Examine Yourself
1. The state of my health:
- How have I been feeling lately?
- What have I said lately to others about how I feel?
- When was my last physical exam?
- Is the menstrual or psychological cycle affecting me?
2. My present circumstances:
- Am I behind in my work?
- Have the children been ill?
- Have guests contributed to getting behind in my work?
- What problems in family or business finances are causing me to worry?
- Am I on overload with out-of-the-home activities?
3. My present relationship with God?
- How much time have I spent reading the Bible?
- How much time am I spending in prayer?
- What things am I worrying about instead of praying?
- What promises have I made to God in the past that I am not keeping?
- What circumstances in my life are making me angry with God, or have or have I refused to except with the proper spirit?
- Am I falling into the trap of self-pity or depression?
4. Have I checked for self-defeating patterns?
- What has been said (or done) to me which made me feel sorry for myself?
- About what past or present problems am I holding a grudge?
- Toward what people am I bitter?
- What is making me touchy or irritable?
- Toward what people or about what circumstances would I like to ‘explode’?
When you feel like exploding:
- Take ten deep breaths, increasing oxygen intake to burn off excessive adrenalin.
- Think objectively: Is it true?
- Consider the source, but don’t rationalize.
- Concentrate on listening; criticism can be a sign of progress.
- Remember that back biting adds fuel to the fire.
- Guard against repaying evil for evil.
- Be humble – we all make mistakes.
How to turn explosive situations into constructive, beneficial ones:
- Be understanding (try to identify elements in a person’s background or make-up that makes them act like this).
- Make allowances when you can’t understand.
- Be patient.
It is one of man’s curious idiosyncrasies to create difficulties for the pleasure of resolving them. ~ Joseph De Maistre
Metcalf Family Mews 
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