Color my Wits . . .  Craz’d

If I were painting, my palette would be messy. Grief is a hard subject.

But, I am writing.  Finding words is harder when one’s wits are knotted by the times, and tears. 

Good Advice, eh? From the Garden of Bright Images

Other people’s words describe the swirl of emotions that are washing around and through me. 

Especially Shakespeare’s words — in one of the worst plays old people should read: 

…True to tell thee,
The grief hath craz’d my wits…
~William Shakespeare, King Lear, c.1605  [III, 4, Earl of Gloucester] 

Grief  has been doing a number on me recently— another reason for choosing my words carefully —anger, grief and fear rarely edify. 

Can you read the writing?

And what  grieves me is how easily conversations and connections [still] break with words spoken or written carelessly.  

. . . I’ve come to realize that when I treated others unfairly, it was because I was filled with self-centered fear —afraid I would lose something I had, or not get something I wanted. That fear, in turn, triggered my outbursts of anger, jealousy, impatience, and intolerance . . . 

A hurtful act is the transference to others of the degradation which we bear in ourselves. — (Simone Weil, A New Day, page 93)

From the Pulpit

Therefore a recent word from the pulpit  was timely, reminding me to be especially careful choosing words.

The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. . . (Proverbs 14:1-7)

So, too the Psalmist warns me to watch out for what  soapbox I choose. 

 Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes arrogant;
Nor do I [a]involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too [b]difficult for me. . . 

Today’s SOAPBOX 

Our weaponized culture worries me.  

Since Columbine — no — since the University of Texas shooting in 1966 — we have prayed, and produced more weapons. Because of yet anther shooting, grief washes in and over . . .   I don’t understand why Americans —some Christians—still insist on their right to own assault weapons. 

Ours is a weaponized culture — both with firearms and wounding words. 

And I have no idea how to help “disarm” our culture, save by words; save by prayer: 

For the faithful believer, prayer isn’t a substitute for action; it’s a prerequisite for action. It grounds us before we move to serve others. It grounds us before we speak in the public square. David French

I pray God does equip Christians to speak in the public square — so that those who listen — legislators and judges and citizens — will choose LIFE.

“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.”― Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

Hope Does Not Disappoint (Romas 5:5)