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Count it all joy… when we encounter various trials (James 1:2, NASB).
A section of the brain called the “amygdala” controls our “fight or flight” responses. A valuable part of the brain, especially for our ancestors who ran from bears daily, but problematic today when someone in front of us drives 15 MPH in a 35 MPH zone.
I call our over-reactions “Miggy Moments,” and we all experience them. Learning to control them by putting everything in perspective should be our focus, especially during the holidays, as recent research* reveals that the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day accounts for more Miggies than any other month.
Knowing our penchant for egregious responses, the Apostle Paul wrote …
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice — even after ingesting cat food (Philippians 4:7, OGV [Old Guy Version]).
For me, the best way to eat is snacking. I keep a bag of walnuts on a counter in the kitchen, and before leaving the house, I often grab a small handful and munch while walking to my car. They are tasty, containing oils and other nutrients that help heal all that ails mankind.
Recently, late for my workout at Planet Fitness™, I grabbed a handful, shoved them in my mouth, started to munch, and then tasted something like what’s being served today in Hades. I spit it out and investigated, finding that my wife had left a bag of Whimzees™ (dried cat treats) next to my bag of walnuts.
I had a Miggy Moment.
On confronting my wife, there was no repentance, only laughter, while asking me what they tasted like. My Miggy response, “I didn’t take time to swirl them around my mouth like I’m tasting a fine wine. I spit them out!”
She then picked up the bag and said, “Well, the cat eats them all the time, so they can’t be that bad. Let’s see what’s listed as ingredients. HHHHMMMHHM… they contain whole wheat, cranberries, and green tea extract. That doesn’t sound too bad. Uh, oh, they also contain chicken fat, beet pulp, and dried bacillus licheniformis extract.”
And continuing to laugh, she added, “Well, I guess your life expectancy has shortened.”
At that moment, thanks to rigorous spiritual training and snacking on walnuts, I calmed my Miggy and began laughing too.
A Miggy can be tamed by learning to replace them with “Maggy Moments.” A Maggy uses another part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, to magnify the situation, taking the high road, understanding the big picture, and seeing things clearly — and understanding what Pastor Grant means when he uses three consecutive mixed metaphors.
Miggies can rule our lives with outbursts, tantrums, and things too harshly said. Maggies understand the problem while discerning a solution. Our lives during the holidays will vary between Miggy and Maggy Moments; the more Maggies we have, the better our holidays will be.
Miggy vs. Maggy.
I’m now off to Planet Fitness, but will look carefully at the bag before grabbing a handful of nuts.
The evidence!
*Research conducted by the OG while under the influence of a Miggy Moment.