IT'S YOUR CHOICE

Nine times out of ten when something didn't work out well, my mother would say, "I should have followed my first mind!"

Her "first mind?" How many minds did she get?

The more mama thought about her unfavorable outcome, the more stressed she became. She'd go so far as to say, "I'm so mad at myself." Then she'd mope around the house, repeating that same thing over and over. Sound familiar?

We all can agree that a great many of our stresses are self-inflicted. At one time or another, each of our stress levels have skyrocketed due to bad choices we have made.

Believe it or not, stress is highly dependent on our personal choices. In his book, Success Is Not An Accident, author Tommy Newberry reveals it this way, "More than any other single factor, you are where you are today because of the choices you have made."

OUCH! That hurts. But it's so true.

Yes, ma'am; Yes, sir. Choices do have consequences. And many times when we don't follow a sound mind, we end up just like Mama . . . upset with ourselves and all stressed out.

For the sake of our health, wealth, and total well-being, we must seek to make wise choices. We must intelligently decide to do what's best for us, and gladly kick what feels good to us to the curb.

Throughout life we will be confronted with choices. They're inevitable. Nonetheless, if we are determined to reduce our stresses, we must learn to discern good choices from bad ones.

In the book of Deuteronomy (30:19), God presents a super choice: "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life . . ."

Peace I Leave with you . . .