Give it to GOD, again

"Trust in the Lord, with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5

So often things are simply beyond our control. We cannot do one thing about it. Getting rid of it, getting over it, getting control of it, making a new plan, getting an new perspective or getting it done may not work as a solution. There is nothing to do BUT give it totally to God, and trust that in His wisdom it will work to His glory. Giving it to him is certainly not a last resort, but the first resort..again! :)

Certainly, doing so is easier said than done. It is a skill, that deserves practice and constant assurance that you have still left it there. God's hands are more capable than ours, and dont forget that really we know too little of the whole story to make the proper decisions anyways!

Again, only time with Him on a constant basis can ensure that your heart is fully surrendered to His bidding. Only constant reminding via scriptures of His promises, His truths and His faithfulness can keep our little forgetful brains focused in that direction.

There is true peace waiting, for those hearts that allow Him to bear the burden of your heart, soul, mind and body. Never underestimate Him, and His ability to give you peace beyond understanding...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Welcome ifellowshippers..thanks so much for your encouragement

Get a New PERSPECTIVE!

Perspective has so much to do with the things we identify as stressful. And, we misuse alot of our resources because we have the wrong perspective on things. Being able to put things in their place, so to speak, can go a long way to our being able let things go and let God take control of them.

Changing how you see people, how you view your resources, how you see your work, how you view the time you have with your kids, how you see blessings or suffering in your life ..all can enable or deter you from being able to find peace in those areas.

The only way we can ensure that our perspective is such that peace is the result, is when our perspective is based on truth. That can only be found in our daily interactions with the Truth Giver and His word. Our eyes will only see with wisdom, if we learn from the Teacher the things of eternity as they lie in contrast to those "light and momentary" things.

Daily time with God is essential for having the right perspective on the world and situations around us.

If you dont already, make daily time for God and ask for His eternal perspective for your life. It will not only decrease your stress, but more importantly, therein lies the only true peace.

When it comes to your Stress List ..are there things on there that could use a different perspective? Are you stuck at home with a sick kid...or do you have a great excuse to sit on the couch and read to your little one? Do you have the pay the bills...or are you blessed to have a job and finances to cover it? Are you "stressed out", or misusing your resources somehow?

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Can a change in perspective help your Stress List today? Do tell!

Get OVER it!

 This was originally posted June 2008 ..I didnt edit this one too much..yay me!

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I know, it sounds harsh.

I have to say though, this one I think can help us with a good majority of the stresses we have in our day and our life.

Dont get me wrong. There are plenty of things that we simply cant let go, or deny ourselves right to feel about. Death of a loved one, heart sick issues, marriage relationships, abusive situations..these cant be "gotten over".

But, there are plenty of things that we can really tell ourselves to move pass, give up, get over.

You know what I am talking about. We girls are the worst about mulling over, creating mountains out of mole hills, enlarging, sharing, fretting, building up our emotions by feeding the stress til it takes over our minds and spirits.

Its a girl thing, but not necessarily a good one.

Think about how much stress you can free yourself of by simply telling yourself on the onset, that you simply must let it go.

This strategy doesnt work for those things that need to be done. You cant get over laundry, doing dishes, or grocery shopping. But, you can get over the socks he left on the floor, the words someone said, the worry or fretting over something you cant control, the fact that someone is doing something a different way than you would, etc.

This is a DECISION. You have to decide you will let it go. You decide what you allow to stress you out, work you up, make you "crazy" ..you have to decide to not let it.

You will feel better. I promise.

Consider too, when you allow yourself to get stressed about anything it effects others whether it be the kids, the husband, the best friend, the guy at the grocery store, or the customer service guy on the phone. Our stress levels dont just effect us. We owe it to ALL of those people to let go of stuff when we can :)

Need a little extra help to do that?

Pray. Pray for the ability to do so. Pray for peace. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for patience. Pray for mercy. Pray for a different perspective. Pray for him instead of getting mad about his socks. Pray her instead of thinking about her careless words.

Wow. Courtney the 2008 edition was a little harsh. 
She is right though, I gotta work on that..what about you?

Get CONTROL of it!

This Stress Strategy applies to alot of processes that cause me stress ...its about looking at areas of my life that are causing me stress and realizing that the reason that they are doing so is because they need better control.

Remember, stress happens when we are off balance with what we need to do and what we have to do it. If we have areas that requiring more than its fair share of resource, then we need to get it under control.

