Snowball Thinking

I love the above graphic. It's just what I need to help me keep focused on what truly matters. It's rather difficult at times to keep myself from going overboard with my thinking; focusing on things that hurt, make me sad, worry, and fearful. I guess this is something we all struggle with sometimes. With so much going on with my family member's health issues I've really had to force myself to be honest with myself, about myself; had to acknowledge what things I was doing that were adding to the
stress I already have.

What I noticed was that I too often let my thinking get out of control, let my fears and concerns become a snowball, one that, as I focused upon it, became larger and more painful as days went by.

Snowball thinking is destructive. The more caught up we get in the details of whatever is disturbing us, the worse we feel. One negative thought leads to another, then another, and before we know it we're agitated. We've allowed our thoughts to raise our stress level to something that has the potential to harm us physically, as well as mentally and emotionally.

Solitude is an awesome, wonderful thing. I have discovered the wisdom in taking an hour a day to do absolutely nothing. And my favorite way to do nothing is to sit in a chair outside, usually early morning or when twilight's shadows began to steal across the land. There is something magical about solitude. It allows us to more clearly hear that which God would have us know, but also quiets our minds.
    
When I am alone in my chair, especially as the world begins to shut down for the day, and God turns his nightlights on, I come to understand my place in the scheme of things. I come to understand the wisdom in letting go of what I can't change. I come to understand that no matter how chaotic things are around me, whether within my home or without, life is what it is, and as long as our expectations are not unrealistic ones we'll do okay.

To those who may read this, I pray there is something here that lifts your spirits, that as I share my daily walk with you, we can, together, lift one another up in prayer. Friendship is a most wonderful thing, something I treasure. Thank you for yours.
God bless you.