How to stop auto resize in BorderLayout

Hi,
I have a swing application which has a main screen that will hold many internal frames and a JLabel that acts like a status bar. Currently I am using BorderLayout and have added the status bar lable to the SOUTH border. Now however when ever I try to open any internal frames the internal frame is added to the CENTER border and is streached so that it takes up the whole screen; this is even after I have provided a size for these internal frames. How do I prevent the internal frames from streaching?

I am also suspecting that when I do get around this problem there will be another problem present. I think after I get the windows to show up the size I want, when I minimize them they will be hidden behind the statusbar lable - am I correnct to assume this, and if I am how can I also prevent this from happening?

I would really appreciate any input from anyone out there.
Thank you very much.
Jay


Also I have been with experts-exchange for a little over a month and for every questions I asked someone had asked me to let them know if there were any questions. How do I refresh the questions that I post so that it gets back to the top of the new questions list? Or how do I contact them back? please if you are going to offer me some extra help could you leave your e-mail so that I can get back to you; I would really appreciate your help.