One.TwentyTwo.TwentyEleven.

So the Greeks developed this philosophy thing called Stoicism. It was adopted from the Spartans -- a war technique designed to remove emotion in order to be more successful in battle. They pretty much trained themselves to show no emotion and to feel no emotion -- because emotions were destructive and an error in judgment.

I am not a Stoic. Though there was a time I would say I had Stoic tendencies. And recently I started to wish I still did.

You see, my life is somewhat upside down at this moment in time. Everything is all mixed up. Any security I had set up for myself has been taken from me. I found myself asking the Lord today, "What the heck. This is NOT what I thought would happen if I moved here."

It's hard, to say the least. And lonely.
And the loneliness seems to grow the further I am removed from these securities.

But what I'm realizing is this: I feel. Deeply. A lot of different things.

Hurt.
Pain.
Confusion.
Panic.
Emotion (in excess).
Abandonment.
Love.
Loss.

But that's how you know you are human. That's how you know you are growing.


You have to love to understand loss.

You have to lose to truly understand gain.

And you have to hurt to experience the beauty of healing.


So while I may say here and there "I wish I was brought up a pure Stoic" (in jest, of course...), I can honestly say that for the first time in my life I appreciate the fact that I feel. Deeply. I have been feling that my new-found emotions are silly, and a weakness. But that is a lie. As a result of my emotions Jesus will teach me to care, love, and feel all the more deeply. I'm taking chances. I'm learning to dive deep.

And this isn't even as deep as it gets. We're still in the shallow end.



"Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I will restore twice as much to you." Zech. 9:12.
And that's a promise.

Sorry it's short. Or maybe "you're welcome?"
Thanks for stopping by. Always good to have you.

In Christ's love I say, Shalom.