Some areas that need this strategy can applied are laundry, weight/health,  finances/spending, lack of routine, clutter in the car,  behavioral issues with the kids ...if you notice an area keeps coming up on your Stress List, it may need better CONTROL!

Getting things under control may require a new plan, a new perspective, a new system, advice from a trusted friend, a tip from a helpful source or simply being more purposeful towards that area. 

Getting control, as a strategy for relieving stress, often requires a combination of several Stress Strategies. It may require a combo of getting control AND getting it done. I may be helpful to combine getting control with getting a new plan.

I keep thinking that I should do away with this stress strategy, but really ..bringing an area into a place where it is more manageable is a valid strategy in my book! :)

Can you think of an area or two that could require the need to bring it under better control

in order to use your resources better?

Get it DONE!

Most of the things on my Stress List can be taken care of by simply taking care of business, just doing it, just getting it done.

There are things that we cant get rid of, or get better control of, or pray away (unfortunately) ..they just need to be completed. Grocery shopping, cleaning house, putting the clothes away, paying the bill, cleaning the toilet ..just do it already :)

I have found that often, I put more resources into putting it off and stressing over it than I would if I just use the resources (time, energy, effort) and take care of it.

How many things on your list of stresses are the result of you putting it off and off? If you keep a Stress List three days in a row and find that the same things keep showing up, them take care of that stuff if at all possible. Dont put it off anymore. No sense in putting mental and emotional resources into something that probably will take less resources just to get taken care of. 

Also, consider that sometimes just doing something about those areas that cause us stress, is in itself stress relieving. Instead of fretting over needing to do something, use that energy to make a step in the right direction and you may be surprised with how much energy you gain from even that little bit!

... not much more to say about that one. This must be some kind of record :)

"For the Kingdom of God is not matter of talk but of power." 2 Cor 4:20

What is on your stress list that needs doing?

Get Rid of It!

This is one of my FAVORITE Stress Less Strategies!  I find it quite applicable to many areas of my Stress List. It applies to my stuff, my schedule, unhealthy relationships, discouraging thoughts, time wasters, books I shouldnt read, food I shouldnt eat ...see?

I have always found such liberation in letting go of things that arent beneficial for me or my family. Since really focusing on how certain things really affect the stress levels of myself, my husband or my children I have used this strategy ALOT!

Some things I have gotten rid of over the past few years ...clothes, shoes, kids clothes, responsibilities, monthly bills (i.e., Netflix and the like, not the electricity :), rugs that wouldnt lay flat and always needing vacuumed, paperwork, broken crayons, cleaning supplies, tupperware without lids, pots/pans that were scratched, dvd/cd's we didnt watch (or shouldnt),  decorating stuff, Christmas decorations, books I had already read ...I use this strategy alot.

Getting rid of stuff is the easiest  for me ...here are some rules I go by when it comes to getting rid of physical things...

* if you dont LOVE it, or NEED it..then get rid of it!

This applies to every area of your home from closets, kids closets, kids toys, living room furniture, kitchen gadgets, clothes in closet, organizing aids in the house, to backyard toys and smelly good stuff in the bathroom.


* If you have lots of something..then get rid of some of it!

Looking around the house you can find LOTS of areas to apply this. Its amazing how things collect and you buy when you have some of it already because you have so much you cant see what you have!
Get HONEST about whether you need so many of of a thing..you may be surprised what your answer may be!

* If you cant remember WHY something is sentimental..then get rid of it.

How often do we hold on to stuff because so-and-so gave it to us? Obviously there are exceptions to this rule. Generally, if someone spent time making something or they have alot of attachment to my having it, I hold onto it. But, I couldnt tell you most if any of the gifts I have given to anyone in the last 5 years ...so if I gave you something, and its causing you stress..GET RID OF IT!


* If its broken or doesnt work..GET RID OF IT!

Adrian and I often disagree in this area. He wants to put it aside to fix it later. Some stuff we do that with, but I have gotten to the point that if I didnt LOVE it or USE it in the first place, it gets trashed.

*If you havent worn it, used it, or played with it in the last 6 months...GET RID OF IT!

This is a GREAT rule. I use it ALL the time. I use it especially in my closet and my kitchen. These are two areas where things seem to multiply unfettered.


