- I’m amazed at how much money stresses me out. YEesh…. #
- The sun is shining. God is merciful. #
- DMR How many books would you use? https://tinyurl.com/nhkfer #
- DMR The Book Looms Ever Closer https://tinyurl.com/mpd8yf #
- https://darkmyroad.org/?p=319 #
- What does the suffering parishioner want from their pastor? #
- DMR My general views on exercise… https://tinyurl.com/onltxj #
- Mark 3:21 And when hhis family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He iis out of his mind.†#
- Grrrrrr…. #
- DMR Physical and Mental Illness, and how we treat them differently https://tinyurl.com/odkqls #
- DMR Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-24 https://tinyurl.com/o698f6 #
Monthly Archives: May 2009
How many books would you use?
I am currently working with my publisher to determine a quantity. If you were able to get copies of my book FOR FREE, for use in your congregation, district, circuit, etc, how many would you want?
No commitment. This is just an informal poll.
-DMR
The Book Looms Ever Closer
Friends,
For those of you who have been on this journey with me for a while, you know that I have written a book that is in the process of being published. Well, we are through doctrinal review, the copy editing is done, and I just got a sneak peek at the cover. It looks great! I don’t have a final ETA on the printing time yet, but we’re getting closer every day.
One thing that I know they/we are considering right now is making it available in both print and electronic editions. I’m hoping we can get it out in as many formats as possible. It’s not long. People who suffer from depression don’t have the time or energy for tomes. But I’m working on some of that material right now. Any thoughts you have would be great!
Thanks for all your support, everyone. You have all been a godsend to me over the past three years.
The title of the book, by the way, is
I Trust When Dark My Road:
A Lutheran View of Depression
-DMR
My general views on exercise…
Physical and Mental Illness, and how we treat them differently
I am currently laid up with a physical illness. Nothing serious, so don’t fret, but it reminds me again of how differently we treat physical and mental illness. Here’s a little compare and contrast:
- 1. In physical pain, we seek to find the cause and solve it. In mental pain, we try to suppress it.
2. In physical pain, the one in pain receives sympathy and care. In mental pain, the sufferer is avoided because they are somehow tainted or weird.
3. In physical pain, the congregation prays for the afflicted. In mental pain, the afflicted suffers alone because mental pain is never shared.
4. In physical pain, the assumption is that this is not the sufferer’s fault. In mental pain and illness, the assumption is that there is something wrong with the person.
Those are my initial comparisons. What’s on your mind?
-DMR
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-24
- Why do we seem so incapable of cutting suffering people some slack now and then? #
- I have a busy week with a lot of personal face time, meetings and services. Good things, but save me now! #
- DMR Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-17 https://tinyurl.com/qweaf7 #
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-17
- Be at peace. Pray, for your Father hears you and your brother prays with you. #
- DMR The Lines Between Depression Symptoms and Life https://tinyurl.com/qvyqee #
- Gray skies, weeping at me….nothing but gray skies, do I see…. #
- DMR Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-10 https://tinyurl.com/pl86pb #
The Lines Between Depression Symptoms and Life
I have been in a good mood lately. Yesterday was a little down, but generally I feel good right now, I’m interacting with my children well, and I am getting along with people. This is all good.
The problem is that I have no motivation to do anything at all.
So my question for the day is this: at what point does one look at the symptoms of depression and say, “yep, that’s a part of my illness,” and then at what point do you say, “get off your butt and get to work!”
I don’t like the idea of blaming every mood swing, every lack of motivation or odd behavior on the disease. There must be a sense of personal responsibility as well. Otherwise, we end up like the song from West Side Story:
:
Officer Krupke, you’re really a square;
This boy don’t need a judge, he needs an analyst’s care!
It’s just his neurosis that oughta be curbed.
He’s psychologic’ly disturbed!ACTION
I’m disturbed!JETS
We’re disturbed, we’re disturbed,
We’re the most disturbed,
Like we’re psychologic’ly disturbed.
So how do we draw that line as Christians? Sickness is the result of sin, and yet sin is also my own responsibility. I am trapped by the Fall, yet I participate in that same Fall every day. Maybe my problem is that I just want someone or something to blame other than myself.
So am I nuts here?
-DMR
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-10
- Another Sunday morning. God be with all preachers! #
- DMR The Bright Side of Mental Illness https://tinyurl.com/d25cal #
- DMR incarnatus est: A Journey through Darkness: NY Times Magazine cover story on clinical depression https://tinyurl.com/df25l7 #
- The Bright Side of mental illness: https://darkmyroad.org/?p=301 #
- What do you do when you can’t pray? #
- Don’t feel depressed, just not real motivated. #
- DMR Why do you go on medication, and why/when do you go off of it? https://tinyurl.com/cmylg7 #
- So why do you go on medication, and why do you go off of it? A post on the topic is coming soon… #
- RT @ptmccain:Half price sale on Treasury of Daily Prayer, and lots of endorsements: https://bit.ly/X1MsB #
- DMR Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-05-03 https://tinyurl.com/dhoq9u #
The Bright Side of Mental Illness
I read Untreatable Online pretty regularly. It’s not particularly Christian from my perspective, but the author has great wisdom in understanding mental illness. Here is today’s post:
BPD Awareness Month – Best Parts About Having A Mental Illness
To his list I would add the following:
6. Recognizing God‘s mercy. I would never have as deep an understanding of God’s mercy and care without my illnesses.
7. Seeing God’s people in action. In the same vein, God works mightily through the smallest and strangest of places (and people!). It really is a joy to watch God at work, even in the midst of great sorrow and pain.
Those are mine. What are yours?
–DMR
(Via Untreatable Online)