| WHY WORRYING IS FOR FOOLS |
When I was in college, I did a research paper on the effects of stress on the human body. At
the time, stress was linked to the severity of over 40 illnesses! While I wrote a very nice
paper and received an "A" on it, I learned nothing.
As my health started to go downhill, so did my financial situation. What did I do about it? I
worried. So what happened? My health got worse! So what did I do? I worried more! What a
vicious cycle that can be!
On Februay 3, 1990 I woke up in ciritcal care after emergency surgery. I remember looking
out the window and seeing the rain, and I thought it was the most lovely thing I had seen to
that point. A few hours later I remember talking with one of my doctors. He told me that
because of my very bad blood chemistry and the rupturing of my intestines, there was no way
I should be alive. He kept telling me that my survival was a flat out miracle. What did my
worrying do to save my life? Absolutley nothing!
The years down the road were trying ones. I did not feel it was right to declare bankruptcy
on my medical bills. After all, the hospital earned their mega-bucks that time, and I felt I
owed it to them. So from then on the income I had was dedicated to basic needs and paying
off the medical bills. Money was always scarce, and the stress level in my first marriage was
tough because of it.
I refuse to worry about things like money. Oh, I plan ahead and get a bit concerned, but only
to the point of deciding how to juggle things this month so that the bills are paid and we have
our needs met. But I do not fuss and stew about situations that I really cannot do anything
about.
This is where my faith in God comes in.
I cannot tell you how many times we (Raine, second wife) have faced fiscal ruin, yet God
always takes care of things. Let me give you an example. In 2002, Raine was downsized from
her job at the bank due to merger. We were paying our own healthcare after that while she
worked temp jobs. In September I looked at our six-month budget and realized that when
December came, our savings would be depleted and we would not be able to afford insurance
after that. Now I easily could have spent the next few months fretting about the
consequences of not having my medicine, but I knew things would be alright. The first of
December came, and our next insurance payment was due on the 16th. While Raine had
numerous interviews in the previous months, nothing looked promising. And of course there
are always periods after you start a new job where you wait 30-180 days for benefits to kick
in. Things looked bleak. However, I refused to worry. We were doing all that we could to
rectify the situation, worrying wouldn't help. I trusted God with that. After all, He had seen
me through so much. Just 7 days prior to losing our coverage, Raine found a new job. BUT,
the benefits started her VERY FIRST DAY. See how things happen?
When Raine went into a coma last year, I knew she would be off of work for at least 6
months. Now there is only so much sick time an employer will pay you. However at that time,
my concern was Raine, not money. One day one of her fellow employees came for a visit. He
informed me that people in her company, from all over the country, were donating their sick
time to Raine so that our benefits and income would not be interrupted. See how things
happen?
I could also point to numerous other occasions, but I will just select one more here. Last
year when I was looking at our monthly finances, I was deciding which medicines to do without
that month. While we were only going to be a bit short, 30 bucks is 30 bucks when you count
pennies. The day before I was going to run out of those two prescriptions, we got an
unexpected refund of $31 in the mail. Enough for my two meds. See how things happen?
The whole point here is that if you are doing all you can to change a situation, why worry?
Worrying is counterproductive. It robs you of sleep, damages your relationships, and slowly
eats at your health.
Do what you can to make things better, but don't waste energy worrying. If you took all of
the mental energy you spent worrying and put it into making things better, you will be
surprised at the results. Trust God, if you believe in Him. He will take care of you. Oh, God
will let you wait until the last minute sometimes, but He will take care of you.
Don't be lazy and expect God to hand you things. Do all that you can, but do not waste your
health, marriage, or energy by letting worry eat you alive.
Be well,
Sponge
07/08/04
the time, stress was linked to the severity of over 40 illnesses! While I wrote a very nice
paper and received an "A" on it, I learned nothing.
As my health started to go downhill, so did my financial situation. What did I do about it? I
worried. So what happened? My health got worse! So what did I do? I worried more! What a
vicious cycle that can be!
On Februay 3, 1990 I woke up in ciritcal care after emergency surgery. I remember looking
out the window and seeing the rain, and I thought it was the most lovely thing I had seen to
that point. A few hours later I remember talking with one of my doctors. He told me that
because of my very bad blood chemistry and the rupturing of my intestines, there was no way
I should be alive. He kept telling me that my survival was a flat out miracle. What did my
worrying do to save my life? Absolutley nothing!
The years down the road were trying ones. I did not feel it was right to declare bankruptcy
on my medical bills. After all, the hospital earned their mega-bucks that time, and I felt I
owed it to them. So from then on the income I had was dedicated to basic needs and paying
off the medical bills. Money was always scarce, and the stress level in my first marriage was
tough because of it.
I refuse to worry about things like money. Oh, I plan ahead and get a bit concerned, but only
to the point of deciding how to juggle things this month so that the bills are paid and we have
our needs met. But I do not fuss and stew about situations that I really cannot do anything
about.
This is where my faith in God comes in.
I cannot tell you how many times we (Raine, second wife) have faced fiscal ruin, yet God
always takes care of things. Let me give you an example. In 2002, Raine was downsized from
her job at the bank due to merger. We were paying our own healthcare after that while she
worked temp jobs. In September I looked at our six-month budget and realized that when
December came, our savings would be depleted and we would not be able to afford insurance
after that. Now I easily could have spent the next few months fretting about the
consequences of not having my medicine, but I knew things would be alright. The first of
December came, and our next insurance payment was due on the 16th. While Raine had
numerous interviews in the previous months, nothing looked promising. And of course there
are always periods after you start a new job where you wait 30-180 days for benefits to kick
in. Things looked bleak. However, I refused to worry. We were doing all that we could to
rectify the situation, worrying wouldn't help. I trusted God with that. After all, He had seen
me through so much. Just 7 days prior to losing our coverage, Raine found a new job. BUT,
the benefits started her VERY FIRST DAY. See how things happen?
When Raine went into a coma last year, I knew she would be off of work for at least 6
months. Now there is only so much sick time an employer will pay you. However at that time,
my concern was Raine, not money. One day one of her fellow employees came for a visit. He
informed me that people in her company, from all over the country, were donating their sick
time to Raine so that our benefits and income would not be interrupted. See how things
happen?
I could also point to numerous other occasions, but I will just select one more here. Last
year when I was looking at our monthly finances, I was deciding which medicines to do without
that month. While we were only going to be a bit short, 30 bucks is 30 bucks when you count
pennies. The day before I was going to run out of those two prescriptions, we got an
unexpected refund of $31 in the mail. Enough for my two meds. See how things happen?
The whole point here is that if you are doing all you can to change a situation, why worry?
Worrying is counterproductive. It robs you of sleep, damages your relationships, and slowly
eats at your health.
Do what you can to make things better, but don't waste energy worrying. If you took all of
the mental energy you spent worrying and put it into making things better, you will be
surprised at the results. Trust God, if you believe in Him. He will take care of you. Oh, God
will let you wait until the last minute sometimes, but He will take care of you.
Don't be lazy and expect God to hand you things. Do all that you can, but do not waste your
health, marriage, or energy by letting worry eat you alive.
Be well,
Sponge
07/08/04