* If you feel bad about throwing it away..GIVE IT AWAY

I have found that there are some things that I dont want any more, but that I cant just throw away. Its much easier for me to pass it on to someone who could use it (less guilt).
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Getting rid of the some things in our life that arent as easy as packing it up to the Goodwill (i.e., thoughts, relationships, etc). But, the benefits are just as freeing if you find a way to get that stressor out of your life.

Sometimes, you dont have a choice about whether to get rid of something or not (like laundry..blech!)..sometimes you have to apply a different strategy to that stressor. We will look at Get it under Control next! 

What can you Get Rid Of this week?

Action Plan: Stress Less Strategies

Starting with your Stress List, you can get a plan of action by applying some possible strategies to each of the items on your list.

These are some strategies that I use, literally, every day. I use them consciously and unconsciously, depending on what I am stressed about. For me, getting these concepts in my head has helped me to feel more in control of those areas where I can determine how I react and deal.

To each item on your list apply one of these plans ... get RID of it, get CONTROL of it, get it DONE, get OVER it,  get a new PLAN, get a new PERSPECTIVE and give it to GOD, again.

We will go in detail for each one over the next couple of weeks, but for now ...

Get RID of it, that one is pretty clear but its a great one! So often stuff makes us feel stressed. Whether its because we have too much of something, we dont have room for it, it makes us feel guilty for some reason (clothes that dont fit in your closet), its old and broken, its dirty or worn out. Getting rid of stuff is SO freeing! And, less stuff means less to stress over!

One other thing you can apply this to, is your schedule. If there are things there that are stressing you get rid of it from your schedule. Too much time away from home? Might need to look at what you can get rid of!

Get CONTROL of it. I apply this one specifically to my laundry! I hate laundry. It stresses me out. But I cant get rid of it. So, it must be dealt with it. 

Get it DONE. This applies to a good portion of the things on my daily Stress List.  The grocery shopping, the bill paying ..its all stuff that has to just get done.  How often are misused resources, and thus stress, caused by simply putting things off? Do it.

Get OVER it.You know exactly what I mean girls. There are alot of things we stress over that we really neednt stress over. It wastes our resources a good portion of the time when we stress and fret over things that cant be changed or arent worth the resources we are putting into them.

This applies when we allow ourselves to get stressed over things that people say or do that irritate or upset us. We tend to ponder, discuss, ponder, sulk, ponder and create MORE stress for ourselves with the pondering ...so if you can, get over it sista.

Get a new PLAN. Sometimes we have dealt with a stressor and it comes back. It may be a sign that we need to handle it differently. Did you TRY to get control of the laundry but you still were overwhelmed by it? Then maybe try getting rid of some of it by decreasing the number of outfits your kids have at their disposal. Did you try putting the dog food up where the 18 month old couldnt reach it (you thought) but they found it anyways? Get a new plan. Reorder. Reorganize. Reprioritize.

Get a new PERSPECTIVE. This one could go hand in hand with get over it but a little unique in that it asks for a different view point. Its about changing your attitude ..like, you have a ton to do today but one of the kids are sick and wont let you put them down but, you get a new perspective and realize that you have a good excuse to sit and read books to your kids all day and let the laundry go!

Then, Give it GOD, again. Thing is, there is plenty of things that cause us stress that we can do nothing about. We can continue allowing those things to sap energy from our spirits, or give them to someone who can handle it.

Remember to, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." I Peter 5:7 (NLT)

Do any of these particularly appeal to you? Do any of them strike you as applicable to 

your Stress List today?

Resource Managment: Give it to GOD, again

"Trust in the Lord, with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5

So often things are simply beyond our control. We cannot do one thing about it. Getting rid of it, making a new plan, getting an new perspective or getting it done doesnt work as a solution. There is nothing to do BUT give it totally to God, and trust that in His wisdom it will work to His glory.

Certainly, doing so is easier said than done. It is a skill, that deserves practice and constant assurance that you have still left it there. God's hands are more capable than ours, and dont forget that really we know too little of the whole story to make the proper decisions anyways!

Again, only time with Him on a constant basis can ensure that your heart is fully surrendered to His bidding. Only constant reminding via scriptures of His promises, His truths and His faithfulness can keep our little forgetful brains focused in that direction.

There is true peace waiting, for those hearts that allow Him to bear the burden of your heart, soul, mind and body. Never underestimate Him, and His ability to give you peace beyond understanding...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Resource Management: Get a new PERSPECTIVE

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Perspective has so much to do with the things we identify as stressful. And, we misuse alot of our resources because we have the wrong perspective on things.

