Confusion and Milk

Have you had that experience before were you are pouring your milk for your cereal and then you go to put the milk away, but prior to setting the milk on the shelf you realize that you are about to put the milk on the wrong shelf.

When was the last time that something like this happened to you? You are putting the milk away and realize you are putting the milk in the pantry with the dry goods and not in the proper place in the refrigerator.

Don't you hate when you get confused?

No one really admits that they are confused.

When one admits to confusion, he admits to the fact that he lost control. 

The reality is that control is an illusion of one who is confused, but one can give an appearance of being in control if they never admit to confusion.

That's the thing I hate about putting the milk on the wrong shelf. I have to admit I am confused or lost control.

Where does confusion come from? Why would I put the milk on the wrong shelf?

Confusion comes from a lack of clarity.

Confusion comes from woundedness.

Confusion comes from admitting that one does not really have control.

Confusion comes from a lack of being present.

Confusion comes when we realize that the milk does not belong with the dry goods.

Feelings of...

Excitement. Sadness. Joy. Anxious.

Yeah, I pretty much have been a basket case lately and although Jessica is the one showing visible signs of being pregnant, I have been waging war with what I am calling pre-partum blues.


Control.

I like the idea of control and knowing what tomorrow may bring, but really when has this ever been the case in human history. If I knew what it was like to have a baby and be a dad I am sure my emotions may be more stabilized right now. I have no clue about being a dad. Taking care of a little girl. Providing for a family.

Moving forward into uncharted territories (at least for me personally) is helping me see how I depend on myself and not the One who is in control.



Did you experience any pre-partum blues?

Counterfeit Gods Book Review

Yesterday spending some time with a friend and talking over coffee we got into a small conversation with a couple sitting at a near by table about the great outdoors and the various options we have to enjoy here in Las Vegas. The conversation eventually led to the status question, "So what do you do?" This is how the next few minutes played out about "Sin City" and the grace that we have found.

"What do you think about Las Vegas?"

"I think it leaves people feeling empty."

"It does not leave me empty and I have lived here my whole life."

Possibly that was my response in light of finishing Counterfeit Gods this week.

Empty.

That is what idols do to your mind, body, and soul.

However, many us do not want to wrestle with the idols of our life and come to grips that many times as Christians we put our hope in the same thing the world does, but we try to masquerade it as blessings or put some nice Bible jargon on our language.

Timothy Keller hits hard and to the point. He does not waste time trying to sugar coat the idols in our life, but keeps this book brief and to the point. In the psychological world we often hide behind mental health classifications or label something as an addiction, co dependency, or even depression. These are all very real issues, but lets keep it simple and call it an idol.

Although the brevity of the book will mislead some, the depth will take you by storm. Don't read this book if you want to be set free from a life of emptiness.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller

So what do I think about Las Vegas...it will leave you longing for the grace of God and the only hope that matters.

May this book point you closer to the cross of Christ and the hope of the resurrection.

The Art of Cycling and Depression

There is a free spirit that comes out in most of us as we hop on a bike. We may not even be cyclist, triathlete, or one who even enjoys exercise, but a bike gives a sense of freedom to the one who is in control.

This summer during our European vacation in various cities and overall European bike culture I became obsessed with taking pictures of bikes in every town. The picture here is from Amsterdam.

(Image: Lantz Howard)

This small obsession has been one aspect of a dream that has been cultivating in my head and heart. Recently I have been riding this wave of ups and downs for various reason. I can either let my mood get the best of me or I can try to process my inner feelings.

For me hoping on my bike allows me to experience a brief sense of freedom, but it also allows me to process my emotions. There is research that states that 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise can lead to numerous aspect for one's mental health, including depression. Most of us know that working out makes us feel better, but many of us struggle with a consistent routine.

Find the joy and freedom of getting on a bike and make this time intentional with processing your emotions. You may find the bike to beneficial like many Europeans have done for years.

Fearless by Max Lucado

In a world with endless news and RSS streams of the latest and greatest it seems that we have become slaves to living in fear because fear sells.

Did you know that "ordinary children today are more fearful than psychiatric patients were in the 1950's (p.5)." We see this on MTV, VH1, Rolling Stones, school yards, and backyards that teens have grown accustomed to hearing of the latest threat, which often becomes the latest reality and headline news.

Max started this book 2 years prior to 2009, which means God was preparing in his heart to address the people of today and the reality of our news headlines.

Have you grown tired and fearful of the headlines about global calamity, recession doom and gloom, health care reform, downsizing, lost jobs, or even the fear of not mattering because you have sinned beyond God's grace. Then you must pick this book up and start to be renewed and restored to a greater hope and purpose.

