Sunday, November 15, 2009

Mind Rest



brought to you by our friend
Char, at Happy to Design


Mind Rest
We have all heard that we should give our bodies a rest, lest we wear them out.
Well did you ever think about your mind needing a rest?
Mine certainly does, and often!

I get so many things going on in my head i can't even think straight. Everything gets to be major, confusing, and frustrating because i can't get past square one. Everything is so attached to everything else.
In a book Scott and I read called "Men are Like Waffles, Women are Like Spaghetti", by Bill and Pam Farrel, it says a man's brain is like a waffle. It is all these little compartments where they keep everything separately. They can't be in more than 1 'box' at a time. There is a box for sports, one for work, a separate one for mowing the yard, for Bible study and so on. They have a 'listen to your wife' box (ever wonder why when he's watching sports he doesn't listen to what you are saying? It's because he isn't in his 'listen to his wife" box). And, they have a "NOTHING" box!!!!

Now, a woman's mind is like a spaghetti noodle. Everything is attached to everything else. So, we can't just simply chose one problem to work on, but we think about how it is going to affect everything else along the line. They are all attached together. Now men don't understand this, any more than women understand how they can have a "nothing" box.

OK, I got a little off track here.
What i started out to say is how we need to rest our minds. I have several ways i do this.
I have grandchildren. Wonderful grandchildren!! When i need a break from all the things that are going through my mind, i hang out with them. You can't think about life's problems and decisions when you are reading a story, drawing, playing Polly Pocket, or playing hide and seek.
Works every time.
Another thing that works is helping someone else. Sometimes i go help prepare the church dinner on Wednesday. If I don't concentrate on chopping those onions, it might be my thumb in the soup instead!
You can help someone else by listening to their problems. Kind of puts your aside for awhile and helps them all at once. Or you could even have a friend listen to yours. Sometimes a fresh perspective helps clear your mind.

Have you noticed a pattern here? All these ways of clearing my mind involved other people.
And most of them involve helping others.
WOW! Isn't that great? We can help others, and end up helping ourselves at the same time!
We are blessed, and we have blessed others!

One more thing. You must take time to do it.
Taking time to be with the Lord brings the best peace of all.
I know you don't feel like you have any time. But you won't have more time by worrying either.

So, give it a try.
Hang out, help people, listen, spend time with God, and let your mind rest.

Hope you have a peaceful day.

5 comments:

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Barb...

My friend...I'm just thrilled to have you join in with Sunday Favorites today...and what a great post to share with us! I loved it!

Hehe...I think it's so true! I can see where men's minds are like waffles! And...I can see how a woman's mind can be described as spaghetti...it's soooo true! I loved the analogy...sounds like a great book! I also agree about relaxing the mind! I know that if you don't...it will begin to effect your physical body...that's for sure! God is sooo GREAT! He created a "day of rest" for us...now, if we will just take advantage of it! I have finally come to a time in life where life is very simple for me! I get plenty of rest for my mind...but it hasn't always been that way! I loved your thoughts about what works for you! I do believe that whenever doing the Lord's work or helping people (which is still doing the Lord's work) that He brings a peace and a rest to your mind, body, and spirit!!!

Anyway...thank you so much for sharing these wonderful truths with us today! I appreciate the good words of wisdom!!!

Have a super Sunday, Sweetie!
Chari

Chatty Crone said...

I think you are absolutely correct - it's hard to worry about yourself when you are in service to other people.

Leaon Mary said...

So what yer sayin is, when I'm laying wide awake in bed at night ponderin and mullin over everything and everybody it's coz my minds a
spaghetti noodle?
heehee
Makes
sense
*now*

holykisses
Imanoodle

Brynwood Needleworks said...

What a lovely place to visit! Thanks for stopping into my blog and posting about my giveaway on your sidebar.
See you again soon!
Blessings,
Donna

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Hi Barb, Thank you for swinging in to say hello. I'm so far behind in my visiting. I hope this finds you and yours doing well.. hate to cut this short.. have to get Mr. P up and fed and then off to work for me... many many hugs ~lynne~