Being able to put things in their place, so to speak, can go a long way to our being able let things go and let God take control of them.

Changing how you see people, how you view your resources, how you see your work, how you view the time you have with your kids, how you see blessings or suffering in your life ..all can enable or deter you from being able to find peace in those areas.

The only way we can ensure that our perspective is such that peace is the result, is when our perspective is based on truth. That can only be found in our daily interactions with the Truth Giver and His word. Our eyes will only see with wisdom, if we learn from the Teacher the things of eternity as they lie in contrast to those "light and momentary" things.

Daily time with God is essential for having the right perspective on the world and situations around us.

If you dont already, make daily time for God and ask for His eternal perspective for your life. It will not only decrease your stress, but more importantly, therein lies the only true peace.

Resource Management: Get a new PLAN

This strategy works well with getting control of things ...sometimes getting control of something is a matter of coming up with a different, more effective way of doing it. Again, just having a plan sometimes is enough to destress a bit!

This post was originally posted November 11, 2008
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Sometimes, when we look around and find that what have been doing for awhile isnt working anymore. Maybe there was never a plan to begin with, or maybe its just that your family, schedule or priorities have changed over time.

I know that when I was child-free, by routines were much different. My home would get cluttered, but was easily gotten under control. When I cleaned, it stayed that way on the most part. The messes were mine, or my hubby's ..which were easy pick up and put away in their clearly designated home. My routines were simple, through and completely inefficient for a home with children in it.

When I had one child, I got stuff done during naptime. It stayed clean, if not only for naptime. I had one child's worth of clutter and stuff, and only one to follow after. His schedule was mine, and I worked around it. That routine was slightly more complicated, but worked well for the time period. It does not work for our current crazy home of playdates, two kids, a dog, a cat, a part-time working mommy, an extra bedroom or two, church responsibilties ..etc.

If I held myself to the standard of either of those previous women, I would fall dreadfully short.

Even since I have had two children, our schedule has changed and evolved as naps changed and disappeared. Our plans have changed as kids get older, can take on responsibilities or their needs change. Our plans need to change as the kids have their own out of the home activities, and those have to meld beautifully their siblings, fathers and everyone's physical needs.

Plans need to change.

So, if things are not working right now ...ask, is it the plan itself that is flawed?

I could be that the routines that you have always used, and have always worked, may need revamped!

Resource Management: Control

We are not all control freaks ..right? No, but those of us who do like control (no comments from the peanut gallery, please) feel that way because having control had a degree of calm that comes with it. Being able to know what is going to happen, when and how gives a sense of order to the scenario.

But, you dont have to be a "control freak" to be able to appreciate order.

Order, is when things have a predictable outcome. Things have a place,we know where to be when, we know where the pennies are going before we get them ..and so on. Having the ability to have a predicable outcome from the effort you are putting forth can be calming in it self. It can be destressing (if not overdone, sure.) to know what the next step is before you get there.

Often, when things overwhelm us, we tend to see it as a huge picture. We have to lose 25 pounds to get to our goal weight, we have a mountain of laundry, we have more bills than money ..etc. We see it as a looming monster that we can not get on top of, and it steals our sense of calm.

It can place us in a position where we are less trusting, as well. Because of that, it can steal our peace.

When we lack a sense of control over some important areas of our lives, we can lose sight of who is really in control of the big picture. When we feel like our resources are totally sapped, then we feel we are too weak, too inadequate, too lost, not good enough to handle all this mess.

Getting things "under control" is not that we are taking control away from God, but that we are seeking a sense of order from those things that loom so large. When we can find order in something, its easier to see God in there, ...because "God is not the God of disorder, but of peace." I Corinthians 14:33

"Getting control" of something simply means that we are seeing whatever that looming thing is, and identifying a way to a predicable outcome ..some that gives us a sense of order, and the ability to see what needs doing next.

One area that needs a sense of control, for all of us, is the area of our finances. When we know what we have, what we need to cover, how and when we will cover it and what we need to plan on next, we give ourselves a chance to breath a bit easier knowing that there is a plan.

God is always in control, even when we are not. He is bigger than our chaos and our clutter. He can rise above all those things and areas where we are so weak. But, he speaks more clearly when we ordered in areas where He desires to be glorified. When we are using our resources better, by bring them to a better sense of order, then he can use them more effectively in our lives.

If you have identified an area, or several, that are especially stressful for you ..consider that you many need to get control of that area.

