Now is the Time
Now is the time to be living.
The events of the past are for learning.
The future, for what we are hoping.
Make memories now while you can.
The past is no longer at hand.
Don’t build the future on sand.
Posts tagged ‘hope’
Fear of the storm
[Have faith, not fear.]
A cloudy day, the sun does rare appear;
It changes moods, exacerbates one’s fears.
A storm shall come; calamitous will be;
All swept away, all lost what once was dear.
And then a break, a crack in grayish wall
Soon widens; blue sky comes out after all.
Until next time, when storm shall truly fall,
Keep hope alive; and pray calamity shall stall.
I Hang by a Thread
I hang by a thread, on the edge of a steep precipice;
I am weak and vulnerable.
Yet the Lord will rescue and deliver me.
I sit in the dark, not understanding;
I suffer from blindness.
Yet the Lord will bring His light.
I don’t know His plan for me,
Yet He said He has one.
So I hang in the dark, hoping and trusting.
“He who has begun a good work in you
Will bring it to completion
On the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians 1:6)
Why Do You Fear?
John 20:13-18
Why do you weep,
Oh woman, why do you weep?
Because they’ve taken my Lord,
And I don’t know where they’ve laid Him.
But, when Jesus said to her, “Mary,”
She knew Him and went rejoicing to tell others.
Luke 24:5-12
Why do you seek,
Oh women, why do you seek
The living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.
So they rushed back
From the tomb and
Told everyone else
What had happened.
Acts 1:11-14
Why do you gaze,
Oh men of Galilee, why do you gaze
Up to the heavens?
This Jesus will come again from heaven
In the same way that you saw Him go.
So they returned to Jerusalem
And were constantly united in prayer.
Luke 12:32
Why do you fear,
Oh little flock, why do you fear?
For it is your Father’s good pleasure
To give you the kingdom.
So let us trust and obey
The One who loves us.
Changing Lightbulbs
I’m changing lightbulbs
Instead of cursing the darkness
Instead of cursing the lightbulb company
Instead of cursing someone who might have broken them
I’m changing lightbulbs
And thanking God that I could afford new ones
And thanking God that there will be more light
And thanking God for my husband who helped me
I’m changing lightbulbs
And hoping I can give some to those who don’t have any
And hoping there will be more light than darkness
And hoping that we can work together
I’m changing lightbulbs
Instead of sitting around
Instead of having a frown
Instead of getting down
Let there be light!
Mood Disorder?
First, a disclaimer: I am not a psychologist, and have no psychological training except a few college classes and one five-day workshop. However, I have been in and out of counseling/therapy since age 12 or 13 (I’m now 66), sometimes with a break of many years. So, any psychological terms I use will be my understanding of what they mean, as a layperson.
My main diagnosis through all these years has been mild to moderate depression, or dysthymia. If I understand correctly, dysthymia comes under a broader category called “mood disorders”.
There are many opinions about depression, including “Just pull yourself together,” “It’s because of your sins,” “It’s a lack of faith,” “It’s from ‘stinkin’ thinking’ (irrational, untrue, or unrealistic thinking),” and “It’s a chemical imbalance in your brain.” Of course, all of these can be true, or overlapping.
I am often (not always) in a state of low-grade melancholy, for whatever reasons, as noted above. I could even add the excuse of my cultural background, which is Hungarian. My parents grew up there and then emigrated to the United States. From what I have read, melancholy is a common characteristic among Hungarians. Again, this could be for many reasons. One of my theories is that Hungary, for hundreds of years, has been overrun by foreign powers and has been constantly at their mercy (if there was any mercy). At any rate, melancholy does seem to be common among Hungarians, indeed, many eastern Europeans.
But, today I would like to share a surprising recent occurrence for me, perhaps a small miracle. The other day, I was in the typical, mildly low, mood. Sometime around 5:30 p.m., it was like someone turned on a switch. I was happy! I felt loved, and worthwhile, like God, and some people, loved me! It was inexplicable! I repeat, it was literally like a switch was turned on in my mood. No longer the negative thoughts like “Nobody likes me,” “I’m evil (or at best, worthless),” “Things are going to turn out badly,” etc. Lest this sounds frightening to anyone, let me be clear; I sometimes have these thoughts, but I don’t give in to them. They are like attacks that happen periodically. I have found ways to combat them. I am not miserable anymore, as I was in younger days. I have the hope of Jesus Christ, which is what keeps me alive and functioning and purposeful. Speculating on where they come from could be another blog post.
