I am currently reading a book entitled Stairway of Surprise: Six Steps to a Creative Life by Michael Lipson. His premise is a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "I shall mount to paradise by the stairway of surprise." Lipson's book is about practicing or developing six inner functions--thinking, doing, feeling, loving, opening, and thanking.
So these categories of attention are a jumping off point for today's Friday Five:
Pick five of the six actions and write about how you are practicing them today or recently. For a bonus, write about the sixth one you originally didn't choose!
What or how are you
1. thinking? I am thinking that today's 'win/lose' dynamic is going to kill us as Church, nation or even human race. We must find a middle ground.
2. doing? Sitting on my butt and doing nothing and herein lies the problem! I just resigned from an organization that I thought I would enjoy but found that I have nothing to offer them at present. What they need, I cannot give. I just don't have it within me to give it. It is very disappointing.
3. feeling? Depressed and angry. I have been feeling this for the past month. Guess it is time to find a counselor.
4. loving? I am loving having a house on one floor, a yard to look at that I don't have to mow and the time to enjoy it.
5. opening? I guess I have been stymied by the fact that I thought I would have a parish by now. The continued legal hassels in the diocese preclude this. With J's illness, it has been hard to start anything new. Even cooking has become a problem.
6. thanking? This IS the problem and I am not thankful at present. Oh, I am thankful for all my friends, their prayers and support. Depression makes thankfulness difficult.
4 comments:
I hear the hard place in which you find yourself, and depression does drape life in its veil. Prayers that light lifts the veil, and leads you to newness in life.
I am so sorry for all the hard times. I have been depressed, so I know enduring that is difficult. I hope you can find a good counselor. Take care, and if you'd like to email to "chat," please do!
Prayers for you during this challenging time. Sometimes not having a schedule is not the best fit.
I am here from RevGals FF. Sounds like a difficult season for you. I agree, when I am depressed it is hard to be thankful, start new things or even maintain a schedule. So glad you have support from friends.
Praying that God will show you what your next step is while you wait and that someone unexpectedly drops by with a delicious meal.
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