Is your body and your unhealthy weight make you feel like you arent using your body the way God would want you to? Get CONTROL of it ...Sparkpeople.com, Weight Watchers, eating more healthy and doing what you know to do, but get CONTROL of it.

Are your finances out of control, and you feel like you are drowning in bills? Financial Peace University, and the Dave Ramsey plan is simple and is great for helping you get that area under control.

Is your laundry, dishes or house work out of control? we will work on that these upcoming weeks. It is within our control, for the sake of order :)

Resource Management: Get RID of it!

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

It is amazing how we can manage to weigh ourselves down by having TOO much stuff, TOO many things and generally more than we need.

Things are weighing because with them comes the need to store them, the need to care for them, to maintain them, to fix them, to move them, to dust them, to clean them ...on and on. Having some things are helpful and beneficial, while others are simply more work than they are worth!

Our stuff can easily pile up in all areas of our home before realize that it has outlasted its usefulness for our homes and lives...creating a general sense of clutter and "too much".

How many times have you put away the same toys, watched the same Tupperware fall from the cabinet, picked the same pile from one area to another, shifted another paper stack from this table to that surface ...too much stuff can misuse our resources of time, mental energy and space. Depending on your personality, clutter can be equally frustrating for your mind as for your physical space. I know I am that way.

Getting rid of stuff can be a GREAT stress reducer, as well as helping decrease your source of some stresses.

If you arent sure what to get rid of, here are some pointers ..I posted this awhile back and changed it a bit as I get better at getting rid of stuff :)

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Stuff has a tendency to multiply in my house. I have all kinds of excuses why not to get rid of things, until I attach them in my mind to some level of stress.

This is another one I have to attribute to FlyLady. She is big on getting rid of clutter and does lots of little exercises and reminders to encourage you to do it. The concept also shows up in most of the "simplify your life" books and articles.

I have always found such liberation in letting go of stuff. Even more so since I added this extra drive to get rid of ANYTHING that adds stress to, instead of adding VALUE or convenience to my life.

Some rules I go by:

* if you dont LOVE it, or NEED it..then get rid of it!

This applies to every area of your home from closets, kids closets, kids toys, living room furniture, kitchen gadgets, clothes in closet, organizing aids in the house, to backyard toys and smelly good stuff in the bathroom.

My sisters and I have been applying this to our kids rooms with some serious DeSTRESSING effects. Less is better. You love what you have more if you get rid of the stuff you dont love or need.

* If you have lots of something..then get rid of some of it!

Looking around the house you can find LOTS of areas to apply this. Its amazing how things collect and you buy when you have some of it already because you have so much you can see what you have!

Get HONEST about whether you need so many of of a thing..you may be surprised what your answer may be!

Some examples from my own house towels, sheets, cookie sheets, cleaners, shampoo/conditioner bottles, clothes (especially kids clothes..they dont need 12 pairs of jeans! Less, means less to wash!), silverware (everything but forks..ha!), plastic cups, first aid supplies, kids books, shoes, old food in the pantry...lots of places!

* If you cant remember WHY something is sentimental..then get rid of it.

How often do we hold on to stuff because so-and-so gave it to us? Obviously there are exceptions to this rule. Generally, if someone spent time making something or they have alot of attachment to my having it, I hold onto it. But, I couldnt tell you most if any of the gifts I have given to anyone in the last 5 years ...so if I gave you something, and its causing you stress..GET RID OF IT!

* If its broken or doesnt work..GET RID OF IT!

Adrian and I often disagree in this area. He wants to put it aside to fix it later. Some stuff we do that with, but I have gotten to the point that if I didnt LOVE it or USE it in the first place, it gets trashed.

*If you havent worn it, used it, or played with it in the last 6 months...GET RID OF IT!

This is a GREAT rule. I use it ALL the time. I use it especially in my closet and my kitchen. These are two areas where things seem to multiply unfettered.

* If you feel bad about throwing it away..GIVE IT AWAY

I have found that there are some things that I dont want any more, but that I cant just throw away. Its much easier for me to pass it on to someone who could use it (less guilt).

While most of the stuff goes to Goodwill, I have started using a few different avenues of distribution including Kidney Foundation (furniture, they will pick up!), Church library or nursery, friends who I think will love it, to friends who are doing garage sales (I have a NO garage sale rule myself..THOSE really stress me out!).

* If you MUST, then sell it ..but get it DONE!

