Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything....

Today was a snow day for my family. It was a school holiday for my boys because of President's Day but it was also a snow day. In the south we don't get very many snow days but when we do ,we celebrate. It's a day to not worry about work, school or sports. We can just hang out in our PJ's all day, drink hot chocolate, bake cookies and be together.  I love snow days!

The weather today was more icy than snowy and it reminded me of icy weather we had nine years ago. I had a business trip to Miami that could not be rescheduled and needed to get to the airport. My husband picked up my co-worker and drove us to the airport. I remember being nervous about the roads on the ride but not anxious about the flight.

We boarded the plane but we were stuck on the tarmac for over an hour. I wasn't a nervous flier. I had been flying all over the country for work and was in seven cities in four days two weeks prior to this flight. But, sitting on that plane that day overwhelmed me. I allowed fear to take over.

Eventually we were let off the plane and loaded onto another flight a few hours later. Since that day, when I fly, I have to sit in an aisle seat as close to the front of the plane as possible. My 6' 1" husband has to take the middle seat for my 5'5" self to even think about getting on a plane. My traveling work days are over which means my airline upgrades are also a luxury of the past. So, if we are going to fly anywhere I have to pay extra for the "premium" seats. But, it's the only way I will get on a plane.

While I am still a "freaky flier," I have learned how to manage it. Yes, it can get a little expensive and uncomfortable for my husband but it's a solution. I realized the reason I was anxious about that flight on that cold day nine years ago was I was worrying. Worrying about missing our meeting in Miami, worrying about other work commitments, worrying about once again leaving my boys behind, worrying about Chris making it back home in the weather- just worrying. I worried myself into a panic attack. All that worry did not do anything positive for me or my friend that day, it actually made me develop a fear of flying.

Since that day, I've learned to manage my anxiety by praying when I find myself starting to worry. This picture hangs by the sink in our bathroom and it's the first thing I see each morning as a constant reminder to not worry.

"Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel." Philippians 4:6-7.

This picture and Chris (who is always reminding me if I have time to worry I have time to pray) help keep me focused. Why worry? God always has been and always will be in control. Turn it over to Him and let Him do the worrying. The thing is you have to turn it over to Him and keep it there. You can't give it to Him then take it back to handle yourself. I do that often and I end up right back where I started. It's like being a hamster on a wheel. You can keep running faster but you are going to end up right back where you started- on the wheel going around and around to nowhere.

So, I try my best not to be that hamster when worry creeps in my thoughts. I still give my worries to God and take them back on occasion. But, I am getting better about keeping them with Him because I understand the peace the verse speaks about and I love that feeling. It truly is indescribable and is much better than being anxious and certainly much better than the feeling of being stuck on a plan in an ice storm!

Grace and Peace,
Misty