Real Stress Relief

"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide:" Gen 24:63

"The anticipation of the holiday season begins with Christmas decorations going up around Halloween. It is no wonder that people who expect to have the perfect holiday are set up for feeling stressed out over the holidays," said psychologist Dorothy Cantor, Psy.D., a private practitioner in Westfield, N.J., and a former president of the American Psychological Association. "A person will get very disappointed if he or she expects to get along with everyone in the family that historically doesn't get along, just because it is the holiday season. Pegging the holidays as a magical time for curing all past problems is not being realistic and will get you into trouble."

Then comes the new year. Anxiety builds up because we are forced to remember that many of the things we resolved to do at the beginning of last year were left undone or unaccomplished over the last 365 days. No big deal. We'll just start going to Bible Study this year. We'll get back on that diet and lose weight for sure this year. We'll cut back on spending, get our house in order, spend more time with the kids, work harder, exercise more, watch less TV, give more money, yada, yada, yada!

January ends and February begins and, for many of us, no start has been made on any of this and we fall into the demoralizing realization that this year will be no different from the rest. We won't keep any of the New Year's Resolutions we made this year any more than we have in past years, and, for some of us, this makes us feel bad about ourselves. Through out the country, doctors will have offices overflowing with patients seeking relief from conditions related to stress caused by a poor opinion of themselves or by their inability to deal properly with the events of the season.

Stress is defined as mental, emotional, or physical strain felt by somebody, caused, for example, by anxiety or overwork. It may cause such symptoms as raised blood pressure or depression. Rushing to make sure that everyone has a gift, the house is well kept, the spouse, the children, the in-laws, the neighbors, visitor, co-workers, and anyone else we bump into are taken care of can wear us down: stress!

Stress is a complex, dynamic process of interaction between a person and his or her life. It is the way we react physically, mentally, and emotionally to the various conditions, changes, and demands of life. It can make us sick.

Thank God, there is a way out: stop and smell the roses! Meditate. Go out into your yard, alone. Sit on your porch, alone. Go to the park, alone. Sit quietly in a room, alone, and let God give you a heart massage. Let Him wash your feet, untangle your matted brain cells, and manicure your jumbled life. Let Him speak peace to your truculent circumstances and be blessed. Say out loud how thankful you are for the solace that comes with His receiving you in His presence. Meditate.

Ps 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. 1 Tim 4:15_16 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Phil 4:6_9 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.