Like I mentioned, I dont love having garage sales. That is largely due due to the fact that in order to have one, you have to collect all the junk that you will need to have one, for a long time before you actually have one. You have a pile, a box or something that is the designated "garage sale" area. Instead of getting rid of stuff, we just shift it from one cluttered area to another with hopes of having time at some point to get rid of it all and make a few pennies in the process.

I am not trying to knock it if you love it, and if you are good about making it happen. BUT ...often what happens is that it now creates a NEW stress of needing to get it out of the garage, guilt over how you could make money off it (ebay, Craigs List) ..so on and so on. You dont get rid of it, you only shift it.

Yes, you could save it all up and sell it at some point ..true. OR, you can collect it all, take it to someplace where people will appreciate it and be done with it TODAY with no more work or resources put towards that cause. THAT sounds better for me..

BUT, if you must sell it for some reason ..make it a priority to do it soon, and dont let it continue to haunt you because you have to see the pile whenever you open the garage or utility room. :)

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Remember, that the things around us are not what makes up the important things. Our treasures are those things that we have been given by God to do his will in our lives, and their benefit goes way beyond the here and now.

By loosing the hold that things have on us, we can better use the resources that He gave us ..of our material possessions, our time (the time it takes to manage all those things), our mental and our physical energy.

Now, go find some thing to GET RID OF!

Resource Management: Do It

Many of the things that end up on our list of things to do, are just that. They are simply things that need doing.

We can think of a thousand things that fit under that category, right?

As a mom of two small ones, a wife, a part-time ICU nurse, a member of my church and of an active Mommy and Me playgroup ...I have a million things on a regular basis on my "to do" list!

I have home-related things, I have finance-related things, I have education-related things, I have church-related things, I have ...the list goes on, just like yours.

There are many, many suggestions out there that can help us prioritize the list of things that we need to simply get DONE.

All those lists overwhelm me :)

So, I have come up with my own plan for attacking those "Get it DONE" things that help me bring my mountain down to size, and leaves me feeling less stressed in the process.

First, my lists give me an idea of where I stand. Anything that I place on my Stress List, that I have identified as just needing to be done is right there in front of me. That is the first step ...seeing the monster for what it is.

Some things on my SL* may be, pay the bills, clip coupons, write a note, do the laundry, wash the sheets or vacuum the car.

Then, I have to decide what I am going to do with the limited resource of time and energy that I have at the time I am creating my list. Some days, I may have little to do outside the house so may have some hours to put to attacking that list. I may only have an hour before the kids get up, or I have to leave on our next adventure. Either way, I have to weight what needs doing with what resources I have at the time.

Prioritizing is one of those subjective things that you have to work out yourself. I do have my list of priorities close to my eyes, with it in the same place I write my lists. I like to remind myself of the fact that my kids come before the house (so the laundry can wait), that financial freedom is important to me (so taking the trouble to cash out money for the monthly envelopes is worth it!), and that I need to spend time with God before I get started on anything else. Its a good idea to keep track of what you are aiming for :)

Weeding out what needs to be done NOW, can give you a good idea of the order you need to things in. It will relieve the stress related to time pressure, and having it out of the way leaves room for doing other things. If it is a "get done today" thing ...do it. If you dont have anything that NEEDS to be done today, find something that needs doing soon and get it done. That way, you dont have to stress about it as the time closes in. Waiting til the last minute adds lots of undue stress to something, so plan ahead and do what you can before you HAVE to have to done right then.

And, lastly ...and my favorite "get it DONE" tool ..set a timer.


It is amazing what you can do with a bit of focused energy and attention. Using a timer to give myself boundaries helps my stress, because not only does it help me get it that thing quickly but because it gives me permission to stop when the timer goes off.


I literally use this tool every day. If I want to work on the garage, for instance. I will set my timer for 1 hour, attack the garage for that amount of time then stop when it goes off. I have gotten an hours worth of work done, it shows because it was focused work, and I can move on to something else if I need to. Next, I need to load the dishwasher. Set the timer for 15 minutes and go for it. At the end of 15 minutes, I am probably done and that is one more thing to check off the list.


Need to pay the bills? write a grocery list? clip coupons for this week? ...set the timer for 15 minutes and work it out. You will be surprised with what you get done.


Want to look at this idea a bit more ...I have written a post on this topic awhile ago. Take a look and let me know how it works! There is a concept that I stole called "Crisis Clean" ..its all about using your timer to help you get stuff done fast! I love it.


