That was nice and touching, Carla. I come from a very warm, third world country, and now it's summer here and most of the kids are home, we can't help wanting to go out occasionally to feel the fresh wind in our hair even if we can't afford more than a cup of yogurt to share, to stay longer in the bath or the showers because we can't afford to plant too soon in this heat... and wait for the flowers. Sometimes I just want to lie or sit still because it's too humid and we don't even do airconditioning (it's too expensive for us).

A family with 5 kids in church just moved to New Zealand early this year, very eager for a new life in a land of milk and honey. I heard they are having lots of adjustments tho, from the weather, to 'home' work without a helper, and supplies that cost a fortune. We all have to adapt to the changes we have to go thru in life, but while we are where we are, we often can't wait to move on, don't we! Now the mom is discovering that she has to do most of the hard work herself, uniform shorts which she could buy here at around P120-150 cost about P500 there, and yogurt which is scarce here and which we thought was expensive, was more expensive there!

So I think it really pays to be content, whereever we are, whatever the Lord has provided us with. No, I don't say I dont complain sometimes, but for a long time, I have clung to the prayer "Lord, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change those we can, and wisdom to know the difference."

Your challenge to be content where we are, with what we have is a refreshing change from the usual "more, more, more" mentality of our culture. Yet, why is it that even as believers, people who know God and love Him and trust Him, we struggle with never having enough?
I think that part of the problem is that we try to use our possessions or relationships to fill that hole in our hearts that gnaws at us. The problem is that that hole is God-shaped, so only God can fill it. And I know that, and yet it's still a struggle. Every day, sometimes every few minutes, we have to surrender our will again, and ask Jesus to lead us and show us truth from his Word, and enable us to continue on, one step at a time, the walk of faith. I've been reading in the book of James lately, and I love where it says, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." How amazing, what a wonderful promise! I am so very thankful for His promises!

Is it just me or is the word 'stress' used to the max lately? Every other commercial on TV wants us to believe our lives are too busy, or too stressed out to live! We need this lotion to relieve our stress or we need this certain phone to make our lives liveable again. Well, get a grip folks. It's just plain life. We do with it what WE want. It's called our will.

God didn't invent stress, but He allows it. And to be truthful, sometimes it unravels us to the point of throwing up our hands, screaming at our kids when we don't want to and driving like a reckless maniac to get to where we're going two seconds faster. Don't tell me you don't do that...I know better!

I could list all the things I do in one day and you'd say, 'WOW, how do you get all that done?' Or, I can simply tell you that I've learned to say, 'No',...no thank you, no, please, no, not today or NADA!

"Ah, but I have kids", you say. "My life is not my own." You might say, 'I have a job and kids, I have NO life and it's ALL STRESS. I'm stressed out!"

So, where does the 'don't worry' from the Scriptures come in? Where is the 'lean on me' happen? How about the 'my son, do not walk in the way with them', come about? We're living just the way the world commands us to...in stress. If we're in stress we don't make good decisions. If we're in stress, we don't think things through and do the right thing instead of the quick thing. Could you have saved that $15.00 you spent on pizza last night if you'd fixed a meal at home instead? You bet you could have.

So, I've spoken my piece. I'm allowed to do that since I'm in the near 60 bracket. I know myself and I'm getting to know God every single day of my life...better. That's my plan and I'm stickin' to it. No stress.
Terre

Stress has darn near ruined my life.....and I've let it.

I'm a working Mom of 4 teenagers, 3 of which are driving (they're 18, 17, 16 and 16....hel-lo STRESS!). With all the pressures of being a good mother, being a good wife, being a good employee, being a good daughter, etc., etc., I find that the harder I try to meet the high bar that's been set, the more my poor mind, body, and soul take a beating. I agree with Carla, I have been holding onto my life too tightly, holding myself to expectations that I've been the one to set, and then becoming increasingly agitated and frustrated that nothing is working out like I'd planned. Stress's little helper is Control, they go hand in hand. Aren't all of my expectations really just a way of trying to control the situation so it goes MY way?

