Problems

Having problems is like using leach therapy to change your health. Problems drain you, emotionally or mentally or however, but in turn they change you in little ways, and hopefully you become a healthier and more understanding person. Likewise, if you let the problem/leech fester too long, then you've got more problems.

At this point in the conflict plot line the housewives of New Jersey would probably flip tables to get attention, or they would halt all conflict/resolution by saying, "Blood's thicker than wata." And very soon after that they would go back to their own lives and find other ways to prove themselves, like writing a tell all book or procreating and signing those children up for acting lessons.

Confession: I know too much about Housewives of New Jersey.

Don't be like those people.

Allow yourself to have problems, but move past them quickly because you will have them everywhere you go, big or small.

While laying in bed, I was thinking of stuff and then I was thinking of things, and then I realized that, wow, if I wasn't thinking of this stuff and these things, then I'd probably fret over other little things, like how I never mailed a letter back to that camper from 4 years ago (but really, someone has to stop the letter writing at some point. Right? No? Should I write her back?).

And so I hope you can see the never ending cycle. Society says, yes, beat yourself up for not meeting that other person at a certain status. But the Lord says, you will screw up. You sin. It's what you do. "I am the way." You can either spend your life trying to pay a penance for it or you can accept forgiveness, forgive yourself, forgive others, and move on.


Note: Self help books weird me out. So does Dr. Phil.

A More Perfect Union

Public communication in the US in recent years has been a little tense. You hear it everywhere. "The Republicans are stuffy..." or "The Democrats have a plan destined to fail...." and thus a number of Americans, regardless of their political beliefs, seem to be fed up with the bickering. As am I.

Bickering doesn't solve issues. It irritates them. It festers and wounds more fully. I understand that for adequate change to occur in this country, parties have to be kept in check. Policies are never perfect. Americans have to keep questioning the man. I would cry if we stopped sticking it to the man. If you are the man, then that's what you get, naturally. 

However, we should not deduce our communication to passive aggressive Twitter posts and eye rolling. I get that we are fed up and that nothing seems solved definitely and that promised tax rebates may not happen this year, but my goodness, let's vie for something instead of nothing. 

I feel very privileged to be living in this country. I have a voice. I have a heart. I have a good church and job and home, and I can't foresee any of that being taken away immediately by money being cut a little short. 

Maybe if some money is taken away from Americans we'll look a little more to our neighbors. Or better yet, maybe we'll BE the neighbors people need. 

How about we don't get to bicker and complain if we don't do anything for our neighbor. 

The moment you start doing is the moment you get a voice. 

Disclaimer: I understand this post presents a very idealized perspective...utopian almost...and I don't expect news sources to tone down sensationalism or the average American to change in a day, but maybe we don't have to be such a pain to get a more perfect Union.