Help! My Overthinking is Stressing Me Out!

My wife can look at me and know that I am stressed.

I have felt overwhelmed a lot lately with my job and our preparation to move.

This is not a good time to be me. I want to be past this yet here I am.

Yes I have faith and believe in God but I still stress about things. I know I shouldn’t but I can’t seem to let it go.

Life is tough sometimes. It isn’t always planned out like you would like. Sometimes you just step out with no guarantee that you are making the right decision. It’s scary and I let it stress me out. When I take time to be still and sit silently, I feel peace. The problem is that I don’t do it enough. Unfortunately the times I plan to sit still are the times I remember other things that need to be done.

The Bible says to cast our cares on Christ because He cares for us. I need to do a better job of that. What has my worrying ever done for me?

If overthinking were a professional sport, I would be an all-star in that league.  My mind tends to always think ahead and stress about things that hasn't even happened yet.  It is a constant battle for me to rein it in and just deal with the issues ahead of me at the moment.  

So if you're like me, what can you do?

The first step is to recognize that the stress and overthinking are out of control.  You have to realize that you may not be able to stop it but you can attempt to contain it.  Next, take steps to back it down a notch.  Force yourself to start your day right with some time of silence and meditative prayer.  For me, I set a timer and stick to it.  It may begin with just five minutes but you can adjust it as you grow in doing it.  Does it last?  No but the important thing is to not give up.  When you fall off the wagon, get back on it.  

You may not think five minutes is a lot but ANY time you commit to God is worth it.  

So, here I am again - starting over with my five minutes.  It still isn't easy.  It takes discipline to sit quietly and center yourself and your mind to listen to God.  

Move #32

I have moved a lot in my life. 

I will soon relocate for the 32nd time.

My first residence was 2802 South 11th Street in Abilene, Texas when I arrived in the world. I moved around a lot as a child. My father was a preacher in a church organization which had one-year pastoral appointments and was possible to move every year which we did many times.

I attended nine different schools in 12 years.

While some are born and live in the same place for their entire life, I have never been able to comprehend that for myself.

The longest I have lived in one place is six years which is where I am preparing to leave now.

Home has never been a physical place for me but the older I get, I am hopeful in finding that place which attaches to me. A place where I want to stay and never again have to feel that urge to move again.

I never have enjoyed the actual move itself. It gets harder and more stressful each time.

Could this be the last move?

Rarely have I moved somewhere looking to move. The most recent time was when we moved to Tampa, Florida. After two months, I was ready to leave. It took two years to do it.

Why can’t I stay in one place? I don’t always move somewhere already thinking about moving again. I haven’t found the perfect place for me.

Is there a perfect place?  I would like to stay somewhere and not tire of it.

I am looking for a new adventure.  Will it be the right move? I don’t know. Nothing is permanent.

A new adventure awaits.

It all began for me in Abilene, Texas.  Where will it end?

I am not lost. Just wandering (and wondering). 

There is a saying that says: “All who wander are not lost.”

TV Show Flashback - Space: 1999

Recently I discovered one of my streaming channels had an old science fiction television show that I used to love watching.  I remember back in the mid-70s tuning into watch Space: 1999 every Saturday night.  There was really no show like it at the time. 

Space: 1999 was a British science-fiction television show which ran from 1975-1977.  The premise of the show is about a base on the moon set in the year 1999 where the Earth stored its nuclear waste.  An explosion knocked the Moon out of orbit and hurled it into space becoming a virtual spaceship which encountered various worlds and beings.  

At the time, it was the most expensive series produced for British television.  There was a total of 48 episodes in the series but there were major differences between Season 1 and Season 2.  While they had a big budget for their first season, changes in production resulted in a radically smaller budget for the second season.  There were also changes in cast.  Barry Morse - who played fan favorite Victor Bergman - was unable to agree on a new contract and left the series.  New characters were introduced and the series struggled in the ratings and failed to survive for a third season.

Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were the lead characters on the show as Commander John Koenig and Doctor Helena Russell.  Landau and Bain were married in real life and had previously starred on Mission: Impossible.  

Although the series never had a true ending, a fan-backed seven-minute film in August 1999 called "Message from Moonbase Alpha" featured Zienia Merton who played Sandra Benes in the series.  In the film she delivered a final message to Earth from Moonbase Alpha as the remaining inhabitant were evacuating to a new planet.

Space: 1999 was a lot like Star Trek but it was the moon instead of a starship which was the vehicle for the 311 people on Moonbase Alpha to encounter the unknown in outer space.  

The theme song intro to the show was also something I liked.  It was very well done and very catchy.  I have found myself re-watching the series and even though the technology of producing science fiction shows have become more advanced, it is still nice to relive it.

For more information about the show:  http://www.space1999.org