What's Stress Got to do With it

Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.
-Swedish Proverb

 Throughout my childhood, my mother had one pet name for me - worry wart.  No, it was not beautiful child or star daughter.  It was worry wart.  Mama used to tell me that if I didn't have something to fret about, I'd hunt around until I found something to fret about.  Why do mothers know their children so well?  It's annoying!

I don't know how much of our character is part of us from the beginning, but that name was with me as early as Kindergarten.  Everything in my little five-year-old universe had to be absolutely perfect.  Anything less was unacceptable.  I remember asking for a pair of Go-Go boots (some of you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, but hang in there it will be over soon).  Was it important?  Well of course - I wanted those boots!  
 

We searched high and low and finally found a pair in store number eight or nine - (somewhere in there).  My poor parents and what I put them through!  If you could ask them, I'll bet they'd tell you they would do it all again. 

George Washington Carver, the great botanist and educator who died more than 50 years ago, often summarized his view of life with this story:

"When I was young, I said to God, 'Tell me the mystery of the universe.'  But God answered, 'That knowledge is reserved for Me alone.'  So I said, 'God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.'  "Then God said, 'Well, George, that's more nearly your size.'  And He told me."

Living one day at a time not only keeps us grounded and humble, it keeps us from being consumed with worry and being overwhelmed. The older I get the less high-maintenance I am.  I've learned to let go of some petty stuff that I used to worry myself buggy over.  Now if things aren't perfect, well - the earth has not stopped whirling around on its axis just because everything is not just "so" in my world.  Maturity is a beautiful thing if you learn in the process.  I don't mean you have to just go the complete opposite direction and say you don't care about anything.  That's not right either.  I just mean that being content is very freeing.

God has something to say about worry.  He doesn't want us to do it.  He wants us to depend on Him to help us overcome our tendency to worry.  

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.   - Matthew 6:34

And scripture asks the question,

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  - Luke 12:25

The short answer to that question is - nobody.  Worry about finances or anything else does not add one moment to our lives.  As a matter of fact, there is medical proof that worry actually subtracts time from our lives!  Stress and worry and fret takes a toll on our bodies and ultimately our health.  Diabetics should take every opportunity to "chillax" as much as possible. 

Don't worry - be happy! 

Is that easier said than done?  Well of course it is, depending on the reason for the stress and worry to begin with.  Worrying about making a fashion statement is taking worry way too far.  Scripture certainly has something to say about our attitudes:   

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?  "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.   - Luke 12:25-27

God does not want us to be caught up in a cycle of worry. It takes so much energy to fret, doesn't it?  I can think of a lot of things I'd rather be spending that energy doing, can't you?  Most of what we fret about never comes to pass anyway, did you know that?  We have this whole awful scenario mapped out in our mind, then as time passes and we wait for the other shoe to drop, it never does.  We're left thinking, "You mean I spent all that precious time worrying about this thing, and it didn't even happen the way I thought it would?"  I've been there, haven't you?  You're almost upset because things turned out better than you thought they would - crazy as that sounds.

Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future; faith is the courage to dance to it today.  - Peter Kuzmic

Worry opens the door for despair.  When we worry and fret, we are actually doubting God's ability to control the situation.  While I know we don't mean to do that, it is in essence what we're doing.  Once we lose that high maintenance mentality and allow what we have and who we are to just be enough, that's when we can obtain real happiness and see growth in our faith.

Father,

Please help me see that when I worry, I'm actually doubting You.  Calm my fret-prone mind today and give me the reassurance that You are not going to let me fall.  More than anything I want to trust You with my entire life.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

I invite you to read my article, "The Three W's of Diabetic Self-Care". 
 

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Three-Ws-Of-Diabetic-Self-Care&id=7162402

Today is READ A BOOK DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The sole purpose for reading should be entertainment or information.  The perfect book will actually cover both bases.  Enjoy a good book and a cup of tea.  Relax - and don't worry!  Or, you could disguise yourself and hunker down between two vehicles - hoping no one will recognize and interrupt you!