Like any mood change, I cannot explain what happened. I’ve even had the opposite happen. I will be in a mildly low mood and plunge into a more severe depression. Happily, this happens less and less in my life.
What can I learn from this? I believe God is trying to tell me, “Don’t rely on how you FEEL. I am with you despite any moods, feelings, or thoughts. I never leave you. Do not base your worth on how you feel, or how others treat you.” Whether I feel happy, sad, or in between, I mustn’t take that as my major reality. My major reality is that God is present and will not abandon me. THIS IS THE REALITY, not what I FEEL!
Every Place
Every place
Has its ups and downs —
The smiles and the frowns,
The spooks and the clowns,
Disgraces or crowns.
You’ll find
Snakes or bugs,
Scorpions or slugs,
Crows or eagles,
Mosquitos or seagulls.
Every place
Has climate and weather,
The storms and the thunder,
Hurricanes or earthquakes,
Humidity or drought.
Every place
Has interesting neighbors
Who do you kind favors,
They help with their labors,
And pick up your papers.
Every place
Has frowning faces —
Won’t give you the time,
To judgment inclined,
Won’t lend you a dime.
Every place
Has pleasures and dangers —
Or are they both one?
Pleasure can be danger
If overdone.
Every life
Has its moments
Of goodness and closeness,
Of fear or of faith,
Of love or of hate.
O Lord,
Give me hope,
So with life I can cope —
To keep a deep peace
As my faith You increase.
What is Freedom?
Freedom is the grace to make good decisions, the power to do good. Freedom is being able to express your beliefs, while respecting others beliefs. Freedom is to receive forgiveness, to be released by the grace of God from the guilt of my wrongdoing, and to offer forgiveness to others. Freedom is receiving the grace to forgive my enemies, instead of living a life of resentment and blame. Freedom is letting go of the past, and having hope for the future. Freedom is appreciating those who have helped you have freedom. Gratitude increases freedom. Freedom is a great gift, and a great responsibility. Thank you, God, for the great gift of freedom.
Written July 3, 2021
If Not for the Bird Songs
[After 66 years in California, my husband and I moved to Ohio,
to be near kids and grandkids. For whatever reason, it was emotionally
heartwrenching. This poem expresses those things that kept me going,
especially verses four through six. The person mentioned is a female in-
law, who helped me by her friendliness, and introducing me to many
people and places. Never underestimate how your kindness will help
people!]
If not for the bird songs,
My mind would be lost –
With all the changes,
With all the strangeness.
If not for the fairy fireflies,
I would have lost the wonder,
My mind torn asunder,
I would have gone under.
If not for the thunder,
I would make the blunder
Of sinking in sadness,
Being blind to the gladness.
If not for your smile,
I would have dwelt a long while
In a pit of despair;
Might have torn out my hair.
If not for your kindness,
I’d live only in blindness,
A desert of dryness,
So listless and lifeless.
If not for God’s comfort,
My life would be forfeit,
My joy would be dormant,
My thoughts tending morbid.
O, the greatness of God,
Who lifts up the lowly,
Who brightens our story;
Let us give Him the glory!
clarakatalin 
Do Not Be Discouraged
A reflection on two Bible passages.
“He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.” (Isaiah 42:3, New Living Translation).
I take this to mean that God has compassion on those who are weak, struggling with sin, or oppressed.
“This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter’s house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.”
(Jeremiah 18:1-6, NAB revised edition)
Today I heard a new interpretation of “Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.” What I heard today was: God never gives up on us. He starts over, remaking what did not work out, or where we failed in some way. He fashions something new. I had previously looked at it as God giving up. But He does not throw the clay out, he refashions it.
Both of these passages give me so much hope and thanksgiving for God’s mercy. Do not be discouraged by your failings. Only ask God to make something new of you. Let Him act in you.
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