The penny theory

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          Have you ever wondered why sometimes you get angry and explode over a seemingly insignificant thing?  Or perhaps you don’t explode, but you find yourself getting depressed for no reason?  This is something I’ve thought about for a long time.  I wondered why most of the time when my young son would spill his milk, I would simply count it as an accident and clean up the mess.  But sometimes the same child and the same spilled milk would have me screaming or crying.

            I’ve developed a theory to explain this phenomenon.  I call it my penny theory.  According to my theory, each of us has a tolerance bank containing a certain amount of pennies.  Whenever problems arise, like the spilled milk, we simply take the needed pennies from our tolerance bank in order to emotionally pay for the situation.

            However, sometimes our tolerance bank is low on pennies because they are all being spent on other things.  When this happens, and we don’t have enough pennies to pay for the spilled milk, we snap.  If the problem that we can’t pay for is a long-term situation, we may become cranky or depressed.

            So now what do you do with the information?  Is there a way to keep more pennies in our banks or even increase the base number that we have?  I think there is.

            I’ve found that simple awareness is very helpful.  When I feel like I’m about to boil over I stop and say to myself, “Mommy’s out of pennies.”  Then I sit down and take stock of what is going on in my life.  Where are my pennies being spent and are any of them being used needlessly?

            Worry is one of the biggest penny thieves.  I call it a thief because it steals away our pennies without giving anything in return.  Worry doesn’t accomplish anything.  It just concentrates our energy on negative events.  If we have worries, we need to change them into challenges, do what we can to prepare for them, and then give the rest to God.

            Another major penny thief is pain.  Chronic pain is the worst, but any pain can steal away our pennies.  If pain is a problem for you, as it often is for me, it is important to find ways not to let it steal away too many pennies at once.  Healthy lifestyle changes, meditation, or if necessary, pain relievers can help to retrieve our precious pennies from pain.

            Having a positive attitude can add pennies to a needy bank.  Looking on the bright side can clear away negative thoughts that steal our pennies. But more than that, a positive outlook creates positive energy in our bodies.  This can actually give us new and creative ways to deal with our daily problems.

            Sharing the load with friends can help give a fresh perspective on problems.  Sometimes we just need to talk things out.  Having friends to talk things over with can really be rewarding.  They can’t give you their pennies, but sometimes they can help you locate some of your own that may be hiding from you.

            The most effective way I have found to get extra pennies is through prayer.  Sincere prayer asking the Lord to help us through whatever difficulty we may be facing is important.  However, a prayer of simple gratitude for all that we have and are does more than anything else to fill our penny bank to overflowing.  The more specifically you name each blessing, the greater the power of the prayer.

            God loves each and every one of us.  He knows what we need more than we do.  Sometimes he sends a simple article to us at a time when we need it the most.  I pray that my words reach those who can use them.  May your bank be full of pennies and may you learn to use them wisely.

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