Steadfast Anchor of Hope: Getting rid of that stinkin’ thinkin’

It’s Wednesday - I wake up a little earlier than normal because Wednesday is floor day and I have the dining room and hallway, the biggest area to do. Walk out of my room, put in my contacts, put food in Nora’s bowl, get some water and head outside to let Nora do her… ahem, thing. After a few minutes we go back in and I start clearing out the dining room so I can start floors. That’s when the stinkin’ thinkin’ sneaks in.

“Ugh, I hate doing floors. It’s so much work” ~ “Sigh… why does mom have to clean the bathroom while I’m trying to fill my mop bucket?” ~ “Why does time move so slowly…”

And so on and so forth it goes.

When chores are done I go sit down with my bible, devotional book, and breakfast - BAM! God (as my pastor would say) gives me a huge “spiritual thunk on the head” with this verse and accompanying devotional -

Okay, God, you’ve got my attention, my thoughts have not been what this verse commands.

And then these words from my Kristin Schmucker “Joy in Christ” devotional book:

“Our minds have so much power over our hearts, and we must be careful what we think because wrong thinking eventually will lead to wrong feeling.

We need to actively think about the things that God has commanded us to think about.”

Right then and there I knew I needed to be more active in changing the way I’m thinking. Because the way I feel and act starts in my mind! And I know that I struggle with thinking about the same thing(s) over and over and over again constantly. I say struggle, because yes, if they were good thoughts it would be great! But most of the time that happens they are wrong thoughts that cause me to worry, be angry, get frustrated, etc.

So I decided to use the note taking space to record my wrong thoughts that were harming me and then write what I should be thinking!

“Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to have floors to clean, and that I get to serve you and my family in this way” ~ “I’m glad mom is getting the bathroom clean; I can be patient and think of her above myself” ~ “Thank you, Jesus, for this time of engagement - a time I will never have back - help me to use it wisely and to glorify you”

I instantly felt more joyful and a sense of peace! And I was able to go through out my day, happy with life and my family. I’ve decided that this is an exercise I want to repeat daily to remind myself of the thoughts God has commanded me to have, so I came up with this little sheet that I’m going to copy and put on a clipboard for me to use when I catch myself allowing wrong thoughts to find a home in my mind.