It was a dark and stormy night....

It all started just before dinner. Ralph was working on dinner, he likes to make Indian food sometimes for dinner 'cause I just don't like it and therefore fail to cook it- ever. I was walking around the house when suddenly the thoughts started coming..."I can't believe this room! Didn't I just clean it up?" "If I have to sweep this floor again, I'm going to run away." The thoughts from the fronts of PMS.

By dinnertime I actually got up to look at the calendar to confirm my suspicions (and impulse to replace my salad with a pint of ice cream.) Yes, it's true. I'm about 5 days out. It's striking without mercy again, Probably Mommy Should...leave.

What's worse? I'm almost out of my favorite bad-day remedy, and they're on back order. I really need to get my hands on that bottle!

I was in High School when I decided that hormone-women really need their own island. When I'm grouchy, I just want to be mean and start fights, I tend to make everyone miserable. Back then I thought it would be a lot more safe (and save face for me) if I could just go away until I was normal again. But this is sadly reality and there is no imaginary spa island for me to go to where I can grumble all I want and no one will be affected.

A few years ago I had a discussion with some girlfriends. We were debating the accountability of a woman suffering PMS. Should a woman be "entitled" to walk around and say all she wants, gripe and make everyone else (mainly the husband) miserable with no regard to the effect on others, all because we have PMS? Should there be no accountability for a woman with hormones?

Or should a woman be accountable of all the dramatic crazy things she does even when she suffers the worst hormonal times? Should she have to pay for the crazy dark cloud that comes over her- causing her to loose all control of her mind, tongue and hint of logic?

I have developed an opinion of something in the middle. Of course, I don't think I can get away with anything & everything when I'm moody. I have to work hard to practice all the things that I read about (things that seem so easy when my days are "good."

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

It benefits me to bite my tongue.

Proverbs 21:23 Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

I know where my complaints can get me...

Proverbs 19:13b ... a nagging spouse is a leaky faucet.

So;
It really helps me to track my days, be aware of the forecast & do what I can to ease the symptoms. I've found this in my new favorite pill as mentioned before.

I will say though that I think I require some extra grace on these days. If I get mouthy, you might have to turn me in the opposite direction. My husband is good at suggesting I go take a run, a bath or a "hike," but it's usually done in love.

Ultimately we ladies have this curse, and unfortunately, with it comes great responsibility to somehow restrain our animal instincts to pack a backpack and take a family vacation with out the family.

So now, your input? How do you tolerate yourself, excersize self restraint when you feel your grouchiest? Tonight, it just so happens that I prayed a lot & I'm blogging and I feel better already.

Proverbs 122:7 "May peace be within your walls..."