*In case you missed it, the Stress List is a place where you write down EVERYTHING that you find weighing on you. It helps to get an idea of what is overwhelming you. This list may be written or mental, but either way it gives you the pause to ponder what it is that is bearing weight on your shoulders and heart. SL worthy things may the dishes need doing, your mom is ill, your kids need discipline, your car needs gas, you need to lose weight ..whatever.

Remember, anytime you decrease stress in an area, you are freeing up resources for God to use in another more worthy area!

Week 6: Stress Strategies

This week, we are making a turn towards practically decreasing our stress levels. For the purpose of managing our limited resources better, we need to focus on HOW we will better utilize what we have to work with ..thus decreasing our stress levels.

These are some strategies that I have developed for myself. They are a list of possible plans of attack for the stresses that I note at any given moment or day.

I start out with a "Stress List" ..this is a list of all the things I cant think of that is weighing on my heart, mind, heart, spirit or body. Its a running list, whether mental or written, that I add to constantly. When it is written, I find that its easier to come up with a plan to manage all those stresses better.

Once I have a nice list of things that are stressful to me, I can work on a strategy to decrease the burden they create.

Here are the strategies that I work with ...

Get it DONE - this one applies to a good portion of the things on my list. I find that often something that simply needs doing, and hasnt gotten done is causing me some burden. Having a "just do it" attitude will go a long way in better managing your resources! Examples: grocery shopping, cleaning the bathrooms, paying bills, cleaning out the car, painting the house. Set a time, and just do it.

Get CONTROL of it - Often times, things that need constant attention can quickly get out of control. Mama of all things in this category, the ever present MOUNT LAUNDRYMORE! Getting control over things like this can help us put less time, energy and effort into in. And, its better than trying to attack it when its overwhelming. Another biggie, our schedules. Those monsters can loom ever larger if we dont watch it! Getting control of our time can help us regain some lost energy in that area (easier said than done, I know ..we will talk more about that this week)

Get RID of it - I have found that STUFF causes me alot of stress. Whether is too many clothes in the closet (none of which fit!), more sheets/towels than fit in the closet, too many kids toys, or just too much clutter ...get rid of it. Here is a link to a past post where I spoke to this issue ..I hope you find it helpful!

Get a new PLAN - sometimes the way you have been doing it for a long time simply doesnt work any more. It may mean that your resources have changed or the needs of you or your family have changed. If you figure out that the routine, system or plan of attack is not working anymore .. get a new one. It was easy to keep the house clean when mom was at home, but now that she is working ..we need a new plan! Before dad's work schedule changed we always went grocery shopping on Monday mornings, but it doesnt work anymore ...chose a different day to shop.

Get a new PERSPECTIVE - Often times, our perspective on an issue is weight bearing in itself. If we consider a different perspective of a situation or an issue, you may find that you are able to manage things better. For example, when the baby is sick and in order to meet his needs you have to sit all day and get NOTHING that you need to get done ...it can be frustrating and stressful. But, if you work on a change in focus, and look at this as a time to read and cuddle, a precious time that you can use to bond with your little one ...the sitting is less stressful, and you are able to use your resources of that moment better.

Get OVER it - Oh yes, you know what I mean. Us girls have a tendency to dwell on the things that worry us. We ponder, fret and worry and then start the cycle over again. Another, nicer, way to put it is, let it go. Whether is something you are fretting over that you have no control over, or that you keep thinking about what "she" said to you yesterday. If its that he keeps putting his socks on the floor, or you are frustrated that the gal at the check out was rude ...get over it. If its not worthy of your energy, then let it go.

Give it to God, again. We start our process by asking God to show us the areas that we are misusing our resources. We want to constantly ask Him to take our burdens off our shoulders, and then allow us to rest in his promises. Often, we are weighed down by things that we have no control over and no amount of stress strategies can take care of it. Only God can take those things away from us ..so give it to him.

We will keep looking at these strategies this week ..for now, ponder what things are weighing on you then see if you can work to decrease that burden of your heart, body, soul, mind and spirit.

Pondering Point: How can you apply these, or other strategies to improve your use of your limited resources?

Verse of the Week: Stay tuned ..we are gonna come back and look at some scriptures that will helps in this area this week!

Discussion Question: Do any of these strategies seem like they would, or have they worked for you? Tell us! If you have some ideas of other strategies ..share!