Real Life Calls for Real Solutions

The stress is getting to me. I think I need a new drug.

Honestly, just to say that gives me pause. Are we a society now that solves our self-control problems with drugs? I hope not. There is a lot to be said for the gift of self-control. Paul talks about it in Galatians 5:

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (NIV)

Let me just say this: crucifying the old self is a little tougher than it looks. I read that passage above, and I notice that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness all come before self-control. Honestly, I think it would be a whole lot easier to be self-controlled if I had all that other stuff going on.

We live in a world now where the idea of being bipolar is generic for "I can't control my shopping, " or "I can't control my temper." You know what? I can't control my temper either. I don't seem to have the built-in mechanism to be able to see when the stress of a situation is building, and then walk away. I truly believe there are good reasons for people to be taking antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Honestly, I think I am a walking advertisement for them.

And then again, at least for me, I think I have to take some responsibility for being self-controlled. The gifts of the Spirit do not usually come packaged in a little pill. The pill might make it infinitely easier to be self-controlled, but in real life you have to do a little more than depend on medication to make your life all better.

So today my kitchen was a colossal mess yet again, because those in my family aren't doing their jobs -- and we all have families like that at times. My solution? Clean it up. Then take out all the dishes and throw them against the brick wall of the house. No dishes = no dirty dishes to keep the kitchen an endless mess.

OK, before you think that's a bit extreme, let me give you this caveat: they were Dollar Store dishes, all chipped, and the total cost for them all was probably only about $20. My feeling was that it was cheaper than therapy. And also I have more dishes in the house that can be used; they're just put away.

I gotta tell you, throwing those dishes against that brick wall sure did feel good. And it sure did relieve some stress.

So we all have our ways of coping. Some people get ulcers, some withdraw, some even commit suicide. Some depend on medications, some altogether too much. Me, I throw dishes. Well, at least I threw them today. I thought it was a pretty creative solution, to be truthful. Anybody need some broken pottery for a mosaic?

xoxoxox