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Posts Tagged ‘emotions’

…completely numb…

07 Sep

This weekend marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks upon our country.

Like nearly everyone else, I remember that day quite vividly. I was glued to the television set in the church office. I wasn’t angry or frightened, like most of the staff. I was numb…completely numb.

We immediately planned a worship service for that night. The congregation began arriving early. We read a few scriptures. We said a few prayers. But mostly we just sat there in the safety of our sanctuary. I remember thinking, “this is why a place of worship is called a sanctuary.”

The church was left unlocked for several days so neighbors could come for pray. Candles were given out and people were encouraged to sit on their front porches with candles lit.

The following Sunday mornings boasted a better than average worship attendance. I suppose nothing encourages church attendance like being on the verge of war.

But that was all 10 years ago. And it is with mixed emotions that I now prepare to not celebrate the 9/11 anniversary. The church near our house is planning a huge “celebration” which includes a BBQ, an honor guard, a bouncy house for the kids, and a professional fireworks display.

I’ll not join in the festivities. Somehow a BBQ, a bouncy house for the kids, and a professional fireworks display seems uniquely inappropriate…as a response to the deaths of 2,977 victims.

I think I’ll just stay home. Maybe I’ll light a few candles…and remember how it felt to be completely numb.

 
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Posted in New Life

 

Remains #4

22 Aug

…problems and solutions…

She spoke the words with such confidence that I knew she had committed them to memory. It was also apparent that she had a lifetime of experiences with which to back them up. She spoke with so much assurance…that I knew it best to savor her words so that I might later share them with others. And what were these words that she spoke so matter-of-factly?

“All my problems are emotional…all my solutions are spiritual.”

She was right, of course. Nearly every problem I’ve ever encountered was in reality, rooted in my emotions. My financial problems are largely the result of impulsive, emotional purchases.
And I surely would have had a more lucrative career, if I’d only admitted and corrected my character flaws when they first became evident.

Others will readily agree that I wouldn’t have had most of my problem relationships, were it not for my being self-centered, jealous, or greedy. Yes, she was right…all my problems were emotional.

And she was also right that all my solutions are spiritual. When problems rear their ugly heads, all I have to do is remind myself that I’m God’s child, God’s image, God’s representative. When I do so, it’s amazing how quickly I realize that the other person is also God’s child, God’s image, God’s representative. With such realization, comes peace and understanding.

She had every right to speak those words with confidence, since she was right on target. All my problems are emotional…all my solutions are spiritual.

 
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Posted in New Life

 

…the dirt doesn’t care…

15 Jul

For the first time in years, we’ve got some good dirt at our place! We had it delivered…I forget how much, but I know it was several yards more than we really needed. I discovered we’d ordered too much when I set out trying to carry and spread the rich top soil to the top of the hill…where we’d ridiculously decided to plant our garden. Anyway, we’ve got good dirt.

It’s good dirt, but to be honest, it’s rather apathetic. You see, the dirt just doesn’t care.

If I plant zucchini or squash seeds, the dirt will grow zucchini or squash. The dirt really doesn’t care. If I plant poison sumac seeds, the dirt will grow poison sumac. The dirt is like that…it really doesn’t care what seeds I plant.

The land will return whatever is planted, watered and nurtured. If I sow zucchini, I reap zucchini. If I sow sumac, I reap sumac. (This is starting to sound almost Biblical!)

My mind is somewhat like the dirt, and please don’t carry this analogy too far. My mind is somewhat like the dirt, in that it too tends to produce whatever is planted and nurtured. In fact, my mind (and yours) is more incredibly fertile than any available topsoil.

But like the apathetic dirt, our minds don’t care what gets planted. If we plant sadness, fear and anger; then sadness, fear and anger will grow. If we plant joy and forgiveness, joy and forgiveness will grow.

I’m starting to learn how to control my emotions. When the darker, more poisonous moods start to surface…I realize my need to immediately plant some better seeds. I’m trying to remember that “the dirt doesn’t care.”

 
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Posted in New Life