Dirkmonster

Right-sizing my fear of snakes

I went over to a friend's house this morning after his youngster spotted a snake in their kitchen. Naturally, that was a terrifying experience.  Even more disconcerting is that the reptile disappeared before being introduced to the shovel.

Afterwards, my friend and I discussed what in the world could be done in response to this problem (it was not the first time this happened).  He's tried sealing tiny slither spaces into the house.  He's consulted professionals.  It seems like it might just be a fact of life for their beautiful home in a country setting in the south.

And still, the fear of a snake in the house near sleeping children might drive a family to "abandon ship". While I tried to call that strategy into question, what would I do if the scales were on my floor?  I know I would freak out and check into a hotel.  But I've learned some tools to avoid choosing long term decisions in response to short term problems.

The first tool I've used is to talk to someone I trust who is not directly involved in the trouble.  When I am fearful, I often have trouble thinking rationally.  At my best, I am not too proud to ask someone to do some thinking for me.

Turns out, there are only 8,000-10,000 snakebites annually in the USA.  "Approximately 3,000 of those are classed as illegitimate, meaning the victim was handling or molesting the snake when the bite occurred."  Those bites result in 12-15 deaths per year.

You may accept the analogy of snakes in your space to drunk drivers on your road, e.g. you are out among the drunk drivers all the time and manage to avoid them, but sometimes there are injuries and deaths.  If so, consider these stats:

In America, nearly 12,000 people die every year in DUI-related accidents.

So, it seems that your comparative danger of dying from a snakebite vs. drunk driver is one tenth of one percent.  But I am much more fearful of snakes than I am of drunk drivers.  After all, I would steer clear of snakes at all costs while I drive the roads at all hours.  How might I drive fear out of the equation given my threat meter is all out of whack?

One way is education.  This site, explains the psychology and facts behind the fear of snakes.  This site is all about the drunk driving epidemic in the USA.

The best way I've found is to work towards replacing fear with faith.  I need a God that has the whole world in his hands, and has a particular interest in me.  To the extent I can turn my fears over to that power, I am much less likely to be consumed by my circumstances.

 

And lest you think I am some kind of spiritual giant, I would take a snake bite right now over the kick in the pants the stock market game me over the last week.

 

 

Hope or Futility?

It is tough for me to admit that at one time I thought life was basically a futile pursuit and God was unable to help someone like me.  I had very little hope.  I am grateful that I don't feel that way most of the time, although I still have my moments.

The little strip of paper I picked up as I left the YMCA this morning had this verse:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The first part of that verse caught my eye; "the God of hope".  When I looked at life through glasses which made everything look futile and dreadful, I was not open to "the God of hope".  I was dealing with a "god of futility and dread".

But I desparately needed to try and lose those eye glasses.  I needed to open up my eyes and heart to the possibility that maybe I had more to learn about who God was, and back that up with action in community with others with similar struggles.

In time, I began to discover "the God of hope" that verse talks about.  And that gives me a different perspective on life.

And maybe, just maybe, I still don't fully understand God.  Who does?  I have to continually challenge beliefs about God's direction for my life that don't appear to be consistent with being "filled with all joy and peace..."  For example, I admit that it seems impossible, certainly unlikely, that I could be filled with "all joy and peace".  That I could "overflow with hope".  So I have to ask myself, what does that say about the god I am relying on?

So for me it is a process that simply involves being open and willing to develop spiritually.  How cool would it be to tap into the power of a Holy Spirit that I fills me with "all joy and peace"?  I want to be open to a path that leads me closer and closer to something like that. 

 

Acceptance is the key to playoff hockey

I only think I know what I need.  I need to lose weight.  I need a new car.  And, I really really need the Predators to win their playoff hockey game tonight.

But my spiritual side gently reminds me what I really need is acceptance.  Acceptance of the way things are, given the fact I don't control people, places or things.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..."

When I accept the way things are, I am at peace.  I trust God has things well in hand.  I know there's a redemptive plan. When I don't accept the way things are, what I'm really saying is that my way is the only way.  I am leaning on my own understanding.  I tend to get angry, say things I regret and hold grudges.

When I'm on my game, another "a" word follows acceptance.  That's action.  I accept the way things are and realize the only thing I control is my active response.  I cannot change the situation that is at hand.  The only thing I can change is me through action.  

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can..."  

What is the best active response to the situation that backs up my trust that God has things well in hand?

Of course, I have a short memory about where lack of acceptance leads me.  Often I find myself in fear of my problems, my obligations and other people. That's where maintaining my spiritual condition allows me to stop, take a breath and lean not on my own understanding.  

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Tonight's playoff hockey game will test how well I have maintained my spiritual condition.  I "need" my team to win so bad, that I am challenged to accept any other outcome.  The only thing I will control is my response to the outcome, win or lose.  

That being said, "Go Predators"!

 

Garbage in/Garbage out?

Have you heard the term, "Garbage in/Garbage out"?  Some suggest that when humans consume "garbage" (a.k.a. worthless or otherwise despicable substances, media, influences, etc.), it naturally produces rotten behavior or attitudes.  The idea is meant to encourage people to be careful about what they consume because that's what you'll produce.

My understanding is that "Garbage in/Garbage out" or GIGO, is also commonly applied to computer processes.  Computer systems will only produce valid data when a sound input is fed to it in the first place.

But what about GIGO applies to human behavior?  It feels right in a way.  If I eat junk foods every day for a month, as in Supersize Me, the output is pre-determined.  

On the other hand, in my spiritual life it is something like "Garbage Out/Garbage In".  My actions, or output, tend to influence what I am motivated to consume.  When I have been lazy at work, or failed to exercise, it seems like I found myself wanting more mindless TV and food that made me fatter.  

The opposite also proved true for me.  I listened to the Christian music channel on my satellite radio for some time, hoping that in taking that in, I would produce better spiritual fruit.  It didn't work that way for me.  But when I chose to take action that was consistent with the spiritual fruit I desired, I found I naturally appreciated the spiritual music more.  In other words, when I performed acts of service expecting nothing in return, the inputs that support that became much more attractive.

My actions are spiritual nourishment or spiritual poison.  Actions are what drive what I want to take in. I didn't lose 35 pounds in 5 months by reading Cooking Light magazine.  I lost the weight by taking action.  And that was what got me interested ingesting more information about health.