Feelings

     Feelings are such interesting and complicated parts of our lives. We cannot separate ourselves from our feelings and be truly healthy and human. We are made to feel.
     Jesus felt frustration, sadness, anger, and extreme joy. It seems he even felt hurt when, in the Garden, he said, "Could you not watch with me one hour?" He was disappointed in people.
     Many of us were taught some of these things as we grew up:
-- stop crying and be a man, indicating that real men don't cry
-- knock it off or I'll give you something be mad/to cry about
-- don't get so excited; it's not that big of a deal
-- you don't really feel that way
     Affirming and understanding feelings is a way to help us learn to return to calm and peace from those feelings. When I tell Jesus  my feelings, I feel his compassion and comfort.
     If I refuse to admit that I have those feelings, they don't go away as some people suppose. Instead, they go deep inside. When enough stuffed emotions fill us up, the next logical step is explosion.
     Today I am sad about the ravages of Huntington's Disease on people I love.
A verse I've been thinking of for 2 days is this from Jesus: "In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world."
     Thank goodness this is not all there is!