A Useless Spin Cycle

A USELESS SPIN CYCLE

We have a lovely new washer with a glass lid. Sometimes I get satisfaction out of seeing the spin cycle throw off water. It makes the clothes easier to dry. But there's another spin cycle that only makes me laugh.

We were traveling to Idaho to visit friends. Some other friends said, "We're going north, too. Can we follow you to the Oregon border?" We said, "Sure. That sounds like fun."

Now and then we would stop so they could walk their cute little dog. It was fun to eat together, and sometimes we shared the map while planning the next break.

My husband was in the lead with our little Toyota Echo when we arrived in Boise, ID. The city was unfamiliar to us and we were trying to stay alert to one-way street signs. My husband kept going around and around the same blocks. He finally pulled into a parking lot.

Our friends pulled in behind us. When they got out they were laughing. "We wondered when you would ever pull out of that spin cycle."

We had to laugh too, because spinning around the same blocks was not getting us anywhere. The action was totally useless.

A Real Life Spin
As humans, we deal with another useless spin cycle. I doubt there's anyone who has managed to avoid it forever. Some people pass it off as a joke. They say, "I don't worry about anything. I'm just overly concerned about everything."

There are plenty of things beyond our control and lots of opportunities to feel anxious or worried. Sometimes it's about our current situation. Other times it's about the future. We worry because we don't see any forthcoming answers or changes for the better.

A spin can start off slow, but once in motion it creates its own energy. The result affects people in different ways. Some get uptight physically. Some lose sleep. Others find it hard to concentrate. And, of course, worry never brings a sense of joy, only frustration.

Have you ever had your washer get off balance during the spin cycle? It makes a disturbing sound that says, "Get in here. Change things around!" Mental spin cycles require some help to change, too.

What to Do
Ask yourself, "Is there anything I can do to change the situation?" If there is, do it. If not, begin to redirect your thoughts to positive things. Do not allow worry to continue its mental spins.

I've heard people say, "I do what I can and trust God to do the rest." There's some balance in that. Instead of being lazy or presumptuous, they are wise. While using foresight to plan for the future, they recognize their limitations and turn to God for help.

My mind was in a useless spin cycle this week. When I realized what my worry was, I took my own advice. Changing the cycle from negative to positive was worth the effort, but it took more than one adjustment to balance my load.