Unless you're Pollyanna, anger is an emotion you've likely experience a time or two (or four hundred.)

I'll be honest. Many of the times I've experienced these anger symptoms, I was standing in front of my kids. Children are experts at pushing those hot buttons. Most of the time they don't necessarily set out to push them (although some definitely do!). Kids just have a way of doing things that make their parents mad. Like whine. Argue. Disobey. Lie. Spill milk on the carpet. The list goes on?

We all know that being angry isn't necessarily wrong, only what we do with that anger. And, I'm ashamed to say, I've done the wrong thing with mine. I've yelled. I've used sarcasm. I've said things I regret.

So what can we do to take control of this ugly emotion before it spews forth with a vengeance?

I'm here to tell you, the answer is simple. It's worked for me dozens of times and it can work for you. One way to dissolve anger is to spend five minutes in the bathroom with God.

Here's the five-minute breakdown:

Minute 1 ? Slam the bathroom door and vent. Pour out your anger and frustration. Tell God why you're mad. Yes, He already knows. This isn't for His benefit, but yours.

Minute 2 ? Now that you've gotten the venting out of your system, get yourself under control. Take a few deep breaths. Splash cold water on your face. Look up at the ceiling and pray for help with composing yourself.

Minute 3 ? Take a minute to think about what set off your anger. Was it really the act of disobedience or a feeling that you lost control? Maybe you were festering about something that happened yesterday and this event just pushed you over the edge. Figuring out the cause of the anger, helps to diffuse it.

Minute 4 ? Pull out scriptures from a predetermined location. Keeping several Bible verses on anger tucked away in a bathroom drawer is a wonderful idea. No need to scour through the topical index ? they're right there at your fingertips. Some verses to consider: Psalm 37:8; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 15:1; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Colossians 3:12; James 1:19, 20. Speak God's Word to the emotions that are threatening to take over.

Minute 5: Thank God for diffusing the anger before it got to the point of no return.

If all goes well, your heart rate has returned to normal. You've had a chance to consider the reasons for your anger. You've prayed about it, quoted scripture and thanked God for meeting you halfway.

Now you're ready to go back out and face your kids (or whoever almost set you off), without the threat of an emotional volcano eruption.

The next time you feel your blood begin to boil and fear you might wrongly react, run to the bathroom, slam the door, turn the lock, and start the clock. You're five minutes away from becoming a calmer, more peaceful, reasonable parent. And you'll owe it all to five minutes in the bathroom with God.