When I am sitting with a client who tells me it's "bad, real bad. This is the lowest I've ever been, it's different, you know?" I think to myself, perception is everything, perception is reality to the individual. What in the world is reality and what in God's name is normal? To counsel others with the most applicable guidance, one must taste their reality. Yep, as unpleasant as that may sound. There really is a plethora of realities that I don't want to taste! But even Jesus said, if a man asks you to go one mile, walk with him two. So that should be our response to the counseling relationship as well. The reality is, that it's a draining process, this is my reality... So what is "really bad"? How low can you go? Isn't it cyclical? -this is what I have observed and I love the word cyclical, everything in creation is cyclical!

An important part of the cycle is acceptance. If the individual can accept the cyclical pattern of low and high points, will the lows feel a little less agonizing? Some can do this easier than others. It takes rationality. Someone who feeling or acting out irrational behaviors will most likely find the state of acceptance an intolerable idea to their situation. What if there is no other answer for the present moment? Doesn't this drive most us to do some soul searching? Soul searching requires guidance too. One usually can't walk that journey through the soul's depths on his own if he's never walked the distance before. That's why people who can afford it go to India and seek wisdom from Brahmin... The awesome part of soul searching is beyond the known path to what is unexplored! To where the real journey begins. It's an awesome path if you have the right guide. 

Or, there's another option. Distraction. Distraction only lasts so long, then what to do with the soul's dark night?

We have hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus who went before us has entered on our behalf. 

Hebrews 6:19

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He says His sheep will know his voice. 

Know His voice.

The board is set and the pieces are in motion....

For some of us the game has been in motion for longer than we can remember all the moves that have been played, and for others like myself the board is really only just been set. It is a fortunate gift to have the time and encouragement to observe the game and be given the reigns to try a few moves, but the time will come to take action and play the game for one's self. I can foresee the potential snares that are headed my way. My options are to duck and let them pass by only to come back and haunt my next move or to face the foe head on and overcome the challenge with skill...

For Your Kingdom

Lord, I pray for lights to go green.
Would the hearts of your people agree with me?
If all lights go green then none are red.
And the patterns of traffic may turn obscene.
Lord, I pray for lights to go green.
And those tied to sin would be free.
Lord, would you turn all hearts to green?
Green to go towards your majesty.
In your majesty your light is piercing.
My heart hurts and I can't see.
This weight I sense I must offer to you.
In repentance I ask, Lord, forgive me.
Lord you've turned my heart to green.
In your sanctuary your glory gleams.
I know by your grace I am redeemed.
Lord, I pray for lights to go green.

www.house.gov/shuster/content/press_room/2008/080215_Platts.pdf

In many instances, children experiencing rare or life threatening illnesses take part in medical research studies through the NIH to gain access to new and emerging medications and therapies. Very often, the medications used by NIH are experimental and have either not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or have not been cleared to treat a specific illness. When children leave an NIH study, they are at risk of losing access to these life saving therapies because their private insurance won’t cover them.Shuster and Platt’s legislation seeks to close this gap in care by allowing children transitioning out of NIH medical studies to continue to receive medication through Medicaid if private insurance refuses to cover the treatment.

Go to Senator Spector's page to read about new opportunities for children and health at this site: specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=a985d285-0138-3430-e1e9-5858275e01da

Visit Lori Todaro's site to learn more about her son's journey of a rare genetic disease, funding that she is generating from the profits of her book, and new federal government regulations that she is stimulating ideas for at www.ninoact.org.

We need Montana!!!

Perfect moments...

I've had perfect moments in dreams, on runs, on vacations, at church, at camps and even at work. My most recent perfect moment I didn't know it was one at the time, but when I look back on it I have that warm perfect moment feeling. Bit of a delayed response? ...I was at my sister-in-law's parents' house playing on the floor with my 14 month old niece, Aurora, while watching Beauty and The Beast. For a moment I averted my attention from her to the movie. Suddenly and spontaneously, she bent down to place her face on mine! It was a kiss! Its also a very rare rare occasion and it melted my heart to mush!

These are moments when glimpses of God's glory become tangible, utterly astounding our intellect and turning our hearts to melted mush.