Feeding the Fire called Peace

I have to use mental games to get my thinking to do what it needs to do. Take in point, getting my mind to think peaceful thoughts.

There are times that I get impatient. There are times I get cranky. We all have those moments. The cat has made a mess just before I want to go out the door. The gas pump I drive up to is the only open one and it is out of order. The electricity bill is larger than you expect, on top of another bill that just took you back into the red.

I have found that if I picture my thoughts as bits of paper and the peace I could be feeling as a campfire, then the more thoughts that are of peace, the larger the fire becomes. The warmer and more centered I feel. I must say that sometimes that fire is about to go out for lack of fuel.

The other thoughts that take away from my peace, they don't really go away as much as they are pushed out by the number of positive thoughts that take their place, in order to get the fire going again.

Sometimes I have to resort to tricking my mind. I think of something else, or sing or do something to occupy my mind while paying the bills, cleaning up after the cat, etc. Then when I can I return to more peaceful thoughts.

Don't know if this trick can help other people, but there it is.

I love the quote from a Course in Miracles that said that at any moment you can choose peace. That means me buddy (I am talking to my mind here)!