One Wee Spark

NOTE: I want to remind anyone reading here that I am not a professional--not an organizer, social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist. I observe and report what I see, and I try to blend my observations with (sometimes against) those who are "experts". A friend recently sent me this email. We met via the internet after my mother's episode aired. I was touched with her ability to share and ask me about this, but I realized that she was probably not the only one who wonders about this issue. This is her email, and my response. I pray it may touch someone else too! You have been in my mind the last few days. I will explain. I have been with my dad @ his home- he is now elderly & can no longer move around independant. He is simply- a hoarder- once removed. See, his situation is a little different. His home is NOT dirty, not cluttered as far as immobile. I suppose you would term him an information hoarder, but most of it (all of it) is info for his former career. He wrote...

I've shared recently about my fear of making personal phone calls, but as I was searching deep inside of myself with God's help ( "Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."--Psalm 139:23-24 AMP ), I realized that I'm really bad at this thing called friendship. It's not that I don't want to have friends; it's not even that I don't recognize the traits of a good friend, the actions it requires to become a good friend. It's simply that friendship carries a risk--of pain, of loss of control, of being betrayed. I'm deeply afraid of those things although I am working a little bit each day towards casting off my fear. In fact, the hardest part of this is my fear of making NEW friends. The people who have known me for years have learned to accept me and my lopsided connections and interactions. But when I meet someone new ...

"Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make you defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame."-I Peter 3:13-16 (NRSV) This morning, after posting my daily blog entry, I clicked on the "Share" button, hoping to post my blog link to my status on Facebook. I've been doing this regularly...probably for the last six months although previous to the last month, my posts have been few and far between. This morning, as I logged into Facebook to post the link, I received this message: This message contains blocked content that has previously been flagged as abusi...