Good morning! Every day at work lately has been a trial of submission as the new organization takes effect. The worst part may be those imaginary arguments or fights. You know, letting them get into your head and your home. I once read a little story about a father who came home from work and did a strange little ritual with the tree in front of the home. He acted as though he hung up clothes or something on this tree each night before going into the house. Of course his kids asked him about the ritual when they got old enough to enter the questioning stage. His explanation was that he imagined himself hanging up all of the problems from work right there on that tree. The next morning he would pick them up again, but never would the problems be allowed to enter the home. My home and your home should be a refuge of peace. Pray about the problems, and you might even discuss them with your spouse. Discussing them outside might be the ticket too. God grants us his peace, but often we set it aside to chew on our problems mentally, and repeatedly, until they become much larger than they should be. If it goes too far it becomes anxiety and depression; it forms what I refer to as the maelstrom, that sucking whirlpool of dark thoughts that only does a person harm. It never seems to work anything out because it is a downward spiral into depression.
My action point for today is to start a similar little ritual when I come home from work. Some little method of hanging up those problems for the night and letting God hold onto them for me. A fresh look at them in the morning might provide an easy solution that I missed the night before. And those imaginary arguments aren't even fair to the person involved! How many times have you or I imagined something like that and had it turn out entirely different? People are inherently unpredictable... sometimes. Yes, someone might react in the same way several times, and then suddenly change. We all change, and except for a few of the very worst cases, accept criticism, either positive or negative, and then reflect and set goals to be a better person. I don't believe that my, sort of, new boss is immune to criticism and correction, but certainly I will do it with prayer, tact, and love.
Praise the name of Jesus on this fine day!
Bucky
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