I’m thanking you, God,
from a full heart, I’m writing the book on your wonders. I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God.
~ Psalm 9:1-2 MSG
Maybe your day went something like this: Your 20-minute drive
to the doctor took 100 minutes because traffic was at a dead-stop on the interstate.
And after leaving the office, you had to go to the bathroom really badly, so
you stopped into a fast-food restaurant across the street (because you were too
shy/embarrassed to ask to use the bathroom at your doctor’s office). But when
you were ready to leave, you discovered the lock on your stall door was jammed.
You perused your options: call for help, try to scale the stall wall, or drag
yourself out underneath the door and pray you fit. You chose option #3, praying
the whole time that no one would come in—not because you’d be embarrassed to be
caught, but because the door would likely smash into your head upon their
entry. You safely escape that episode, drive to your friend’s to pick-up your
kids to take them home for nap time. Your day looks brighter now…until your
almost 4-year-old gushes pee onto the floor in front of the toy bin. But she
did it just for you because she didn’t want to have an accident on your new
couch…
Drs. Cloud and Townsend define a boundary as a way of defining ownership of feelings, attitudes, and
behaviors, because when we understand who owns what, we know who must take
responsibility for it. I am responsible for my
feelings, attitudes, and behaviors. Others can’t make me feel frustrated or happy. I am responsible to choose how I will respond to
circumstances. That means, you can choose to laugh off the entire day—maybe even
write about it as a way to encourage others—or sit down and cry, focusing only
on the negative events. Which will you choose?
©Heather Potts 2016
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