Coming Unglued

Today I'm linking up with with a series called "Build 'em Up."  Today's topic is "how we cope when we come unglued."  Oh man, does God have a sense of humor because I definitely have had my "unglued" moments recently.  The fact the the weather can't seem to make up it's mind has landed Lydia with a double ear infection (on top of teeth that just won't break through) and mommy with some crazy allergies and/or virus that took my voice with it.  I hate to complain because I know there are people that are in much, much worse physical condition than me.  I am so thankful that Lydia's "problems" will soon go away and more than anything I am thankful that I have a baby to keep us up at night.  Even though I feel like I do a decent job at keeping things in perspective, I am human and fail to keep my composure at all times.  Seriously, I thought my head was going to explode when Kadynce was running in circles singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" at the top of her lungs this morning before school.  Obviously this is an area in my life that still needs work, but I think my husband would agree that I have come a long way.  I am far from an expert, but I'll share some of the practical ways I have learned to cope with those crazy moments in life.

1.  I feel like this goes without saying, but when you're spending time with God you tend to see things much clearer.  It's easier to keep your perspective about life and not to come unglued over the small things.  One thing I know first hand is that God is a God of peace.  Peace is definitely something I need daily as a mommy.

2.  Taking some time for you.  I started intentionally taking about 30 minutes just for myself to relax everyday.  I like to take a hot bath, listen to show tunes, and read a book.  It may not seem like much, but that time is just enough to refresh my mind and my body.

3.  Spending time with other Godly women in the same life stage as I am.  As I've mentioned before I go to coffee once a week with a group of ladies from our church.  This is always such an encouraging time.  It is not a time for gossip, but a time to build each other up and share life experiences with each other.  This is what I believe true community is.  Sometimes knowing that I'm not the only one going through something is what gets me through the day.

4.  Listening to what I am saying.  I have become much more aware of the words coming out of my mouth and how they sound to my children and my husband.  I want my words to be uplifting and not hurtful.  I want them to communicate how important they are to me and how much I love them.

5.  This last one is something we are just staring to experiment with and I'll let you know how it goes, but we have decided to jump into the world of essential oils.  I am hoping they will help with create a more calm and balanced atmosphere in our home.  I'm still figuring everything out and spending a lot of time researching, but so far I really like them.