In the face of trails and fears, which are real, there is hope and we can turn to the victory of Jesus Christ on the cross and know that Christ took on flesh to overcome the fears of the world. May you find rest and assurance through Fearless and strive to live a cross centered life.

Do you want to read a few pages of the book?

Or order the book from Amazon.

Preoccupations Lead to Action

What thoughts are you preoccupied by? Are they pleasing preoccupations? Or are the preoccupations in your head causing or creating unusual behavior in your life?

Whatever one is preoccupied by his or heart will soon follow. Then the only thing left is action. Be careful to watch your thoughts that they do not lead your heart to action which can lead to death (Rom2:28).

The Message in Philippians 4:8,9 says it best:
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."

You Can Run, But You Cannot...

Hide!

Deception has been around since the beginning of creation. Today as I read in Genesis for my plan to read the Bible in chronological order Jacob was deceiving Laban (Gen 31:27) in a plan to escape and then wrestle with God soon after. Deception has been mans plan to try and get ahead. However, the truth will always prevail.

Yesterday I read this story about the investor who fled his home and faked a plane crash. He is trying to escape the fraud ($500,000 +) he has been accused of, divorce, and recent death of his step-father. He was found in Florida at a campground with one of his wrist in an small attempt to take his life. Now he is in custody and facing even more charges.

Living an honest life is much easier than a life of deception. Are you living a life of honesty?

Dreaming God Dreams

What do you dream about?

Recently I was eating lunch with someone and he asked me where did that thought or dream come from, I answered and he said no. He asked again, where did that thought come from? Not sure what he was looking for in my answer, he said, "Take your dreams and thoughts captive because they come from God."

In light of that conversation I enjoyed this blog today because we often hinder our thoughts and dreams and downplay what God is trying to do in our lives.

"Your dreams aren't trash; they may seem as flimsy as gossamer to you, but they can come to life if you dare to believe in them. Living a humdrum Groundhog Day existence can sap the verve and gusto right out of you. You can forget the habit of dreaming."

Read the entire post at Seth Barnes Adventures in Mission website.

How can a therapist understand?

Today I was asked, "How can a therapist understand someone if he or she has not experienced the situation?"

As a MFT Intern my job is to offer empathy and whether I understand an experience in someone's life or not is not relevant to the client. What will understanding the experience do for the client?

My task and theory orientation is to give the tools needed to the client to help them own their story and embrace their story for future change. Understanding the past does not bring change. Embracing one's past and stepping forward brings change.

Your story is to valuable to others not to embrace. Your story needs to be hope and encouragement to others. Your story is an element in the bigger picture of God's redemptive story.

Allow Him to redeem and validate you so you can share His glory and story with others.

Reactive System Leads to Contemplation

Have you ever reacted to a situation to realize later deep contemplation may have been a better choice?

I have a friend and family who is in need of prayer right now. They are having to react to a family member who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge last week. I pray they will find rest during this time of reaction and contemplation.

The Golden Gate bridge is notorious for jumpers and just last month the board of directors voted to place a net under the bridge to prevent jumpers. This project is going to cost 40 to 50 million dollars.

The Board of Directors for the Golden Gate Bridge are reacting to a system that is in need of contemplation.

What if that 40 to 50 million dollars went to preventive mental health care?

We need to contemplate prior to reacting, which will lead us all closer to being at home with ourselves.

Spiritual Depression

What do you do when you feel like a scarecrow? When you are lifeless and void of desiring the closeness of God and feel like nothing could get any worse? When your horizontal relationships are reflecting the character and nature of a scarecrow and everyone seems to be running from you instead of running with you? Have you felt this way with your vertical relationship with God? God can often seem to be distant and far off because we may have scared Him off because of our short-comings in our relationship with Him. The reality is there will be times in all of our lives where we feel worthless as a scarecrow, but we have to overcome our worthless mentality. The 42nd Psalm takes a humble look at how we face our spiritual depression and continue to seek God with our whole-hear in the face of adversities. Here are a few points from John Piper's sermon recently at DesiringGod.com He gave 6 ways to respond to our worthless feelings:

• The writer (he) ask why? v.9
• He affirms God's sovereign love. v.8
• He preaches to his own soul. v.5
• He remembers going to worship. v.4
• He thirsts for God. v.1 & 2

Living in the Psalms allows one to live with our intimate emotions openly expressed to God. Not sure where to go when your soul hurts, turn to the faithfulness of the writers of Psalms because God is not scared of scarecrows.