Giant Leaps of Logic

I have had an absolutely awful week, other than a few new exciting things happening in blogland.

My friend Jennifer says that I make "Giant Leaps of Logic" when I get upset about something, seeing everything as catastrophic. When, in fact, many of the things that I get upset about are isolated incidents.

For instance.....

Not enough kids show up at youth group for the satisfaction of the powers that be in the church SO I am a failure and not a good youth pastor anymore.

I dont have a romantic relationship that seems to be moving anywhere quickly, SO I must be a difficult person to get along with and will probably never get married.

People are not treating me with the kind of respect I want SO I must have the doormat sign on top of my head.

I am mistreated by a few people at church SO this church hates me and doesnt want me here.

The five year old at KMART came up to me and told me I am ugly so that is the way everyone must see me.

I am getting paid less than most of my friends, SO I am going to be broke for the rest of my life and there is nothing I can do about it.

I think she is right sometimes, especially my ability to make a bad week into a catastrophic statement about who I am. But sometimes my ability to see a mountain from a molehill has its benefits. My friend Jennifer has also told me that I have had insights about situations and people that she might not have had. Sometimes, it is the ability to trust your gut instinct and generalize from a particular situation that saves you! But sometimes it also gets you in trouble.

So how do you know when to trust your intuition and your overly dramatic sense, and when is it saboataging you? And for those of you that know me better, do I only make these giant leaps of logic about negative things or positive ones too.