Stress

 

I have intended to write an article on the topic of stress for quite some time now.  The purpose of this blog is to address ALL things health—

this includes spiritual health, mental health, and physical health.  Stress falls into the category of mental health, but it affects our physical health.  

 

This brings me to a key foundational point of my philosophy.  I believe that in order for us to walk in physical health, we have to have our spiritual and mental health in order.  And I believe this also means that we need to have our priorities in order concerning the three.  If we exalt physical health above the other two, they will suffer.  If we exalt our mental health above spiritual or physical health, they, too, will suffer.  I believe that the proper order of importance is spiritual first, mental second, and physical last.  Just because physical health comes in last place doesn’t mean we neglect it.  On the contrary, there must be a balance between the three.  I really want to emphasize this, because I know on this blog, most of the attention is on physical health.  I think this is an area that people have neglected for too long, so I feel the need to spread truth about it.  In the process I don’t want you to forget about your mental and spiritual health.

 

So back to the subject of stress…

 

Many things can create stress in our lives—relationship issues, finances, raising kids, work pressures, and the day-to-day duties we all have, like keeping on top of the bills, driving our kids around town for activities, etc.  I remember reading somewhere that there are different types of stress—on type is from major things in our lives, the death of a loved one, for example, but the other type is from our busy, multi-tasking lives.  In the article I read, the latter type was worse than the former, simply because it is there day in and day out and there isn’t a release.  We need to be aware that children and teens can feel stress, as well.  It is my hope, in the future, to address some of these issues in an effort to help you relieve some stress.  We’ll see how that goes—

as much as I think about it, it seems I do get pulled in the direction of writing about physical health more often.  J

 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas next month, I felt it was a good time to at least touch on this topic.  The holidays seem to bring so much stress for so many.  If you are feeling stress over the holidays, it really is best for your overall health that you pull back and take it easy.  Do some shopping online; avoid the crowds.  Share the burden of preparing the holiday meals with others—

many hands make light work.  I had good intentions of sending out Christmas cards this year and even thought of making goody plates for people, but I won’t be doing either of these.  Right now, I am learning to say no more (read on).  I’m not even making a turkey this year!  I bought turkey legs instead and will make a very small version of the holiday meal.  Thanksgiving is going to be a nice relaxing time with my family.  To see what my menu was last year, click here.  It will be pretty close to the same this year.

 

Stress is a sneaky, subtle thing.  I think most of us feel stress and we don’t give it a second thought.  We just think that’s life, we’re busy and we just trudge on.  Many think that to ask for help is a sign of weakness.  We don’t realize that this stress is having an effect on our physical bodies.

 

I have been dealing with a skin issue since June and I have just learned that it was caused by stress!  I had this same issue pop up about 16 years ago when I was under a lot of stress.  I just recently connected the dots and could see how that incident was stress related, as well.  I always thought I was one that handled stress really well, though.  I remember interviewing for a job and telling my future boss that things don’t bother me, things just roll off my back.  I have always prided myself on being in control of my emotions.  If I’m upset about something one day, I can just sleep it off, and I’

m fine the next day.  I can wake up in the morning feeling resolved, without ever really resolving anything.  I think the word for that is repression!  J  I have never been a very outward person; I don’t display a lot of emotion.  But I am learning that it has to come out somehow.  It was a big shock to find that I was manifesting a display of stress.  I wasn’t even feeling stressed!  But I do look back now and realize that when this skin issue started I was under a great deal of stress.  The stress only lasted for a few weeks, but my skin set into a bad cycle that brought about its own stress.  I am happy to say now that I am on the road to recovery, having finally got to the root.

 

Dr. Mercola has his EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Dr. Cowan has his patients practice meditation.  While neither of these is for me, I can see the effectiveness behind them.  Take time to find out what relieves your stress.  You may be surprised to find that recreation isn’

t necessarily the answer.  I’ve started paying attention to myself, relaxing my shoulders throughout the day and stopping to take a good deep breath and, more importantly, turning down activities and obligations that I know will stress me out.

 

So take some time this holiday season to relieve your stress.  If you are feeling stress in other areas, please address these issues.  Get counseling, read books, do what you have to do to get your mental health in order, because your physical health will follow suit.

 

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.

 

P.S.  I have found a handy organizational tool.  It is www.IwantSandy.com.  It works through your email.  (I am in my email all day long anyway, might as well make it work for me.)  This tool will keep track of phone numbers, appointments, birthdays—all sorts of things.  I am loving it!  It emails me first thing every morning with my list of to-dos.  If I think of something during the day that I need to do that evening or the next day, I just send a quick email to Sandy and the program will send me a reminder (when I designated) to do that item.  If you have a calendar, but forget to check it, this program is for you.  And, best of all, it’s free!

