Kate says . . .
Every day we wake up and as a mom we are in a battle. A battle to see if stress is going to win, or we will! Some days, it is just one of those days, and before the kids even get out the door I’ve thrown in the towel. (If they could just hang up the towel maybe…) Other days I win, and I’m able to beat the stress away.
As Brad pointed out in his post, “Stress and the Men Who Hate It”, we have a choice in how we handle the stressful situations in our lives. We can take the stress and demands of the day and let them effect everything else in our lives and marriage or we can fight back. The truth is, we have the CHOICE!!
I am guilty of making the wrong choice at times where stress is concerned. Sometimes I just want to give into the frustration and anger. But then I look at my hubby and my kids and I see what that does to them. Nothing good, that is for sure! There are other times that I step back from my frustrations and take a minute to pull myself together. I whisper a prayer and push forward in a way that I know will not diminish the value of my hubby or kids. It is those times that I look into my family’s eyes and know that I have chosen well.
Giving into your frustrations.
Giving in your frustrations feels good at times. It feels justified for all that you have had to deal with. In the moment that is, but afterwards, it feels horrible. While we all have moments of needing to “vent” we need to discern where and when that is appropriate. As I know in my own life, indulging in frustrations usually fuels the flame higher. I want to put out the flame of stress before we all get burnt.
Step back, take a breath and whisper a prayer.
Feel stressed? Step back, taking a breath and whisper a prayer. That does not fix all that has gone wrong and it does not make all of the frustration go away. It does however, help me to treat everyone around me with the love and respect I actually feel. It teaches the discipline of not acting in the heat of the moment. In Proverbs 31: 26 the wife of noble character is described as “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness”. I would imagine that takes a great deal of prayer and self-discipline to not give into stress and give instructions with kindness. I greatly desire to be that wife of noble character in every way!
Which will you choose wives on your next stressful day or situation?
Will you choose to give in and give in to the frustration or will you choose to step back, take a breath and whisper a prayer. The choice IS ours.