Changes
Another Day Along the Way
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Another day,
Our youngest son became 16 this month. We are amazed. Our middle son graduated from high school. We are proud. Our oldest son asked a beautiful lady to marry him. She said yes.
Us? We are setting new records of stress-level events during these life-changing experiences. As our sons grow up so quickly, we are now both changing careers, moving to a new state, and saying goodbye to true friends. Many true friends. Years of praying and cheering and talking and listening and counseling and laughing and crying and praying some more: now we say goodbye.
Taylor engaged. Aaron out of high school. Graham sixteen. Debbie and I moving to Georgia, working in new jobs, living in a new house, living a new life. We can call it stress.
I’ve taken the test about stress levels. After a little reading, a lot of research, and a few chocolate chip cookies, I located "Life Events Questionnaire" under "Systematic Stress Management" from the "American Institute of Preventive Medicine" at their aipm.wellnesscheckpoint.com. It informs you that if certain things happen, the events raise those levels of stress. Below 100 would have been okay. I passed that. Below 200 would have been normal. As many of you know, I’m not normal. Between 200 and 300 means the likelihood of a major health problem within the next year. Well, maybe I should call my doctor now. I passed 400.
Yes, it is called stress.
But, what if we decide to call it something else? Think it might help? What if we decide to do something about our inner selves, our worry, our thoughts, our feelings? What if we let the emotions send a few tears from our eyes, while we decide to even laugh a little in the middle of the storm? My guess, a little joy and peace might find their way into us.
I said to myself, "Enjoy this journey. Realize how amazing and adorable and exciting these streets are. Refuse to let the pressure control you. Confess it, pray about it, defeat it." Maybe I’ll pause from my packing and rushing long enough to listen to myself. Maybe I’ll do what I tell myself today. If so, I might be moving forward in more ways than with over 400 boxes. I might be moving toward joy in the journey.
Along the way, Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: (Psalm 16:8-9, The Message)
Day and night I'll stick with God;
I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.
I'm happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Another day,
Our youngest son became 16 this month. We are amazed. Our middle son graduated from high school. We are proud. Our oldest son asked a beautiful lady to marry him. She said yes.
Us? We are setting new records of stress-level events during these life-changing experiences. As our sons grow up so quickly, we are now both changing careers, moving to a new state, and saying goodbye to true friends. Many true friends. Years of praying and cheering and talking and listening and counseling and laughing and crying and praying some more: now we say goodbye.
Taylor engaged. Aaron out of high school. Graham sixteen. Debbie and I moving to Georgia, working in new jobs, living in a new house, living a new life. We can call it stress.
I’ve taken the test about stress levels. After a little reading, a lot of research, and a few chocolate chip cookies, I located "Life Events Questionnaire" under "Systematic Stress Management" from the "American Institute of Preventive Medicine" at their aipm.wellnesscheckpoint.com. It informs you that if certain things happen, the events raise those levels of stress. Below 100 would have been okay. I passed that. Below 200 would have been normal. As many of you know, I’m not normal. Between 200 and 300 means the likelihood of a major health problem within the next year. Well, maybe I should call my doctor now. I passed 400.
Yes, it is called stress.
But, what if we decide to call it something else? Think it might help? What if we decide to do something about our inner selves, our worry, our thoughts, our feelings? What if we let the emotions send a few tears from our eyes, while we decide to even laugh a little in the middle of the storm? My guess, a little joy and peace might find their way into us.
I said to myself, "Enjoy this journey. Realize how amazing and adorable and exciting these streets are. Refuse to let the pressure control you. Confess it, pray about it, defeat it." Maybe I’ll pause from my packing and rushing long enough to listen to myself. Maybe I’ll do what I tell myself today. If so, I might be moving forward in more ways than with over 400 boxes. I might be moving toward joy in the journey.
Along the way, Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: (Psalm 16:8-9, The Message)
Day and night I'll stick with God;
I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.
I'm happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed.
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