The blog Cake Wrecks today made me laugh really hard. Mostly because I was trying to picture when these type of cakes would be appropriate. If you check it out, let me know what you think.
Yesterday I wrote a list of all the things in my life that are making me stressed. I subtitled it, "Why I wake up tired and with a headache EVERYDAY." I won't post my list here because some of you would absolutely roll your eyes at the things that stress me out, and you may be one of my stressers. (Kidding) It is exactly 30 items long. I was going to stop at 10, but then I thought of 11; then I was going to stop at 20, then I thought of 21. You get the picture. Being a little like Monk, I needed the list to be a number ending in 0. I'm not sure why, but I would have been stressed had it not been so. It was a good idea to do this because it allowed me to see how minor the stresses in my life really are. I don't really feel stressed during the day, but I clench my teeth so hard in the night that I can hardly chew in the morning. Steve says I don't grind, but the soreness of my jaw tells me I am working on sorting things out while I am supposed to be the most relaxed. I finally went and got a massage, a luxury that I cannot afford, but was desperate to receive. She was amazed at the tension in my head, neck and jaw. She wonders how I walk upright all day. I knew I was in pain, but nothing compares to the pain of her trying to work this tension out. I just cried and cried. Seriously cried. I really think she should have paid me for the pleasure of torturing me so intensely. I will go back. I feel better today because of it.
After this experience of the massage and the list I came upon a magazine that I had put aside to read. It was about Christian martyrs. Then I felt dumb. There are people in this world that have given their lives to spread the Good News of knowing Jesus, something I completely agree with and wish everyone I knew understood. However they suffer torture and imprisonment beyond anything I've even come close to experiencing. So what the heck am I complaining about. My list of 30 stressers is pretty pathetic compared to what others are dealing with.
Unfortunately, I let things get to me too easily. I wish I could change. I have a good friend who is so good at letting things roll off of her back. I am calmed just being in the same breathing space as her. I don't know what her secret is. It's not God...so what could it be? Is it really a choice? Is it an innate ability? Is is a learned?
How come the tab doesn't work on this blog anymore? Have I never started a new paragraph before while typing on here?
You see...these are the things that stress me out. Very important things like tab keys.
What a weirdo.
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About Me
- Jenn
- United States
- At the age of 5 I received my first diary. It was a snoopy diary with a lock and key. The key was soon lost and the lock broken open, but I filled the diary with what I thought was pertinent information of the time. My very first entry was: "We had fun today we played a game." Thus began my long journey into writing about very interesting things. Today, I still have this burning need to write. To express the mundane in a way that others can say..."Oh yeah, that's so true." Many who know me are already rolling their eyes at the mention of my journals. Yes, you are probably included somewhere in my rants. Now, thanks to this new venture you will never wonder where you stand.I am a mother to 3 girls trying to do the job of mother well. I am wife to a musician, and trying to find my place in his life. I am the proud owner to a golden retriever Faith, and so thankful to have a dog that doesn't jump fences. I love to laugh and make others laugh. Most of all I acknowledge my mere existence is truly a gift and proof of the grace of God.
4 comments:
my favorite blog entry from you thus far. monk. LOL!!!
well here's my take on things:
find a way to afford massages. If you have health insurance, you may be able to get chiro paid for and if so, they will do therapuetic deep tissue massages and insurance will cover it. massage has actually changed my life. I do it regularly and have for like 10 years I think.
sometimes if there is a massage school in your town...oh wait, you're in So. cal...there IS a massage town or 50 in your town. Find one and call. they almost always do discounted student massages. In the good ol days it was $20 for an hour. Its about $30 now probably (for a student). You should go once a month for sure!
Secondly, yes, our troubles are indeed trite when you put them next to the things people suffer all over the world. Yes we can certainly feel lame when we compare ourselves to people who do huge things and sacrifice their very selves for God. Which is why we should not compare. God made us each individual and unique and you ARE exactly what you are supposed to be, right now. Everything is as it should be.
We will never be excused of the human condition. So you know what, occasionally its OK to whine about it a bit. Jesus knows you are grateful for your life, so I highly doubt he's offended by your list. Life on earth, trapped in this earth-suit, is frustrating, painful, sad, overwhelming, busy...etc etc. Its ok and normal to be stressed. Even if you aren't being tortured in the name of Jesus. We are all called to different things.
As to your friend who is chill...(I am way too old to talk like that huh?) Some people just are not affected deeply by the stuff of life like other people. It takes all kinds! (remember that post on my blog?) Not everyone can be all relaxed and zen and "oh everything is fine" and oh-it-doesn't-bother-me. If that were the case, think of all the things that would never get done. Its the people that get bothered by things that instigate change in areas that need to be changed. "ah...slavery. whatever. I'm sure it will work itself out"
"Oh I'm sure someone else will create a charitable organization for that cause".
not to say that zen people aren't cool and necessary. I love them. we need them! but we can't all be them.
Nor can we be Jesus. nor can we all be martyrs. God bless them. But if we were all martyrs, it would be a pretty goofy world.
Be grateful. But accept that you ARE stressed and its part of the human condition.
and get a tooth grinder protector thing. you're gonna have tmj or something. its SO bad for you. look online. ah hell, I looked it up for you. Cuz I'm not all that zen.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod3908900&CATID=100699&skuid=sku3907749&V=G&ec=frgl_536746&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku3907749
its probably good for you to make such lists. select items you're going to allow yourself to feel stressed about and the ones that aren't necessary.
go easier on yourself.
you're not weird.
hey, after you make your stressed out list, make a list right next to it for things you're grateful for.
yeah.
brilliant.
=)
oooooo...massage sounds good...."that's goooooood!" (Bruce from "Finding Nemo") That large vertebrate at the base of your neck? Mine is killing me!
hmmmm, if you are stressed about the tab key not working does that make you list 31 things... OMG, either remove one thing or add 9 more -- whatever but do it!!!! I am really stressing!
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