Thanks, LeAnn
Back in January, we had a Sunday School party for Jaret's class of 5th and 6th graders. They planned to eat pizza, play games, have a white elephant gift exchange, and pull taffy. I was in charge of making the taffy, and I started not long after the party did. The party was supposed to last 3 hours, so it seemed like we could work everything in pretty easily.
By the middle of the party it was clear that the taffy would have to be pulled as near to the end as possible, since the temperature was taking forever to rise. I started turning the heat up to dangerous levels to get some action, stirring very vigorously to keep it from burning. But no matter what I tried, it seemed that the taffy was going to take its sweet time.
After stirring at relatively high temperatures for a good 30-40 minutes with MAYBE a 5 degree increase, I started to really stress. We were supposed to have the taffy ready to pull in another 30-40 minutes, and I had around 30 more degrees to go. Trying to sound chipper, I stated multiple times that I was really stressed and laid out the basics of the situation.
After I'd said my piece a couple of times, LeAnn, one of the ladies in the kitchen with me, said, "Is stressing about it going to make the temperature rise any faster?" Now if this had been said with a hint of condemnation or judgment, it would have done no good because I would have been justifying my stress in my mind. But she said it in just a completely logical, helpful way that I had to stop.
"NO." Obviously the taffy was going to either get done on time or not, with or without me stressing. WOW!! I could sit there relaxed and stir the taffy or stressed and stir the taffy. The result would be no different (though how I felt during that half hour of stirring would be greatly affected). I relaxed and prayed it would get done on time. Miraculously, it did.
Her comment has blessed me repeatedly since. I feel like it took me back to a time when I had less responsibility and not getting stressed was the obvious thing to do. It was so good to remember that stress will not make a situation go any better. Honestly, if stress ever has an impact on a situation, it's probably a negative one 99.9% of the time.
So thank you, LeAnn (who I'm pretty sure isn't reading this), for reminding me of such a calming, valuable truth. Not that I have it mastered all the time, but I am helped every time I think of you asking me if my stress would make the temperature rise any faster.
By the middle of the party it was clear that the taffy would have to be pulled as near to the end as possible, since the temperature was taking forever to rise. I started turning the heat up to dangerous levels to get some action, stirring very vigorously to keep it from burning. But no matter what I tried, it seemed that the taffy was going to take its sweet time.
After stirring at relatively high temperatures for a good 30-40 minutes with MAYBE a 5 degree increase, I started to really stress. We were supposed to have the taffy ready to pull in another 30-40 minutes, and I had around 30 more degrees to go. Trying to sound chipper, I stated multiple times that I was really stressed and laid out the basics of the situation.
After I'd said my piece a couple of times, LeAnn, one of the ladies in the kitchen with me, said, "Is stressing about it going to make the temperature rise any faster?" Now if this had been said with a hint of condemnation or judgment, it would have done no good because I would have been justifying my stress in my mind. But she said it in just a completely logical, helpful way that I had to stop.
"NO." Obviously the taffy was going to either get done on time or not, with or without me stressing. WOW!! I could sit there relaxed and stir the taffy or stressed and stir the taffy. The result would be no different (though how I felt during that half hour of stirring would be greatly affected). I relaxed and prayed it would get done on time. Miraculously, it did.
Her comment has blessed me repeatedly since. I feel like it took me back to a time when I had less responsibility and not getting stressed was the obvious thing to do. It was so good to remember that stress will not make a situation go any better. Honestly, if stress ever has an impact on a situation, it's probably a negative one 99.9% of the time.
So thank you, LeAnn (who I'm pretty sure isn't reading this), for reminding me of such a calming, valuable truth. Not that I have it mastered all the time, but I am helped every time I think of you asking me if my stress would make the temperature rise any faster.
Comments
It helps when in situations like following a very slow car when i can't pass, and in general, to just relax, because being stressed doesn't help get more done :-). thanks for the reminder!