Pray, hope, and don’t worry. ~ Pio of Pietrelcina #quote
Gremlins are pretty sneaky. Sometimes they look like pasta, at other times they look like a high school coach. What all gremlins share in common is that they want to make mischief and steal happiness.
Let’s start with the bad coach. Or the boss. Or any random person who gets into a position of relative power and uses it to push people around. Ya, that guy. So there is a coach in our family’s space who is that guy. As a mother, it is rough to watch my child get entangled with this less-than-respectful adult but the upside is that my son isn’t a child, rather, at eighteen he is one of the best men I know. Coach Gremlin can’t steal my son’s happiness because it lies within his strength of character and is supported by the love of his family and friends.
While my son battles against athletic injustice, I….. organize my pantry. Why? Because many years ago a wise woman showed me her incredibly pretty and organized linen closet and said, “When my life is out of control, I stare at my linen closet. Somehow, it makes me feel better.” I may not be able to control this coach, but I can control my pantry.
Which gets me to the pasta gremlin. While my taste buds are decidedly Italian, the rest of my body has to be careful about how much pasta (how many carbohydrates) I take in at one time. So I directed my coach frustration energy toward my pantry and purged foods my body doesn’t appreciate, my taste buds find mediocre, or my family won’t eat. Ever. Then I grouped them according to nutritional or guest needs and labeled the shelves in a hopeful attempt to help my family understand the new system.
I need to take a good, long look and a deep, long breath at my organized pantry because I’m preparing for the next battle with Coach Gremlin. And I will feel better, remembering that gremlins can’t steal my happiness.
How do you deal with the negative people in your life? Do you have a space in your home that you enjoy organizing as a sanity keeper? Tell me more, please!
You’ve got this ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc
Family Love Does More 
I’m sorry to hear about the coaching situation, Angie. I’ll say a prayer it resolves in a positive way for you all. If nothing else, there is Romans 8:28.
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Thank you SO very much for your prayers, Dane, and yes, all is unfolding according to God’s plan (which clearly isn’t my plan, lol.) Gratefully, my son’s character is strong because of his faith. I honestly can’t imagine having children involved in competitive sports without the peace that passes understanding 🙂 Are your children involved in competitive activities?
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I try to tune them out, not in a rude way. It’s like they come and take your sunshine away and want you to stand with them under a dark cloud. I have a desk where I keeps papers and mail and other things, I try to organize it once a week. Thank for sharing this Angie.
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Exactly, Sylvester! It’s taking a stand for truth, tuning out the lies. While it’s hard, as mother, to watch my son in this situation, I know he is learning so much and he is growing in confidence and clarity about who he is as a man. Again, being a mother though, I am concerned about other youth in this program who are not as strong and supported. Thanks for rooting for us 🙂 And, yes…when my paperwork is in order, I’m one happy camper. Thank YOU for sharing ❤
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You’re welcome Angie. I believe it will work out, after all, he has mom in his corner.
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Aww, thanks, friend. I’m a mama lion who needs to sit on her claws because her cub is growing into a proud lion himself 🙂
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: ) giving him room to grow.
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Yes, while the deep desire to protect one’s child is real, this feeling needs to dance with reason. Hero’s become so through challenge, failure, and triumph. It’s not my job to thwart the challenges as much as to prepare him for them, tend to his wounds, and cheer him on to his best self. It is a major privilege to help launch a wonderful man into the world.
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Love the mindset, beautiful inspiration. Don’t let no sneaky Gremlins stop you! Bless you 🙂
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No sneaky gremlins on our turf, right shade?! Thanks always for your blessing and…for some weird reason you showed up as if I’m not following you. No true! WordPress gremlin? 🙂 Hope spring is treating you well ❤
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Angie spring is amazingly warm for the time of the year here in the U.K. but i’m loving it 🙂 How is the weather on your end?
About the following, I think that is due to the fact that I have moved my blog to the other side of wordpress. The new site is shadeakinbiyi.com I noticed you sometimes contact me on the old site. Sorry for making things complicated 🙂 xx
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I love the philosophy.
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I’m happy that you and I share a philosophy of love, Jovina ❤ Thanks!
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I agree totally, when other parts of life are beyond your control it’s best to focus on the things that you do have control over. It allows balance.
Angie, are you on FB? Message me privately if you want (4SimpleLiving@gmail.com)
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Exactly, Maggie! And, no, I’m not active on Facebook (but that will change this summer) but I’ll send you an email 🙂
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🙂
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Hehe! I am so with you..my linen cupboard is the barometer of my life! xxx
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The barometer – exactly! Spring is our family’s most challenging season… no wonder I’m staring at my pantry, lol 🙂 Have a great rest of the week, Kate!
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I love this post, wonderful advise. When I need to relax I also find organizing the root to distressing my life. I like to organize my computer. It contains my writings, photography, blogging, business…my life. When I need control I always know these files are completely under my control and it gives me comfort to keep them cleaned out.
As for dealing with bad coaches, I don’t know. I’ve not dealt well and I don’t do well with confrontation. I guess I’m still a work in progress. I’ll have to think on this some more
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Oh my gosh, Ana, if only you could organize my computer! I really need to declutter. And while I’m not happy to know that you, too, aren’t quite sure what to do with these coaches but I am glad to know that we’re in this together 🙂
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I could go into business:)
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Good idea!
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Ohh, I’m so sorry you’re having to cope with such a coach! 😦 That’s not how they should be at all. I’ll say a prayer for you guys, and for your son too, who’s learning how to deal with these things as an adult. What growth potential! But, as with all growth, there can be pain involved.
I cope by journaling. Whether it’s in the form of a prayer, or a letter to the person who caused me to feel whatever it is I’m feeling, getting it down and out of my head helps a lot. Other times, I do dishes. And I watch all those awful feelings and thoughts go down the drain with the rest of the detritus.
And I must say, your pantry looks pretty doggone awesome. 😀
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Good stuff from you here, Ness. So encouraging. Do you see blogging as an extension of your journaling? I love the image of problems going down the drain, maybe that will help me to want to watch my dishes, lol.
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I float them down the drain on the little bubbles and the sink must be completely rinsed of them when I’m finished with the dishes. I think it might be symbolic, lol.
No, blogging isn’t an extension. I try to keep my private emotions out of my public blogging. Sometimes it bleeds out a bit in my poetry, but there are many things I keep “underground,” as it were. Protecting those guilty ones, doncha know! 😉
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I’m rather private as well, but I do see the importance…or at least challenge… of allowing my humanity to shine through my words. Tight rope walking comes to mind 🙂
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