Monthly Archive for September, 2008
Speaking of screamers, you never know when there might be a news crew near to catch you over-reacting.
Yes. The end of the fortnight. Which means that the winner of the purse has been announced over at The Fortnightly Purse. And there’s another purse up and ready to go – so charge over and enter! (It’s cute.)
Feeling blue? Overwhelmed? Tired? Here’s a little remedy that just might help. Straight out of the Bible too: In all things give thanks. Try reciting your blessings. If you are lonely, count how many friends you really do have, even if they are all busy this minute. If you have a child who is straying from the faith, count the faithful ones. A husband gone astray? Count the good days and remember the kind words, even if they are long gone now. Consider your health, your home, your clothing, your comforts, sunshine, wine, and flowers. How many books are at your disposal? And your Bible. Now that is a real treasure. What about your church? And how many sermons can you be thankful for? And parents, holidays, siblings and grandparents. And good work to do. Turn your thoughts toward your Maker and thank Him for His manifold blessings.
One of life’s embarrassing characters is the screamer, and screamers show up in various settings. Let’s say you are at an outdoor picnic and someone gets stung by a bee, and thus begins the screaming and flopping on the ground. No one really knows what to do even though everyone knows the unspoken cultural expectation to rally round and offer comfort and what not. But with the over-the-top screaming and shrieking, no one feels compelled to offer the comfort because what is actually needed is someone to tell the person to grow up and blow it out, it was only a bee sting after all.
On two-year-olds we all look at the parents and feel a mix of sympathy and criticism. No one likes to have their child flip out and melt down in public like that, so we feel sorry for the poor parents. At the same time, we wish the parents would step in and correct the child. It is not wrong to be hurt; but it is wrong to throw a complete fit about it. Learning good conduct, even in pain or fear, is a godly discipline.
When a teenage girl falls down and skins her knee in the volleyball game, we expect her to jump up and keep on playing. When she curls up in a ball and starts wailing, we feel ill at ease, wishing she would reel it in. Even if a bone is sticking out of her arm, there is a difference between legitimate cries of pain, and uncontrolled sobbing and yelling, cussing and kicking. You know what I mean. We delight to see courage and self-control because we admire it wherever we see it. But bad temper and cowardliness are always shameful, no matter what the age of the screamer. Continue reading ‘Screamers’
Recently I asked a room full of college-aged women how many of them would describe themselves as indecisive, and a good majority of them raised their hands. Whether it is choosing an item from a menu, picking what to wear, or choosing a film to watch, many women have trouble making a decision. And if a woman has trouble with the little questions, imagine the quagmire she can get into when it comes to big questions, like whether to move, which college to attend, which job to take, or whether to say yes to the nice young man who is interested in her.
Indecision is simply a manifestation of insecurity, and women like to feel secure. Women want approval and affirmation, and they worry that their decision may be wrong, like getting the incorrect answer on a test. Woman was created to be covered and protected, and when she is the all alone, bearing the responsibility of all her own decisions, she can feel very vulnerable and unsure of herself. This means faith is necessary, faith that God will guide, direct, protect, and oversee everything. That is one reason why good doctrine is a sweet comfort. Continue reading ‘The Quagmire of Indecision’
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