Sometimes my mind races, in circles or down rabbit trails.
Sometimes it races towards disaster, the ‘What if’s’, and the ‘What will I do when…’ road. That road is stressful, and often I start to panic and get upset. It is very unsettling, I blame it on my creative mind.
Sometimes it slowly wanders all over the place, a ‘what about a beach trip, right now?’ or “I wonder how long it would take to drive up to C in that Great Big City and surprise him?’ ‘How will I ever survive with R gone next year?’ Sometimes messy, ‘so, if I want to make a dresser into an entertainment center, where can I get a hole saw? It is always fun to wander, often the plans are not even laid out, just day dreaming, all in good fun.
When my mind is wandering sometimes it is good for me to do a thoughtless task. Scrubbing floors is the best thoughtless task I know to do, I don’t need to think, I just need to scrub. Being down on my hands and knees facing the floor takes me away from distractions, lets my mind look inward, to pray, and let scripture chase away the cobwebs that are fogging up my mind, giving it a chance clear itself. I have prayed hard for many situations down on my knees scrubbing the floors. Sometimes I scrub them even when they are clean just so I can think and pray. The benefit of that process is a clean floor and a clear mind. I might not come to a solution but I can at least fully give that problem to God. As scripture chases through my head, snippets of songs, and wise words spoken have a way of re-directing my thoughts and letting my anxiety ease up. Another way I clear my mind is by crafting, or making things, sometimes with spray paint and brushes, or hot glue and a sewing machine. I can focus on the task at hand and let my mind clean up and rest without forcing the issue.
Today my mind was racing
So I just let it create.
I had a few ideas I had been thinking about and today my mind needed a relaxing outlet a chance to create (really the floors could use a good scrub, but paint…much more fun) I actually had planned on cleaning out, sorting, and organizing the craft areas (yes there is more than 1) so it looks more presentable, instead of like Hob’Lob threw up in my dining room. But as soon as I picked up the first paintbrush to put it away, I blinked and we were in painting clothes. We only painted white. I had an idea, from a friend, and when I could not find what she suggested I went off-road and grabbed some cardboard and metal house ornaments, and 2 larger houses from HL to see if I could make my own idea work.
We worked together, PS and I, mostly in silence, while we painted, it was lovely. A bath was needed to get all the paint and glitter off. There are some ‘start point’ projects (A large February LOVE sign) and some things were completed, I just need to glitter the larger houses when the paint is dry, then tall the houses will be done, I can display them in my January decorations for a few more days before it is time to pack it up for February.
Glitter is my favorite!
Over all I am pleased with the job and cannot wait for them to be fully dry before I display them in my January decorations.
What about you? What do you do when your mind is racing? Do you work off your worry, do you drive through the country side, do you walk it off?
Go hug your kids, they need your love, and look for a way to help them when their minds race along faster than they can think.
jen
overholt8 