Making Room For Joy

So I have made an important life decision.  One that I'm hoping will leave more room in my life for joy, beauty, and humor instead of stress, worry, and more stress.

I'm done with reading (or watching, as the case may be) the news.  Seriously, why is it my habit to check Fox News every time I check my email?  I say I'm checking it just to make sure nothing has exploded or so I have advanced warning in case we need to head for the hills.  I say I'm doing this in the name of being comforted that indeed, for tonight, we're safe. 

But the reality is, checking the news so often does exactly the opposite of making me feel safe and at peace.  It breeds anxiety.  If my day is permeated with thoughts of the election, or the horrible mandate, or the stock market, I'm doing myself (and my family by extension) no favors.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with keeping abreast of current events, in general.  But for me, at this point in my life, it doesn't fit.  I will continue to pray about those things I'm concerned about.  That, at least, is something I can do and is more proactive than just worrying about them. 

Oh, and I've cleaned up my Facebook feed as well, so intermingled with sweet pictures and funny quips from family and friends, I will no longer see things that serve to tell me that doomsday is coming.

I'm not in denial about the world, and I'm not doing this because I don't care about the issues, quite the opposite, actually.  I'm just trying to create a little sense of peace within my home for all of its members, including myself.  So my home can be a haven from the world that seeks to destroy all that is good and holy.