1. Does anyone remember Beetle Bailey (the comic strip). I’m thinking specifically about the drawing of Beetle after Sarge gets done with him, crumpled into a heap on the floor. Anyway, some days that is exactly what fibromyalgia feels like. Today, for example.
2. When I was younger, memorization was never a problem. When I was about 8, I was playing a piece by Beethoven for a recital and I had the music out and ready. I was so nervous I forgot to take the music off the top of the piano, but I didn’t realize it until I was finished. Memory was so easy for me that my sight reading ability suffered tremendously. But now I’m old. Memory is harder now.
3. But I’m still doing it! I started plowing my way through Mendelssohn’s “Songs without Words” and loving every minute of it. It just takes me longer than it used to. The puzzles of great music are endlessly fascinating and bring peace and calm.
4. I wonder if we are thinking about holiness all wrong. We always think of it as basically synonymous with righteousness. But what if holiness is more related to being clean, clothed, beautiful, accepted, and welcomed in God’s presence? What if the Song of Songs was a book about holiness and its beauty? Of course, that involves righteousness, but it is so much grander, isn’t it?
5. The question I dread whenever I leave the house is this one: “So, what are you up to today? Any plans for the weekend?” When did they start doing this? Why should I tell a stranger my plans? Are they just a government or church spy making sure I’m complying with acceptable social mores? When did they add all of this pressure to every shopping trip?
6. Here’s a fact of dubious interest. If there is a movie that is considered “iconic” or “culture defining”, chances are quite high that I haven’t seen it.
7. Yesterday, the couple behind me at the line at the grocery store were looking at the gigantic display of M&M candies. I overheard the woman say, “No. No. I don’t do outside the box with M&Ms.” I felt that deeply. The same with potato chips, oreos, and Ice Cream. OK. Food. All food. Why does everything have to be extreme?
8. Related to number 7, the best coffee is the one that can be ordered with the fewest syllables. “I’ll have a coffee, please.” Few things were more satisfying than sitting at a Denny’s in the 90s with coffee and a cigarette.
9. One can be concerned about the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade and believe that abortion is murder at the same time. Perhaps we should talk to each other instead of hurling anathemas.
That’s all for today. Carry on. Let this moment pass and don’t let worry cloud your hearts and minds.
My Only Comfort 
I feel the “why does everything have to be an extreme?” I’ve really been struggling this week. Your thoughts are helpful.
Thank you. I’m sorry for the struggle. I practice Mendelssohn and grow vegetables. It seems much more wholesome than following the news these days.
Indeed!
My faith is eclectic, I’m Baptist, Charismatic, Evangelical etc. All have good and scary bits.
I’ve had an amazing experience with Holiness. I had some intense visions about Jesus birth, almost like being there. Very blessed.
My point is that I experienced Holiness, it’s enticing , almost seductive. I want more of that
I remember Beetle Bailey..
uh-oh… you snuck in a truly deep thought in #4…
and to point 6, your tweet is still making me laugh-but all the more as I picture how that might look-were you or I to answer that way…
#8 is really good. when I am asked by a ‘barrista’ what I want on the rare times I am meeting someone in a barrista kind of place; It’s always a scramble for me to figure out what the right terms are for a large plain old coffee, that isn’t ‘fashionably burned’ because it’s easier to get a consistent burn, than to roast the bean to the point it’s got the best flavor… what’s that word for ‘large’ or do I want the really big one-that has another odd name for it?
I appreciate your humor; it keeps my day lightened up. Thanks!
I preached on the thought in number 4 this Sunday. I fleshed it out a bit more.
I don’t like telling anyone that I love to do something, because they automatically assume that must mean I must be GOOD at doing that something. Just because I said I love to engage in it.
I used to love to dance (more like the idea of dancing), but I am barely coordinated and cannot easily follow choreography to save my life. It is assumed I must have a natural talent, or that I pursued formal training or have some set of skills that “prove” that I truly love something.
It is sad that you have to be good at something in order to have the “right” to enjoy that something.
I wonder who made up the notion that holiness means you have a halo over your head. Since that halo would sort of “levitate” over the head, no one could literally see it. But that sort of thing was not gifted to you by Christ, it was earned by you in order to BE like Christ. That is not how it works (pun intended; you don’t work for His righteousness; you accept the work He did SO that you could be gifted with His righteousness).
I am married and I don’t have any kids of my own. I was a virgin before I got married. I have never slept with anyone but my husband.
This will be hard to believe, because I myself have had a hard time believing it: In the insane world we live in, I have had small but strong glimpses into what women who have had abortions might deal with: being slut shamed. AND, the condemnation might mainly revolve around the women, with the men being conveniently left out. (Notice I said “might,” I realize that is not always how things unfold)
The shame and blame for NOT having kids has fallen mainly on me. I’ve been married for over 20 years now, so imagine the consistency. It is as if they forget how babies are made (um, it would require my husband), but have no problem being condescending, controlling and/or contemptuous directly to me. Worst of all, they seemed to assume my husband “agreed” with them and/or that I had cheated him out of becoming a parent, so he is not AS obligated to be a partner to me in the fullest sense.
I think the thinking is that one of the biggest “perks” of a marital covenant means consummation of that covenant. One of the biggest signs of consummation is conceiving a child. Then visibly carrying that child in the womb, and then of course birthing that child into this world. So EVERYONE knows that my husband and I have really consummated our marriage, and so EVERYONE will now take the covenant seriously.
Whether Christ was professed or not, these notions were from people that I would call “conservative.”
Since I don’t go around “bragging and boasting” about my sex life with MY husband, I guess no one is sure I have “taken care of business” in the bedroom. And it is not a value of being “conservative” to do such a thing, so that would appall them. So no, I am NOT “slut-shamed” because of anything I should NOT have done. I am “slut-shamed” because of something I SHOULD have done. The shame I have experienced is vastly different from former, but there are small but very serious and significant similarities.
One more thing: NO ONE ever asked me if I wanted to have children, married or not. I have a feeling no one would listen even if they did, or not blab my personal thoughts to others. Worst of all, NO ONE ever asked what I believed the Lord’s plan was (and is) for me, and for our marriage. You’ll never get to really know me unless you actually want to get to know me. And zip your lip and and listen to what MY lips are saying.
We lash out at women who have a life in their bodies that they may or may not want, Then we lash out at women who do NOT have a life in their bodies that they may or may not want. Without approving of abortion ONE bit, I can understand AND emphasize with the resentment toward those that feel entitled to control our bodies; objectifying us without even wanting to, trying to, caring to listen to what we have to say.
If I offended anyone, that was not my intention at all. BUT, maybe you’ve just proved my point. Did you really read and listen to what I said?
I’ll end with one of most notoriously offensive women in the Word: Job’s wife. For the most part, no one treated her with much dignity. Not a lot is known about her, and in the 42 chapters of Job, she is not very visible. Also, she doesn’t even have a name! Her life is only known as being the wife of Job.
She lost ALL of her kids, all at once. All. Of. Her. Kids.
Now you might say: so, you are overlooking and perhaps condoning her words to Job?
I will say: Maybe you aren’t hearing me. Maybe you aren’t hearing her, either. All, Of. Her. Kids. Died. Are YOU overlooking something?
You have to listen to people if you want to learn about people, and in order to care about people.
A wonderful brother in Christ once asked his readers who we would like to meet or meet with from the Bible. I concluded: anyone who was nameless, anyone who never got to tell their life stories. They often aren’t treated humanely without a name, and even with a name, often aren’t treated fairly.
I would love to meet Job’s wife and listen to her story. It might be hard, but I would like to try. I have a name, and no one would listen to mine.