Lightening up with a little Shakepeare comedy

Lest I get too caught up in my religious leanings, I do like to read regular books to keep me grounded.

I kind of like the classics, but didn't need something heavy at the moment, so I picked up a copy (Kindle) of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. (It was really cheap, actually.)

I perused the contents and decided that I needed a little comedy in my life right now, so I started reading The Comedy of Errors and am almost finished. 

It is great! (Though I had to read the Wikipedia summary to get a clearer sense of what was going on.)

The vivid language and comical rhymes are amazing.

Spoiler alert: It has a great happy ending notwithstanding the tense, yet comical, first 3 Acts.

It's very down-to-earth and funny. I can see why Shakespeare is so revered. 

Thank you, Mr. Shakespeare and Wikipedia. You made my day.

Hope you have something to turn to to balance out your psyche too.

Two images of Christ on my walls

I have two images of Christ on my walls, opposite each other in my apartment.

The first is a crucifix that hung on my dad's old bedroom wall during the last 15 years of his life, and so has special meaning to me.

He endured a lot during that time, but each healing brought even greater times of fulfillment for him, especially with family and friends. He died last year at 93 with a smile on his face.

The second is one that I struggled with at times because I had trust issues with Jesus. Notice the wording on the image: "Jesus, I trust in You!"

(I had a bad experience in a Catholic seminary as a young man.) 

I found out that He quite understands and doesn't blame me.

He knows what we've all been through and what we do or don't need at any particular moment.

These images are reminders for me as I go about my daily business.

I like them.

Solitude vs. loneliness

 

Good morning.

As I start the day, I am thinking of what I consider to be two sides of the same coin. 

Namely, solitude and loneliness.

The first is a gift, and the latter is, quite frankly, a curse, in my experience.

Now I have experienced both at various times in my life, and to me it comes down to my making a choice when the occasion arises.

What do I want? Do I want to thrive, or do I want to merely endure and suffer?

Both states can be totally in touch with reality. 

The more we see the benefits of one and the harm of the other, the more we can practice making that choice throughout our lives.

Both solitude and loneliness arise from the same occasion or accidental situation.

A comparison (you can look it up):

"Solitude is the state of being alone, often by choice. 

Unlike loneliness—which carries an involuntary, painful feeling of isolation—solitude is generally a positive, constructive, and peaceful experience of being present with oneself. It is commonly used for reflection, creativity, and spiritual growth."

Personal reflection: 

Now being able to make a choice between the two states given a particular circumstance is, in my experience, like training a muscle. Every opportunity to make a choice either brings us closer or farther from fulfillment.

Ask yourself the question, "What do I want?"

Make a choice: will I embrace the gift or not?

For me, that awareness of the ability to choose started way back when I was 26 years old (I am now 59) when I had reached my limit mentally, emotionally, and physically while under great stress in a Catholic seminary.

I reached out for help and eventually was given GREAT relief from medication therapy.

Since that time, my relationships improved as well as my ability to work and be productive. The ability to make choices between growth and stagnation.

The sun will come up... a personal belief

 

I am kind of stuck in my apartment today because of an arthritic knee, and I needed some color, beauty, and creativity to brighten my day.

I know, it's pretty simplistic, but it did cheer me up a bit as I contemplate my financial plight and my prospects for going back to "regular" work after serving as my father's main caregiver until a year ago.

The mind can be a wonderful and brutal thing on its own.

Anyway, as a Christian, I do believe that there is a beautiful sunrise waiting for the faithful, but I just am not ready to put that off until the afterlife to realize it.

There is too much life in me still.

Let this little illustration be my prayer for the realization of some temporal dreams of mine.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Funny pic

 

I have to admit. When I have free time, I sometimes end up scrolling FB like a lot of people.

Most of the content I just glance at and run right by, but this funny (to me) illustration caught my eye and gave me a heartfelt chuckle.

Kudos to the cartoonist.

The horrors of perfectionism

 

As one who has suffered dearly in the past from scrupulosity and perfectionism, it is my sincere prayer for you right now (if you need it) that you break these bonds that may be binding you.

I'm sitting here trying to write a meaningful post, and I don't really know what to say on the subject other than may you find grace and peace knowing that God loves you right now just as you are and wants the best for you. He knows us from the inside out and only wants us to grow and thrive.

I know for a very hard-learned fact that God's love is greater than our own limitations, as well as the people, places, and things that may be keeping us tied up or causing us anxiety and pain.

I won't draw this post out. Know that you are loved by a God who wants you to be truly free.

And then there was light! (The power was out for 3 days)

 

We had a tornado and macroburst pass right over us this past Sunday and have been without power for over 3 days.

It was odd not having any light or a refrigerator or an electric stove in the apartment. That's the longest power outage I've ever been in and it was a testing experience.

No t.v., no internet, no fan or a/c in this heat.

I tried to look at it positively and to learn something from it.

It was somewhat of an unintended electricity "fasting."

What did I learn? We become so dependent on things (in this case electronics) that when they are taken away, we are left with a sense of void that must be filled.

I felt something similar (though obviously more profound) when I lost my dad at 93 last year. Everything at home suddenly felt unfamiliar for a while.

We get attached to people and things. That is normal. But when we lose them, it is a great learning moment for me that God is always with us.

He was with me during the loss of my father, and he was with me during this relatively minor loss of power in comparison.

Thank you, Lord, for being there when we suffer loss.

Thank you for seeing us through the darkness and into the light.