Is it just coincidence?

Is it just a coincidence that whenever I finally get to posting on our blog, my wonderful wife blogs the very next day? I don't know... but let's see if she posts tomorrow. Maybe she's just trying to catch the wave of my one follower. =P

That isn't the real reason for today's blog. I wanted to stop and reflect for a moment. Awhile back, I wrote about the first week of Life's Healing Choices. Well, it's still very powerful. You can listen to the weekend messages HERE and choosing the "Life's Healing Choices - The Beatitudes." And consider picking up the book by John Baker upon which it's based to complement the sermons. If you're not ready to examine what's not going right in your life, then don't bother. But if you are ready, wow!

I am still not 100% clear about my hurts, habits, and hangups, but things sure have become much clearer. I've been doing pretty well in life emotionally despite experiencing quite a bit (a lot at a young age, too). But I have definitely incorporated some coping tactics to avoid pain.

A little about me... I'm a catastrophizer. I have a great imagination and see much potential for awful things to happen. For example, watching my daughter taking a few steps and being concerned that she stumble into the exact corner of the chest and damage her eye. Or, one of Lena's favorites, seeing a Tupperware container without a secure seal. Heaven forbid that some air might enter in and cause something to spoil. I'm certain that much of this characteristic stems from losing my father in a car accident a block from our home two days before Christmas when I was six years old. I know the terrible feeling of devastation from a very young age. I guess you could say that feeling has stayed fresh with me all these years. I try to control many things in my life and those around me so that it appears I am preventing pain.

I also have a great desire to see justice done. Just ride with me on a California freeway some day. My blood boils quickly for drivers performing illegal or even just stupid maneuvers on the freeways. How quickly I can gloss over my own driving indiscretions! I think this stems from my youth also. How unfair it is for a child to lose a parent at such a young age. I'm pretty sure that is somehow at the root of my anger at things being done that I perceive as unfair (particularly when they are directly pointed at me).

I don't have solutions yet... but I'm glad that God has been revealing to me areas where I have hurts, habits, and hang ups that are not healthy. I'll keep you posted on my journey towards health. It may be awhile as it's taken me nearly 40 years to acquire them all. I cannot expect to fix them overnight.

On less serious notes, I'm excited for my day with Karis today. We're going to hang out at an animal shelter today. But only looking at the dogs. =) She loves animals.

And, Lena and I are moving to Irvine October 31. I'll send an email with our new address and phone privately through email. If you want to help load or unload, mark your calendar now. And since this is one paragraph after so many up above, I'll likely post again all by itself.

Karis is waking... gotta go!