To Everything A Season

From Sad to Glad
by Patsy Clairmont

For years I dragged my sorry self around like a bag of old potatoes, weighed down by an inexplicable sadness. Then I slowly began to realize I was a big influence on myself and I could make some changes that would help lift my own spirit. Some of these things sound too simple to matter, but give it a try and see if it doesn’t promote goodwill in your own heart and home.

Sing: No, it doesn’t matter if you sound like fingernails on chalkboards, just sing. And choose happy songs that once made your toe tap and your heart skip. Put on a Women of Faith praise CD and worship the Lord.

Warning: At first you won’t feel like doing this if you are in the doldrums, but with all the love in the world, may I suggest you do it anyway. (Don’t make me come over there.)

Laugh: Call up a funny friend and stir up some health-producing endorphins. Deliberately lighten up. Yes, pretend if you have to, because many a time I started out phony-ly happy and ended up genuinely joyful.

Serve: Do something for someone else. It gets our mind off us. Bake a cake, send a card, plan a party for someone you love or don’t, pick a bouquet for a neighbor, take a group to a Women of Faith event, etc.

Study: Pick a Bible passage to study then memorize one of the verses that cheers you. God’s Word changes our mind and strengthens our fragile character.

Create: There’s something about working with one’s mind and heart in a creative manner that releases bad vibes and restores the soul. You don’t have to be an artist to create, I promise. I did watercolors for a couple of years before I painted something identifiable. It startled me when I recognized my effort. I showed a friend and we immediately framed and hung it before it disappeared.

Maybe you’d rather cook, bake, garden, dance, sew, scrapbook…okay, do it.

Avoid: Pity parties. Newscasts. Negative people. Racy books. Overeating. Sad movies. Excuses.

***Patsy Clairmont is an awesome regular speaker at Women of Faith.