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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Angry (08/02/07)
How does this keep happening? The rude remarks. The snide comments. The flare of the eyes. The death stares. The uncontrollable loudness of the voice. The words which spew. The terrible wishes said in our head. The words spoken which are unreturnable. The hurts created by our own failing. Being angry is such a waste of energy. It is a waste of time. It is a waste of all we have been working towards as Christians. How do we let it take control of us? How do we stop it?

Being angry at others is such a common occurrence in todays society we don’t even think twice about it. With the creation of technology we create more ways to consume our angry actions. We get mad when someone is on a cell phone. We get angry when the person ahead of us in line at the local fast food restaurant has no idea what to order but you have only a half hour for lunch. We get frustrated at drivers who seem to have no reason to even own a drivers license. Oh the anguish if the lines at the local supermarket are too long. And Lord forbid if someone has more than one transaction at the bank. Oh, and don’t forget the times the credit card machines and ATMS are not working when we need them.

Psychiatrists tell us we should vent our anger. Find ways to deal with it and move on. How many people though get hurt in the process? We yell out our car windows to the surprise of others passing by. What if a young pair of ears is on the sidewalk when we spew our angry language into the air? What impression are we giving the young persons gawking at our anger issues? Getting angry is probably our hardest emotion to control. Even as adults we throw temper tantrums to try and get our way. For some odd reason yelling is a comfort, it makes it seem like we did something good to appease the situation at hand.

It makes me angry to think about getting angry. So often in my own life others take the fall for what another person has done to me. I yell at the kids when I’m actually mad about something earlier in the day. I ignore the cat who only wants to welcome me home because she missed me. I belt out demands on my husband only out of aggravation because things did not go my way at work. Oh if I only new a magic potion I could ingest to keep my mouth shut before I hurt someone hard enough they need therapy for it later in life.

I recently read an email that included a list of twenty things a Christian should do every day. The one single most interesting item was K.M.S. This translates into: Keep Mouth Shut. I began to ponder if I practiced K.M.S. everyday could I better my environment by a huge percentage in a month’s time. I could change the way others perceive me. I could be setting a better example for my children and my husband would be dumb founded at how different I was. Sometimes God gives us a gem and this time for me it’s K.M.S.

I hope within a few weeks of K.M.S. therapy I will be able to conquer the world and make a change in my attitude. Sometimes people are shocked by the pain I can inflict with just one snide remark and it really is meant to be harmless sarcasm but when coupled with recent angry, it comes out completely wrong. I want people to see the Christian in me. I desire them to see that being a Christian is different from just living life as it goes by, however if I can’t figure out this K.M.S. no one will ever be the wiser. I will just seem to be like every other person who slows down the grocery line and doesn’t deserve a license to drive. I would like to me known for my quiet reserve instead of my tea kettle attitude. I want others to see me as a person who has compassion for the cell phone users and the slower individuals at the bank. I want to be an example setter for the younger generation. Help me Lord to know when to K.M.S. everyday and show others how to do so as well.
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This article has been read 1415 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Willa Maye
08/14/07
Your essay was worth taking the time to read. Oftentims, I prefer the less wordy ones; but, this one spoke to me on a different level. You are correct in your statement about psychologists. They term the venting process as "standing up for yourself." I think I like the K.M.S. approach much better. Albeit the concept is only effective with medication. LOL! Thanks for the "headnodding" reading.
valerie chambers
08/14/07
The K.M.S. caught my attention.Great way to grab an audience and the story says it all Very well written
Lenda Blackmon
08/15/07
Oh, man did that ever hit home. Ouch, you got my toes!
Pam Carlson-Hetland
08/15/07
I liked what you wrote, especially the phrase "tea kettle attitude"! The title is catchy. The body of the article is good. It gave accurate examples of modern living stresses and the natural anger response. When we write on a topic that is significant in our own lives, it can be tougher to do. But you did a good job. Because I know how easy it is to read past one's own type-o's, I found it helpful to have someone read through my articles before I submit them. Keep writing!
Joanne Sher 
08/16/07
Oh, can I ever relate! Great lesson well-expressed.
Dee Yoder
08/18/07
K.M.S. I need to remember that! This is a good entry and you gave many examples and insights into the problem of spewing anger out needlessly.