Thank you Carla for saying that stress doesn't originate outside yourself. I read that and it was one of those "lightbulb" moments. Ah ha! That will definitely be one of those sentences that will pop up when I'm stuck in traffic or I'm supposed to be in 3 places at the same time!

Obviously I have a long way to go to let go of my life and hand it over to God. I'm an imperfect being who is still learning every day. God is patient with me....so I need to be patient with me too.

What a thought provoking posting....it touched me deeply.

The more I draw near to my Saviour, the more I recognize my inadequacies, for which I am so very grateful. It allows me to pray for my anointed risen Christ's intervention and to lean on Him to full measure.

Blessings

Dr. Trudy

Today as I read all of the comments to Carla's commentary, I felt like I wasn't alone. I am a 52 year old that has been deemed disabled due to a back problem. I no longer work away from home, my daughter and grandchildren have moved away to another state after living in my home for almost their entire lives. I feel like my best friend has died and I have no one to talk to about how stressed, lonely and miserable I feel. I am a Christian and I know that God is there for and with me. So then why do I feel so miserable and lonely. Yes stress dominates my life as well, even at 52 yrs., old. I felt like stress would be a thing of the past. At my age all bills would be gone, house paid for, only good times ahead. Yeah right! Both my children are grown and away from home. I feel more stressed today than I did when they were home and I was younger. Why... you say, because I have spent my life doing for my children, grandchildren and loving it, now comes empty nest syndrome. Well those things that cause stress such as house payments, credit cards over used are still there. Alright then, I have hit 52 and I think where did I go wrong. We have worked hard my husband and my self. We have given until we can't seem to give anymore, so are we stressed...YES, but we all face stress, that's life. Some good decisions were made, some bad but I have come to the conclusion that it is better to fight these sad and somewhat frustrating feelings of hopelessness than to give up. I find peace in God's word. Reading in the Psalms, praying and listening to easy listening Christian music. It is soothing to the soul and I can find peace for just a short span of time, then back to the trials of life. I have dealt with depression, isolation, and have been tempted to end my life. But THANK GOD for his grace and mercy. When I feel this way I lean on him, for he is my only refuge and strength. His word and the peace of his lovely music refreshes my soul and gives me strength to go another day. Never give up, where there is life there is hope, where there is hope there is our Lord and Savior just waiting to love us. I say "Stress is something that melts away the happiness in our souls", and causes even the most strong to cring but Jesus is someone who applies the balm of healing to our souls, restores us back to where we say, with your help Lord, I can do this. Daily, if we just ask and beleive we can and will receive. So let us all just take a deep breathe and continue to just breathe.

I am 60+ yrs. old. We have moved 11x in 42 yrs. I cheered my husband on with each new job. 4x we moved across country long distances. I will say that with each move we settled into contentment more quickly. We have lived here in Texas now for 18 years. God has blessed us with 5 almost 6 grandchildren here and 2 of our three children have settled here. I feel we are reaping the rewards.
Gail

Today I cried...again. This time I was folding the laundry...again. When will I accept what is...and stop grieving for what is not? Perhaps by letting go of my expectations...again?

I'm from MN also...just had our last snow on April 27...ugh. but we move on. I've also move so often, and each time God has provided friends to be with. My dear husband, Darryl, is a Pastor....we have been in NW Minnesota now for 14 years, both our daughters are married (almost, oldest on to be married in Aug) are only 2 hours away in the cities. I have found that with each move, He gives the grace that I need to make it through....

Born with 3% use of my left arm and 7 % of my right, I can relate. God IS so GOOD!
And you reminded me of this. Thank you!

With a Joyful Heart!!!
Author, Online Instructor, & PhD Candidate,
Mary Cox-Pace

As my faith in Christ deepened, the more I realized that I wasn't as patient as i thought I was. I've also realized that obedience to God's command to cast all cares to Him is the magic formula to a stress-free life. Let me share what I've read today from the book "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. Here goes... :)

"We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God's purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.

What is my vision of God's purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power NOW. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish---His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see 'Him walking on the sea' with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see 'Him walking on the sea'. It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.

God's training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What we call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.

God's purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then moment as it comes is precious."