Stress! You can't live with it and it seems you can't live without it. There are healthy ways to relieve stress or so we're told, but who really understands breathing techniques anyway? And let's be honest, the sounds of the ocean crashing down upon you are eventually going to send you into the bathroom for a nice little retreat. So how do we find time to de-stress in an over-stressed society?

That was my mission this passed week-end as I dealt with a few issues of my own. And one, I might add, that I didn't have much success with until my friend and I spoke on the phone. She listened to my issues, we prayed together, and once realizing that the issue was one that only time could heal, she gradually changed the subject to things we could laugh about.

Sometimes, the simple act of friendship is the best medicine you could ever receive. So the next time you're feeling overwhelmed and your usual methods of de-stressing don't work, call up a friend and immediately take a self-prescribed dose of friendship.

If your friend is too busy, however, consider the following fun ways to de-stress:

1. Turn on Christian music and glorify God's name in song.

2. Take your kids out of school and have a ditch day.

3. Ask your spouse to take a personal day.

4. Take up dance lessons.

5. Work in your garden.

6. Read that stack of magazines you've been putting off.

7. Be a kid again.

Find that child-like wonder through board games, video games, and physical activity.

8. Take a mini-vacation.

Rent a nice hotel room for the week-end and leave all your cares behind. Sometimes, a simply change in location can add a new perspective on things.

9. Paint statuary.

Creating something from your imagination allows you to use the other half of your brain and give you analytical side a nice, little rest.

10. Work on a hobby you haven't touched in months-if not years.

11. Take a long bath, get in your pajamas, pour yourself a cup of java, get under the covers, and snuggle up to a good book.

12. Bake something.

Many times just the smell of freshly bakes goodies is enough to put your mind at ease.

13. Exercise.

You'd be surprised what a good jog, a nice bike ride, or even an aerobics activity, can do for your stress levels.

14. Watch a comedy.

They say 15 minutes of laughter each day is a great way to release the tension associated with stress.

The important thing to remember is that if you don't deal with your stress, it will eventually explode and that explosion can cause huge damage to your health, your relationships, and even your livelihood. Whenever stress gets the better of you, take five minutes to rework your day. Not only will your family thank you for it, but so will your heart.