fighting the blues

It's been a while since I had posted anything and I thought that maybe it would be a good time to start posting again. (And This post is on the longs side.. but i promise if you are stuck in a rut of having a blues you will want to hear what I read about!! )

There have been so many things going on in my life and I feel like I have not had a minute to stop and catch my breath. Maybe this is a good thing, maybe not. I am also the person who thrives on going going going.. and i hate to admit it.. but I do enjoy a little .. ok maybe more than a little... stress. I seem to do my best work when its down to the wire.. or when I am feeling a little stressed out. Which seems crazy because... if you ask my boyfriend he will tell you that I LOVE to plan things... So I don't really understand what going on in my head sometimes. If I love to plan and get all the details ironed out how can there be stress left to deal with??? I am not sure what happens between the planning and then the last minute stress of life.. but I find myself there a lot.. and I hate to say... I seem to enjoy it.

The title of this post is fight the blues... and I know so far I have not written anything to do with that title.. so here it goes---> Like I said since ... well April I have been gone or busy EVERY weekend. I have been to four weddings, I am leaving this week for another one. We have dealt with the loss of two of our family members and I have been frantically looking for a full time job for this coming school year. In case you are reading this and you don't know who I am.... I am a teacher, and for the past two years I have been working part time in a wonderful school that I would love to have my own classroom. but It just so happens that they don't need teachers where I live. In fact , like many other places we are having to lay off teachers. So this has added to the business of my life....

Now you may be asking ... I thought you were going to talk about something else... like 'fighting off the blues' .... I promise I am getting to that.

What you also may not know about me is that I am madly in love with a wonderful man who I have been with for a little over 4 and a 1/2 years. But for the past 2 years.. maybe a little more we have been living 10 hours apart from each other. And now, I find myself waking up... and having to pull myself out of bed. I don't want to put my feet on the floor and face the day. I will do whatever I can to avoid seeing the day light. (that does not work to well because the sun shines in my window every morning) Lately I have realized that I truly may have a case of the 'blues'. I know you may be thinking well everyone goes through that... where they just have some off days or down days.... and yes... we do all go though that. but I have begun to realize that these few 'bad' days have turned into a few 'bad weeks' and that other people are really starting to notice that something is up. So today was I searching the internet looking for some online devotionals that could be sent to my email that I could read when I am on the go... Because I enjoy the thoughts from others and a lot of the time they see things in a different light. I just so happened to come across a daily devo talking about fighting the blues.

The writer talked about a great example of someone who had a lot of experience about shaking off the negative emotions. "He had to fight being moody, and he was the King of Israel. He had all kinds of opportunity, power and position. He was wealthy, and yet, he still struggled with being depressed and discouraged. That tells me that having to choose to rule over negative feelings is something every person has to deal with."

In Psalms 42, David started talking to himself when he felt this way... He said, "Why are you cast down, oh, my soul? Hope in the Lord."He was saying in everyday language, "David, what are you doing in a bad mood? Stop looking at your problems and start looking at your God." That tells me that true joy is found only in God, when you take your eyes off of how you feel and your circumstances and place them on God and His Word.

I am learning that the best thing I can do when I start to feel this way is to start talking to myself... Start quoting scripture over my life. When I wake up and all I want to do is be in a bad mood, I need to take a step back from 'me' and take a good look in the mirror and tell myself... 'Get your Joy back, Get your peace back. I am not going to live this life defeated!" And a important thing to remember is that we cannot wait until we are days or weeks into our 'grey skies' ... the minute things start going down hill - Stop it! Tell yourself your not going there... The Lord has given you this day!

The writer in this Devotional says, "Do you know being in a sour mood because of your problems doesn't make it better, it makes it worse? It puts more pressure on you. It makes you more miserable. A better approach is to say, "God, I'm turning this situation over to You. I'm not going to let it steal my joy. I know You're in control. And at the right time, I believe You'll not only turn it around, but You'll bring me out better off than I was before." Reading that lets me understand that God didn't create another amazing day just so that I can be upset or down... He wants us to be joyful, and be excited for another day!

Finally, There are people and times in our own lives that we may have cause or reason for a bad day... or to being down and discouraged. But pushing through those days and remember what the Lord has in store for us and our lives and how much he loves us is the BEST way to show God we are trusting him.

He closes by saying this... "Decide not to live by how you feel. Go deeper than that and start living by what you know. You know God is in control. You know He's got a great plan for your life. You know His power is greater than any other power"

So, my challenge to you... and to myself is when life seems to be swirling around us and there does not seem to be a single day where we can just sit and relax. And there seems to be a problem around every corner and stress is creeping up at your door step... and you find yourself (and myself) not wanting to step foot out of bed or wanting to face the world.... Stop, Remember how Great our God is.. and that he is in control. Tell yourself... Get your Joy back, Get your peace back and stop looking at your problems and start looking at your God!

Thank you Jesus for the unexpected blessing you place in my life. You knew what I needed and exactly when I needed it!