Yesterday, it was a comfortable morning, though the humidity was hanging in the air. The birds were chirping…it seemed like more than ever this year. Maybe it had to do with fewer cars passing by as so many people are still working from home. I was forging ahead with my morning walk, earbuds in… playing my favorite playlist. All the quiet made me think…how many steps did I need to walk to lose a pound of the 10 that I have gained sitting at home and cooking to my heart’s content.
It is a dangerous escape…a slippery slope licking the batter…tasting the sweet rolls to be sure they are delicious. I can always find a good excuse to cook something sweet…”Colton, would you like to make oatmeal cookies for Tat today?” What seven year old would say “No”?
Self-control…ugh! Who wants to think about it….who wants to talk about it! Yet, here I am writing about it. I imagine many of us have had more to eat, more to drink, and more binge watching TV than ever before. What else do you do when you are self-quarantined? Well, there are a few other options…I will leave that to your imagination.
Self-control can be a sign of frustration and anxiety…BINGO! Nashville has probably had more than most states…Tornado destruction, Covid-19, power outages for days due to high winds, massive unemployment, loss of income, and now riots in our city.
VeryWellMind states: Self-control is the ability to regulate and alter responses in order to avoid undesirable behaviors, increase desirable ones, and achieve long-term goals. Research has shown that possessing self-control can be important for health and well-being.
Galatians 5:22-23 states: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
As many around this country are peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd, many others have lost any self-control which has resulted in the looting, burning of businesses, and harming others. It is my hope and prayer that we will stand together and encourage those around us to practice love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Sometimes it just takes one friend helping another take a breath and find the self-control to turn away and do the right thing.
We all can stand together and pray for peace, calmness and change to take place.
Have a blessed day.