Archives for June 2014

101 (+1) Ways to Cope with Stress

13 June, 2014 by 3 Comments

First let me say that I didn’t come up with this list. I found it in a local advertisement for a hospital. But we do stay way too stressed out and this list holds some practical, simple ways to make your life less crazy. But in writing this post I have to say that NOT HAVING A BLOG would help me cope with stress! Just trying to format these posts makes me crazy sometimes! Somebody, somewhere, sometime must have prayed for me to have more patience. They better hope I don’t find out who they are 😉

  1. Get up 18 minutes early
  2. Prepare for the morning the night before
  3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
  4. Avoid relying on chemical aids (I can attest personally to this one—Trouble with a capital T!
  5. Set appointments ahead
  6. Don’t rely on your memory…write it down
  7. Practice preventative maintenance
  8. Make duplicate keys
  9. Say “no” more often
  10. Set priorities in your life
  11. Avoid negative people (Some days this means I can’t look in the mirror)
  12. Use time wisely
  13. Simplify meal times (“Kids, go jump in the car”)
  14. Always make copies of important papers (and then remember where you put them)
  15. Anticipate your need
  16. Repair anything that doesn’t work properly (In my house this means call a handyman, or we’ll end up paying more in the long run)
  17. Ask for help with the jobs you don’t like (Or just don’t do them)
  18. Break large tasks into small portions
  19. Look at challenges differently
  20. Unclutter your life (That one alone would cure my stress)
  21. Smile
  22. Prepare for rain
  23. Tickle a baby
  24. Pet a friendly dog or cat (or one of the horses (ahem—great danes) that live in my house)
  25. Don’t know all the answers (No matter how badly I want to)
  26. Look for the silver lining
  27. Say something nice to someone (especially your significant other…we neglect them all too often)
  28. Teach a kid to fly a kite (right after you teach yourself!)
  29. Walk in the rain
  30. Schedule play time into every day
  31. Take a bubble bath (I’m especially good at that one!)
  32. Be aware of the decisions you make
  33. Believe in yourself
  34. Stop saying negative things to yourself
  35. Visualize yourself winning
  36. Develop your sense of humor
  37. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better day
  38. Have goals for yourself
  39. Dance a jig
  40. Say hello to a stranger
  41. Ask a friend for a hug
  42. Look up at the stars
  43. Practice breathing slowly
  44. Learn to whistle a tune (Or just watch Andy Griffith)
  45. Read a poem
  46. Listen to a symphony
  47. Watch a ballet
  48. Read a story curled up in bed
  49. Do a brand new thing
  50. Stop a bad habit
  51. Buy yourself a flower
  52. Take stock of your achievements
  53. Find support from others
  54. Ask someone to be your “vent” partner (I got one of those just this week!)
  55. Do it today
  56. Work at being cheerful and optomistic
  57. Put safety first
  58. Do everything in moderation
  59. Pay attention to your appearance
  60. Strive for excellence not perfection (I needed this one a LONG time ago)
  61. Stretch your limits a little each day
  62. Look at a work of art
  63. Hum a tune
  64. Maintain your weight
  65. Plant a tree
  66. Feed the bird
  67. Practice grace under pressure
  68. Stand up and stretch
  69. Always have a plan “B”
  70. Learn a new doodle
  71. Memorize a joke
  72. Be responsible for you feelings
  73. Learn to meet your own needs
  74. Become a better listener
  75. Know your limitations and let others know them too
  76. Tell someone to have a good day in pig latin
  77. Throw a paper airplane
  78. Exercise every day
  79. Learn the words to a new song
  80. Get to work early
  81. Clean out a closet
  82. Play patty-cake with a toddler
  83. Go on a picnic
  84. Take a different route to work
  85. Leave work early  (with permission, of course)
  86. Put air freshener in your car
  87. Watch a movie and eat popcorn
  88. Write a note to a far-away friend
  89. Go to a ball game and scream
  90. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
  91. Recognize the importance of unconditional love
  92. Remember that stress is an attitude
  93. Keep a journal
  94. Practice a gigantic smile (but don’t creep people out!)
  95. Remember you always have options
  96. Have a support network of people, place, and things
  97. Stop trying to “fix” other people
  98. Get enough sleep (which I need to go do right now!)
  99. Talk less and listen more
  100. Freely praise other people
  101. Relax and take one day at a time…you have the rest of your life to live
  102. And I MUST add one more…PRAY, PRAY, and PRAY some more!

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Filed Under: Handling Stress, Simplify Your Life Tagged With: , , , ,

When we wonder “Why?”

8 June, 2014 by 4 Comments

 

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In my last post, I wrote about a book I was reading called, “Fly a Little Higher” about a teenage boy diagnosed with a difficult type of cancer to cure—osteosarcoma. His mom wrote the book and even though Zach died, his mom’s prayers were answered. The death of her son through this cancer was for something much, much bigger. I also indicated that I hoped God never chooses to allow that opportunity for my children.

Then Friday night Miranda comes in and tells us that one of her best friend’s little brother, Josiah, has Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia—ALL is a common abbreviation and his is the T-cell type. Josiah is Trevor’s age, so this hits quite close to home. Josiah’s family is one of the most kind and Godly families I know. They truly radiate the light of Jesus. I couldn’t help but ask myself ,”Why?” As a mom, I can’t imagine what his mom, Lynette, is feeling right now. I’m sure Satan is doing his best to put doubt and fear into her heart, as well as those of her family. Why this family? Why Josiah? 

Tomorrow, the doctors will put in a port, begin chemo, and begin to decide how they will approach the bone marrow treatment. Josiah undoubtedly will have to endure some pain through this treatment, and his family will be right by his side going through it with him. Satan has chosen the wrong family to pick on. 

Satan’s going to fail. God will prevail.

Josiah has been on my mind since the minute Miranda told me about his diagnosis. She went to the hospital yesterday and said everyone is being very positive. Just what I would expect. Not to mention that yesterday was Josiah’s birthday. This post hasn’t been well thought out, or rewritten several times as I tend to do. It’s just straight from my heart.

We need an army of prayer warriors for Josiah. We don’t need to give Satan even an inkling that he might have any satisfaction through this diagnosis. Here’s a link to a Facebook page created to keep people updated on his condition and for the prayers needed: Pray for Josiah

This is a picture of Josiah with his brother, Ben, and his sisters, Brooke and Hannah. (Josiah is on the far right)

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God has a plan. We need to pray to keep Satan’s army suppressed and allow God’s perfect plan unfold before our eyes. Let’s watch as God destroys the cancer and Satan’s evil plans as well.

Please share this post and like Josiah’s Facebook page. In this case, Like = Prayer.

If you want more on why bad things happen to good people check out another recent post HERE.

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Filed Under: Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, God-Sized Dreams, Living in Faith, The Power of Prayer