermon the previous Sunday). It was easy to focus on God's goodness as my life is going pretty well right now, and I wondered how much more difficult it would be if things weren't going well. I've also been trying to catch up with several former colleagues during the past month. I received emails from 3 of them on Friday morning and made plans to meet one for supper that night, another for breakfast on Saturday morning, and the third for tea on Saturday afternoon. Wow, I remember thinking. What a fun and busy weekend.

When I returned home from school Friday afternoon I received several pieces of news that immediately caused some anxiety and a little paranoia. If I had been home all weekend I'm sure I would have had difficulty getting to sleep and my mind would have raced to all kinds of anxious, negative thoughts. Right away I thought how cool it was that God had already planned my weekend to keep me busy - before I knew why I needed to keep busy. I had a great time on all three visits and my negative, anxious thoughts have been kept to a minimum this weekend. Today I can again meditate on God's goodness and sovereignty ... and the fact that He is involved in all areas of my life.