I have a plaque above my stove that says, "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I keep it there not only because it's amusing, but also because it's a reminder to me that my feelings have a big impact on the rest of the family. If I want my family to be happy I must be attentive to my feelings and how they may be affecting my behavior. The Henri Nouwen Society has a wonderful daily email meditation that addressed this issue of moods on July 24. I have tried to make this link thing work. If it doesn't, the site is www.HenriNouwen.org .They usually have very inspirational messages and short enough for a busy mom to read in a hurry.
Overcoming Our Mood Swings
Are we condemned to be passive victims of our moods? Must we simply say: "I feel great today" or "I feel awful today," and require others to live with our moods?Although it is very hard to control our moods, we can gradually overcome them by living a well-disciplined spiritual life. This can prevent us from acting out of our moods. We might not "feel" like getting up in the morning because we "feel" that life is not worth living, that nobody loves us, and that our work is boring. But if we get up anyhow, to spend some time reading the Gospels, praying the Psalms, and thanking God for a new day, our moods may lose their power over us.
God bless your day (and your moods!)
1 comment:
"AMEN"
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