Turn Off the Noise

It is evident that we have become so soft where we are not able to be resilient.  And while we can not do anything about how others respond to the media panic or chaos in society, we can choose how we respond to it.  

We can all agree that having a fight or flight response isn’t good for anyone.

One small way we can help some of this is simple.  Turn the noise off! 

There are times when I have walked in people’s homes and the news is on 24/7.  I think to myself, no wonder their blood pressure is rising.  This is what they feed themselves every single hour of everyday.  Feeding your mind and soul this rhetoric is not wise.  

There is a difference in knowing winter is coming and could potentially get a foot of snow overnight to becoming overwhelmed by information.  Preparation is your friend, not the news. 

We learn to adapt wherever we are.  We adjust with weather patterns.  But as Christians, we know this world is a temporary place.  This isn’t our home.  So why worry about tomorrow when we can only do the best we can with what we have today?

The Bible tells us not to fear.

There are many things you can do to get ready for colder weather.  You can wrap your kitchen and bathroom pipes if it leads to an exterior wall.  You can leave your pantry door open so your canned goods don’t freeze.  Make sure you have batteries on hand for flashlights.  I have filled up our bathtubs incase our powerlines break from the ice.  That ensures I will have enough water for drinking, cooking, or to flush the toilets.  I usually make sure the bathroom doors are shut for the safety of little ones.  Stocking up on pantry staples beforehand is a great way to make sure your family won’t go hungry.  Food and water is essential so it is helpful to make a list during this time.  That way, you can refer back to what your specific needs are in times such as this.  Generators are handy to have if you need to keep your freezers running. 

Try viewing the fear-mongering that happens as a way to pray for those who are fearful being without essentials.  I make myself look at this time as a way of regrouping.  This is a good opportunity to force yourself to slow down, light some candles, mend some socks or buttons on those shirts that you have been putting off, or clean out a closet.  Play board games with your kids, quietly read a book, start some crafty projects with your family, enjoy the slower paced days of winter, and remember that God is giving you this time to reflect on the important people in your life. 

When we act like the sky is falling in, our families absorb that kind of energy and negative perspective.  It’s important for us as parents not to bring that kind of anxiousness into our children’s life.  We need to give them the perspective of, “This is just what happens every year.  We prepare our animals and our home, and we are going to be just fine.  There are more important things in this life than fretting over the cold weather.”   

Participating in the crazy-making of what the news portrays or what the world wants us to believe gives the devil opportunity to project that on our family, and specifically our children who can not do anything about it.  They will lose faith in a God who is our provision and our protector, not to mention the One Who created and controls the weather patterns in the first place.  

That negativity is not what I want my kids to hear from me.

Changing how we talk to our kids about world events and using different words than the world uses changes the concerns in the house. 

The question is, what do we do as parents, neighbors, and friends not to bring that kind of rhetoric into our everyday lives?  Well, I love the character trait of gratefulness.  It truly is one of the best character traits a person can possess.  In any given situation, you can always find something to be grateful for. 

For instance, if you’re fearful, you analyze it.  Ask yourself questions: Is this truth versus a lie?  You can come up with 5 or 6 things you are grateful for in the midst of chaos pretty quickly.  If you do that, your fears will start to bury themselves.  Your fears may not go away immediately, but capturing your thoughts is what God asks of us to do. 

If I use the weather as an example, I can come up with a bunch of grateful thoughts in a short amount of time. 

1. My storehouse is full.  I have plenty of food in the pantry.  I can and dehydrate for this very reason and it makes my life simple for quick meals or side dishes. 

2.  I am thankful that God provides a roof over our head from the rain and snow. 

3.  I am warm at night.  If the electricity goes out, we have stacks of quilts and blankets to keep us all comfortable. 

4.  We have family.  I have children to love and care for.  They are my very favorite people in the entire world and if I was stuck inside because of snow and ice, who better to be with than them? 

5.  We have walls to protect us from the wind chill.  I heard it was supposed to be a record low tonight again, but who I really feel sorry for are my animals.  I worry about them more than I do my own comfort. 

I used to be a very fearful person.  The Lord has really freed me of those thoughts and I am very thankful. 

I try not to allow the chaos of the world to dictate my thoughts.  It is hard at times to collect your thoughts when the world drives their agenda, but practicing gratefulness, training your mind, and thinking about the lovely things of this world has helped me put things in perspective.

In a world that is accustomed to using fearful tactics as a tool, I encourage you to turn the noise off.  I promise you it will be the best thing you do for your family, for the culture you want in your home, and for your own thought life.  You will find such peace.  And not only will you find peace, but when you do the next right thing, someone else will be watching and they will learn to be free from the fears they have as well. 

Prepare your home, whatever that looks like, wherever you live.

Help your neighbor. If they need a meal, some blankets, or gas for their generator, help however you are able.

Enjoy the adventure and a little pause during this crazy time in our world.  Look at these little pauses as a gift to yourself as a reminder that the important things in the world doesn’t have anything to do with fear, guilt, or any negative events happening around us. 

God is so good even in the difficult times.  Whatever hardship you have, He is a loving God.  He is also a very just God.  You can not have a loving God if He is not just and you can’t have justice without mercy either.  That is what makes Him perfect and I am thankful for this life.  I am grateful for breath.  I am grateful to be able to walk around in nature enjoying this sunshine as I write this to you.

We are so blessed to live this life of freedom, so enjoy the sunshine before you tuck yourself away in the house for a few days of cold, winter weather. 

Peace be with you.