If Mama Aint Happy...

You know the rest! If Mama aint happy, aint NOBODY happy. How true.

Its really true that as managers, overseers, project directors, etc of our homes we set the tone for the day. I know when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, things are bad all the way around. When I am out of sorts, or generally am not in the "mood" for this mom-deal today, things are rough!

How we deal with our stress and how we feel has huge implications for our family, because its up to us to set the mood of the family. Its a big job.

Remember the girlfriend, or someone else in your life who is stressed out to the max. Does being with that person make you feel at peace? Or does it make you feel stressed yourself?

When you are stressed it does not only effect you! As a mother, wife, manager, contact with those outside your home, christian example to others, mother example to other moms..people are affected by your stress, and how you handle it.

It makes this whole effort to destress ourselves an important focus. Its not only for our own sake, but for that of the kids, hubby and those around us. Our being in control of our stress and reactions gives everything a better chance of working out better.

It doesnt mean that choas will not happen ..hardly! But what it means that when it happens we are calm in the center of the storm. We need to be the ones that they look to for focus, redirecting, and control.

To do this we must, get control of our stress and control our reactions to stress.

Getting control of our stress is about making the effort be ordered (to the degree that it decreases and not creates stress), to be willing to eliminate things in our homes/schedules/relationships that create undue stress, and most importantly getting centered yourself!

We know that the Author of Peace is God Himself. Without Him we have no peace, and so it has to start with our being plugged into Him. Dont forget that. Its about Him to start with!

Also, we need to control our reactions to the stresses that are inevidible. Remember that you CHOOSE your reaction to those feelings that you have no control over. You may not be able to control if you feel a way, but you CAN control how you react to it.

When the stress level has gotten away from you, you MUST focus and determine that you will not allow it to take over your tongue, your actions, your reactions to those in your path.

You dont want to leave a path of destruction, unrest and hurt in your wake. That is easy to do with our scope of influence ..so be careful.