Down--but not Out + National Championship + Pancakes

special Tuesday education of mental health monday

Down . . . But Not Out! *

* First comes the "down." Hang with me & I will get to the "not out." Pinky promise!

2016 was a rough year. 

A hip replacement in March . . . Notification by one insurance company in late July that my disability status had been revoked, which led to two months w/o health insurance, a lengthy appeal process, and a depressive episode that lasted from late August well into December . . . My wife's own struggle with anxiety, undoubtedly over my own situation . . . Health issues affecting other members of my family . . . the 2-year anniversary of my unplanned "sabbatical" from Lutheran High . . . 

2017 has not gotten off to a particularly good start.

A cycle of cluster headaches began just ahead of Christmas break, then seemed to dissipate, then resumed after Christmas & followed me into January. I saw my neurologist last week. He increased the dosage of one of the meds I take as a preventative; so far I haven't noticed any improvement . . . A run-in, literally, with another driver while taking my grand-daughters to school in Lincoln on FRI 1/6. Although I entered the intersection first, the insurance company is refusing to accept any liability. I finally got an estimate earlier this week, so I was able to send in my accident report to the state. Hopefully it will make a difference. . . . Continued news re:  politics, abortion, climate change, that leaves me vexed, plus unwilling and/or unable to cope.

Abortion . . . I Just Don't Get It

Last week I posted a comment in response to a link I saw on Facebook re:  the nasty Republicans & their attempts to defund Planned Parenthood. My comment was in response to a series of other comments that were probably running 10-1 in support of PP & abortion rights. I had just read that the largest PP clinic in Texas doesn't even have a mammogram in its facility! So many educated people--especially those with medical backgrounds & a knowledge of human physiology + human embryology--can't possibly deny the human nature of an unborn baby. 
      Having said that, I should know better than to get embroiled in a FB conversation about this topic . . . or maybe I should continue to stand for what I know is right?!
      Ditto the gullibility of so many who choose to fall for the continued propaganda machine of the pro-abortion industry. One person who responded to my comments pointedly scolded me because PP is "pro-choice, not pro-abortion." Wait . . . what? Also, fetuses have no legal rights. Sad . . . 

Politics . . . Why Can't We Have a Truce?

I also let myself get embroiled in a FB conversation re:  Meryl Streep's comments at the Golden Globes ceremony. I am no apologist for DT. Having said that, my contention with Ms. Streep was based on her platform, which was a fawning audience of Hollywood celebrities. It reminded me, as I commented, about the Dixie Chicks who many years ago used a platform in Europe to bash George W. Absolutely no courage was displayed in either venue. Let the Dixie Chicks announce from a stage in Texas that they're ashamed that President Bush was born in their home state. Let M.S. bash DT at a news conference somewhere in flyover country. That will engender more respect from me.
      And while I'm ranting, many of the comments I saw railed at DT for his illiberal comments & why they must be curtailed. MS's comments are praised . . . Let's talk about the double standard applied to freedom of speech in our country! [Okay, Paul . . . Take a deep breath . . . maybe it's time to go to the mall & go for a walk . . . or go to IHOP & eat pancakes?!]

When Am I Going to Grow Up? *

Kindly remember that one of the main reasons I blog is for self-therapy, & I really, really needed to do some venting this morning. Having said that, it doesn't make me feel all that much better about myself as a person. My engagement in both of the previous FB conversations did not leave me feeling triumphant. In retrospect, I recalled Jesus' words about removing the 2' x 4' from our own eyes before trying to remove the splinter from someone else's eye. [That's my paraphrase, not the KJV, by the way.] I had made a semi-resolute resolution to spend less time perusing Facebook's progressive postings . . . Looks like I'll either have to walk that one back or re-resolute myself. Please pray for me.
* Yeah, when ARE you going to grow up? CSBCT *

But Not Out!

My Quiet Time Experience Today

Here's some positive mental health behavioral advice for you. ["Do as I say, not as I do?" CSBCT *] Carving out some quiet time each day for meditation & prayer does wonders for the soul. My main source in 2017 has been "A Year in the New Testament." Here's what I read in the meditation for January 12:  
      "You are saved by works--Christ's works for you. His work on your behalf didn't stop on Good Friday. As your risen & exalted Savior, He continues to work for you. He speaks His Word to you, the Gospel Word that forgives all your sin & bestows all the blessings Christ accomplished for you on Calvary's cross. He clothed you with His righteousness at your Baptism, joining you to His death & resurrection. In His supper, He feeds you with His body & blood to forgive you & strengthen you in the faith.
      "We are saved by works, just not our works." ** 
* Cornhusker State Blog Consulting Team
** Concordia Publishing House, 2010.

• Clemson beat Alabama for the National Championship . . . It's obvious that some Hollywood celebrities & mainstream media types do not know one single deplorable from flyover destinations. Well, I don't know one single person who was rooting for UA to win another national championship, even though I have no personal allegiance toward Clemson whatsoever.
• My car may have been brutalized by someone driving too fast for conditions . . . but nobody got hurt & the car is still drivable.
• Although I'm having a series of cluster headaches, none of them have "blown up" into a wretched, "feels like someone is trying to push my left eyeball out of my eye socket by forcing an ice pick through the back of my skull" headache yet.
• The Norfolk Daily News--still the best small city newspaper that I have ever discovered [DISCLAIMER:  I subscribe to this journalism gem that--to the best of my knowledge--has never published any fake news.] still publishes a link to my blog on its web site.
• DT's first official news conference included his brusque shout-down of a CNN reporter. Reaction by DT haters, including the "drive-by media," was predictably over-the-top, but I loved it . . . & I suspect that a plethora of anti-anti-DT haters reacted in-kind.
• If it wasn't for my unplanned "sabbatical" from LHNE, I wouldn't be in a position to write devotionals for Orphan Grain Train, nor would I be able to help out my daughter & grand-daughters every week in Lincoln.
• Next weekend we plan to attend my grand-son Calvin's b-day party in MN. [Now, if I can only get him to repeat "Papa," which there are witnesses, which he clearly said to me over Thanksgiving break, when there weren't any witnesses.]