Update 11/26/08:  I found out that this handy new organizer I Want Sandy is going offline on December 8th.  You can read about it here.   They recommend four other calendar programs, I’ll have to check them out.  I am bummed about this.  :(

What Are Your Plans?

I had to take a break from blogging this last month as we had the opportunity of opening our home to a relative in need.  This young lady was in need of a major change in her life and the first night she came to live with us she said she would do anything to change and was excited to learn from us.  We laid out some rules and she agreed that they were good. 

 

My husband and I are teachers.  We have a heart to teach those that are teachable and want to learn.  So we tackled every opportunity to teach character qualities, spiritual fundamentals, and practical life skills.  We knew that this would take some time, so we planned many things to teach over the coming months.  One of the first lessons we wanted to teach is that our actions speak louder than our words.  We can say we love God, but if we aren’t keeping His commandments we don’t truly love Him. (John 14:15,21)  In fact, John tells us in I John 1:4 that, “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  Well, this woman’s actions spoke louder than her words and subsequently she is no longer with us.

 

We have no ill feelings over the situation and, in fact, I can glean many lessons from it.  She has only harmed herself and not us.

 

I was mopping my floor this morning thinking over the whole situation.  I was thinking about all the things I had planned to teach her.  Plans to teach character qualities, spiritual fundamentals, knowledge of the Bible and God’s plan and character, and practical information, like how to handle finances, how to clean house and cook.

 

But with all my plans, it still came down to her choice.  She chose not to be meek and teachable, showing us through attitude that she really didn’t want a change in her life.

 

It is the same way with God.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)  God has plans for every one of us, BUT it is up to us to CHOOSE to follow God.  Jeremiah 10:23 says that man is NOT to direct his own steps; we are to let God direct our steps.  Ps. 37:23 says that the steps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord (I particularly like the New Living Translation of this verse). 

 

What are your plans for your life?  It is certainly okay to have goals, but I think we all need to stop more often than we do and ask what God’s plans for us are.  It is our choice, we can choose to live a mediocre life or we can CHOOSE to partake of the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10.  It saddens me that many Christians don’t live that abundant life.  It all comes down to our choices.  After Moses read the law to the Israelites he told them they had a choice, in Deuteronomy 30:19, to CHOOSE life or death.

 

I truly believe this means in ALL areas of our life.  We must NOT departmentalize God, put Him in a little corner of our life, go to church, do our duty, and then everything else about our life is up to us.  We are only going to have that abundant life if we allow God into those other areas of our life.

 

The important thing to remember is that every one of us has influence on those around us.  If we aren’t living that abundant life, the people around us aren’t going to want anything to do with Christianity.

 

Many times the apostle Paul compared the spiritual walk with a race.  His readers were very familiar at that time with the Olympic games in Greece.  We, too, are familiar with the Olympic games, so I would like to expand on that comparison.  Imagine this year in Beijing the Olympics is including a special race open to anyone in the world and some wealthy benefactor has paid expenses for as many people of the world that want to come and participate in this race.  All you have to do is go and pick-up your plane ticket to China.  Many people will take this man’s word to be true, and go and pick-up their plane ticket and fly to China.  Once they are there, it is their choice whether to follow the plan of the games or do their own thing.  Some will say, “Hey this is great, I got a free ticket to China, but now I’m going to do my own thing and go sightseeing.”  Others will participate in this special race, but once the gun goes off, they don’t go anywhere.  They think, “This is so great, I’m at the Olympics in Beijing”, but they’re not cooperating and not actually doing any running, as if they don’t understand why they are there.  Others are running half-heartedly, not really putting much effort into winning.  Some come upon hurdles and then stop, not knowing how to jump them.  Now if the world was watching this race on television at home, most would change the channel.  People would lose their interest in the Olympic games. 

 

What I suggest to you is that the world is watching you as a Christian, and if you aren’t following God’s plan, then you are influencing those around you and they will want to turn the channel.  They won’t want anything to do with the Christianity that you’ve got.  Those that were off sightseeing, those that never started the race, those that ran half-heartedly, and those that were blocked by the hurdles ALL hindered the world’s confidence in the Olympic games.  Christians that are doing their own thing, or are never growing, or only put half a heart into following God (I’ll go to church, but I want to have my fun, too), or come upon obstacles and crumble, ALL hinder the gospel message.  So I say to you, are you going to be one of the runners in this race, striving for the gold medal?  Paul says in I Cor. 9:24 that we should all run like we mean it, to win the prize.

 

God has many plans for you, many things to teach you, the question is, are you going to let Him teach you and lead you?  God has given us a whole book of His will.  I know it sounds cliché and many years ago, I would’ve nodded my head in agreement, but not actually taken it to heart.  I can now tell you from experience that your life will change when you diligently study God’s Word, seeking God’s kingdom first (Matt. 6:33).