| 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 February 3, 1990 I woke up in critical 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? Absolutely 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 health care 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
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 February 3, 1990 I woke up in critical 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? Absolutely 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 health care 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
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