The day wasn't going well already. You know how it is, you wake up in the morning with that migraine or the pounding headache in the back of your head. The kids are up at the crack of dawn (literally) and they keep coming into the bedroom to "help you" wake up. You fumble your way down stairs to a screaming chorus of, "Daddy, she won't quit looking at me!" And then you have the old reliable "Hey! That's my stuff!" And what are those comments without Back-up Plan 'B': "Hey! That's my spot!" was bellowed out as the kids fought over the fluffy pillow in my office while watching Little House on the Prairie.
Now don't get me wrong, my kids are great and I love them with all my heart but they do have their days. ;)
I wiped the sleep from my eyes as I fixed my morning lifeline, a steaming cup of Joe (which was destined to be spilled all over my desktop, keyboard and carpet!). After cleaning up the mess, I headed back into the kitchen but stopped half way there to remove the tiny doll shoe embedded in the bottom of my bare foot. The kids were at it again. That was it! I was at the boiling point and I could not tolerate this any longer!
I limped into the kitchen and there they were?lined up like little soldiers waiting to be disciplined. They looked as if they longed for, no, were begging for the stern discipline that they had coming?the bag of flour, the sugar bowl, and the salt shaker.
I threw the ingredients together in a powdery fury to the chorus of a clanking, ceramic bowl. There it was. The sun peeked through the partially drawn shades in the kitchen, gently embracing the soft, pale contents of the mixing bowl. The dough stared back at me, yearning to be thrown, rolled and disciplined.
I picked up the gooey substance and slammed it on the countertop! Pounding, pushing, pulling and kneading until it begged me for the rolling pin. I glanced at the built-in drawer under the oven and quickly produced a rolling pin. Without mercy I rolled, bunched up, and rolled again until the dough cried out, "I've had enough!"
For the 'Coupe de Gras', I placed the submissive heap in a bread pan and threw it into the oven. "There now", I said to the unbaked loaf. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Forty-five minutes later I was rewarded with a delicious, toasted aroma that crept through the house like fog on a cool morning. Peace at last. The stress was gone. I felt great.
Next time you are stressed out, walk into the kitchen (or limp if you must), grab the bag of flour and its companions and administer a little discipline. You'll feel better and be rewarded with a delicious, healthy treat!
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn, can be found at http://www.homebakedfavorites.com
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..Everybody deals with fear and anxiety, however some people have... Read More
Q:We recently had someone come to our company to talk... Read More
* Play Romane's stress control seminar recordings, and read "The... Read More
In his book, The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness, author... Read More
Today's workplace produces plenty of stress. Life's little hassles mount... Read More
Breathing is the vital force of life. It is considered... Read More
The brain uses feel-good transmitters called endorphins when managing daily... Read More
Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in... Read More
Have you ever considered sewing a handbag as an act... Read More
This is a tool to measure the amount of stress... Read More
Loneliness and separation are the real illness of our times.... Read More
We all know that stress levels in the workplace are... Read More
"Watch your language."We all heard this admonition as kids and... Read More
Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can... Read More
Meditation seems to have arrived in the mainstream of late,... Read More
Marshal John Kruger acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who else) in... Read More
First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We... Read More
Training Your Mind For Better Business and LeisureModern life moves... Read More
Rest.It's a good thing to do. As the story goes,... Read More
Have you ever said the words, "This job/my life is... Read More
Why do we resist change? As the saying goes, the... Read More
There may be so much you want to change in... Read More
Stress, America's #1 health problem, is a leading cause of... Read More
If there was a way of relaxing quickly and easily... Read More
1. The Law of EveryoneIt is not neccessarily wrong to... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Recently the well known American news anchor Peter Jennings died... Read More
Learn to have healthy relationships:This subject could fill an entire... Read More
Take a moment to think about the week that just... Read More
We all have it; we live with it daily: stress.... Read More
Defending your point of view can use up a lot... Read More
Q: Someone told me that the Chinese symbol for crisis... Read More
THE ENCHANTED SELF? teaches you how to access positive states... Read More
The future is nothing but a fantasy or a daydream,... Read More
When something happens in our lives, we automatically assess the... Read More
Why is it that some people become totally stressed when... Read More
For those of you who have been living in a... Read More
Success in recovery, or rather, staying in recovery, is dependent... Read More
Stress is more than just unpleasant. It's dangerous. Try these... Read More
This is the time for daydreaming about your annual vacation.... Read More
Writing down our thoughts and feelings, as in keeping a... Read More
I had the unpleasant experience of being pulled over the... Read More
It is no secret that stress and related disorders are... Read More
Living in our world today can be very stressful. While... Read More
If you are an anxiety and panic sufferer, then you've... Read More
The brain uses feel-good transmitters called endorphins when managing daily... Read More
What good is Personal or Business Success...if your Health is... Read More
Stress is often seen as being unhealthy, but for some... Read More
Several studies, including one of medical students around exam time,... Read More
The National Center for health statistics reported that in 1997,... Read More
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More
Stress Management |