Wow.  Does that open up a can of worms for you?  It does for me.  I was speaking with a wise woman a couple of weeks ago, and she made a statement that I hope always stays with me.  She made is quietly, simply, non-judgementally.  She said (in other words, but this was the basic point), "It seems as though you need to look at the sources of stress in your life.  There are many of them about which you can do nothing.  However there are some self-induced stressors in your life.  You need to identify those self-induced sources of stress, and then eliminate them."  Wow.  She went on to say that she knows that is no easy task, and won't happen overnight, but she encouraged me to really be mindful of when I am creating stress for myself and my family, and to try to stop doing that.  She even gave me the analogy of a traffic light.  She said that when I find myself doing the very thing I don't want to do, when I know I'm about to cause stress for myself and/or my family, that I can imagine the light turning red.  STOP.  Just STOP doing it now.

Simple suggestions.  Basic pointers.  But HUGE in terms of benefit, if they can be applied to daily life!  I know that I cannot do this on my own.  But I know that the Lord is faithful, and that He wants me to take His yoke upon Him, that His burden is light.  I can find true rest for my soul in Him.  He has given me the ability to think and discern...and I need to be realistic about how often my choices, attitudes and behaviors cause stress for myself and those around me.  I desire to STOP doing those things!  And I trust, that by HIS grace, I can improve in this area.

I am saddened when I think of how often it is simply my lack of faith that causes me to be frustrated, angry, grouchy, short, impatient, irritable....the list goes on and on!  I am not trusting the Lord in the "smaller details" of my life.  It is as though I think He is sovereign in what I consider to be "the big stuff," but not in the daily grind.  I know that is flawed thinking.  I don't really THINK that is true, but it's obviously what I'm believing often times, because that is how I behave.  Like I need to fret, try to change circumstances, try to "fix" something, etc.  If only I would remember that there is NOTHING that enters my life that is not a part of my loving Saviour's perfect will for me.

I'm writing this as I am giving myself a "time-out" before I lash out in frustration with my kids.  They have disobeyed.  Again.  That is wrong.  BUT...I am thankful that the Lord has allowed me to stop and take a few minutes to think and pray before I deal with their sin.  I have a heart that is filled with sin.  I need to be mindful of that when I handle these training moments with my sweet kiddos.  That I am still learning the very things I'm trying to teach them.  It's what life is all about.  And it reminds us to be on our knees, ever-dependent on His grace to get us through each moment of each day!  We can't do it alone.

I'm glad that He provides wise people to guide us on this journey.  And after I go and deal with my children in light of God's grace, I'm going to take a look at those self-imposed stressors, and pray about what the Lord might have me to do with or about them.  BY HIS GRACE, and FOR HIS GLORY!!!