Monday, October 23, 2017
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Spilled Pancake Batter
This morning, after getting up two hours before the children do, so that I can do things like use the bathroom and get dressed without interruption, I had a second awakening.
I had my bible and prayer time, sang a hymn that had been running through my mind, and decided to make pancakes for breakfast.
For some reason, the thoughts that began swirling around my mind were not a continuous loop of that hymn, anymore. They were negative thoughts about my husband. At first it was remembering something hurtful, then the string of similarly hurtful things began to play. And then it became a rant in there! I was actually silently exclaiming, with facial expression, my outrage! I was "You, know, he did this, too, and here's the negative effect it has had on my life!" and I would even reply to myself, "Yes! That's awful! He'll just keep on doing these things, too!"
I was mixing the pancake batter during this heated, silent conversation. I went to scrape the side of the rubber spatula on the edge of the bowl, and the bowl tipped over sideways, spilling pancake batter all over the counter.
I admit that my usual response would be frustration over having to clean up another mess, and anger with myself for causing it.
But, something weird (for me) happened instead. I know this wasn't my own doing, unless, maybe, there is maturity and wisdom happening, and I just hadn't noticed it, yet.
As I was calmly (!) cleaning up the mess, my mind immediately stopped it's diatribe about my husbands shortcomings, and switched gears. "Thank you, God, for redirecting my thoughts. Thank you for getting my mind out of the mire and back on you!"
Those thoughts weren't going to solve any problems. They weren't going to contribute to a positive mood in the house when children needed to wake for school. They weren't going to create any goodwill in myself toward my husband.
I know that it is my responsibility to gauge my thoughts, and redirect them when necessary. It's nice, though, to have help from time to time. It's never bad to reminded that I can think more positively, and that those thoughts have a major bearing, not only on my day, but to some degree, on those that are around me throughout the day.
I do find myself wondering, now, how many inconvenient messes I have righted that were perfect opportunities for changing my thought process.
I had my bible and prayer time, sang a hymn that had been running through my mind, and decided to make pancakes for breakfast.
For some reason, the thoughts that began swirling around my mind were not a continuous loop of that hymn, anymore. They were negative thoughts about my husband. At first it was remembering something hurtful, then the string of similarly hurtful things began to play. And then it became a rant in there! I was actually silently exclaiming, with facial expression, my outrage! I was "You, know, he did this, too, and here's the negative effect it has had on my life!" and I would even reply to myself, "Yes! That's awful! He'll just keep on doing these things, too!"
I was mixing the pancake batter during this heated, silent conversation. I went to scrape the side of the rubber spatula on the edge of the bowl, and the bowl tipped over sideways, spilling pancake batter all over the counter.
I admit that my usual response would be frustration over having to clean up another mess, and anger with myself for causing it.
But, something weird (for me) happened instead. I know this wasn't my own doing, unless, maybe, there is maturity and wisdom happening, and I just hadn't noticed it, yet.
As I was calmly (!) cleaning up the mess, my mind immediately stopped it's diatribe about my husbands shortcomings, and switched gears. "Thank you, God, for redirecting my thoughts. Thank you for getting my mind out of the mire and back on you!"
Those thoughts weren't going to solve any problems. They weren't going to contribute to a positive mood in the house when children needed to wake for school. They weren't going to create any goodwill in myself toward my husband.
I know that it is my responsibility to gauge my thoughts, and redirect them when necessary. It's nice, though, to have help from time to time. It's never bad to reminded that I can think more positively, and that those thoughts have a major bearing, not only on my day, but to some degree, on those that are around me throughout the day.
I do find myself wondering, now, how many inconvenient messes I have righted that were perfect opportunities for changing my thought process.
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