Just some more thoughts...

Sometimes I just feel like a whiney kid. I am sure the Creator must get weary of my whininess, no doubt.

I guess we all can be a bunch of needy whiney kids at times, which is probably human nature. I know that some have way more to be whiney about then others. In any case when I get that way I always feel ashamed at my weakness and ungratefulness and have to sit back and really take note of all the blessings in my life and there are many that is for sure, but when you are in a funk that can be a real challenge.

I do try and see the glass as half full instead of half empty but there are times when even I have a very hard time struggling on, especially through a particularly rough situation.

Don’t you hate it when you are fighting, depression, or an illness that just seems to linger on, maybe just plain fatigue, loneliness, (which is a common one), attacks from family members or supposedly friends that are very unwarranted and unnecessary in any case, or any other bummer or number of things in your life and when you try to talk about it to anyone you get shut down with platitudes and insensitivity?

 I mean stuff like ‘it could be worse’ or ‘you think you have it bad let me tell you about so and so or my problems’ or ‘where is your faith?’ or one of my favorites ‘I never feel that way because I have such a wonderful relationship with the Lord I just don’t have those kinds of problems.’… (That person has to be lying). I had someone tell me once,’ he never got depressed’ and he was of the most negative downer people I have ever met!

There are times when I could be crawling over broken glass naked and feel stronger and more optimistic than Sampson on steroids (before he got a haircut!) And then there are times when a minor stubbed toe will send me into doom and gloom. There are times when I can read scripture and faith will course through my veins like race cars and other times scripture leaves me flat and I want to chunk my bible across the room.

I realize that there are people out there who are never happy or grateful about anything and it is always about ‘them’. I am not talking about them, I am talking about just plain people trying to survive and cope on this planet under not so great circumstances. They just want someone to listen to them rant a bit, maybe even feel sorry for themselves a bit, then give them a jump start to get back up, brush themselves off and go on, usually with a positive word or two and a prayer for strength.

 We never need to wallow in our self pity as that is very unhealthy, but be is as it may… down times are a part of the human existence and I suppose we need the bad times as much as the good. How else are we to recognize the good and appreciate anything if we do not have a foil to compare it by? And I have also found more growth in my life during the down times (sad to say) then in the up times.

 I had one man write me a few years back that he always knew when the Father was trying to speak to him because he went into terrible depressions. Not that God made him depressed but that when he was not connecting to the Creator and got too busy in his life, his spirit started grieving for that Divine connection and he could feel the call of the Lord reaching out to connect with him.

I have always tried to remember that when I feel a depression trying to take over. I wonder, ‘am I needing a more personal connection with my Creator? Have I unknowingly shut Him out? Is He trying to speak to me?’

So I shall close with this. Always remember to take the time to listen when someone comes to you with a genuine problem or needs a friend to talk to.  Also remember when you are the one who needs a shoulder, be sure to be a shoulder for someone else when their time comes. I have known people who never shut up and listen to anyone, not even their selves. I am sure if they really took the time to listen to themselves they would be appalled! I know I have been appalled at myself a time or two!!! I guess we need to do that now and then as well.

But in any case…. when you are having a rough time of try and go easy on yourself but not so easy that you stay in the depressing muck and forget how to live, give and forgive.

Love & Prayers,

Judy