Five Minute Friday: "Lonely"

Ironic this word should come up now.  I recently finished a book called The Path Out of Loneliness.  While the author, a mental health clinician and Christian, acknowledges that there is an epidemic of loneliness that started prior to, but was exacerbated by, the pandemic, he gives an exhaustingly confusing set of messages.  On one hand, he champions for seeking professional help while on the other hand, he asserts that expert mental health help isn't needed.  While making an effort to seem empathetic, the author all out blames the sufferer for his loneliness.  It's falls in line with the false premise that basically if you read the Bible and prayed more, you wouldn't be _________.

So, is he right?  I doubt it.  While Bible reading and prayer are essentials to one who is a Christ follower, it isn't the solution to everything.  Christian counseling literature doesn't support this notion (I'm not talking about "self-help" books put together in 15 minutes by some goober in his basement.  I'm talking about reputable books and journal articles).  The Scriptures don't support this lazy brand of faith either.  I heard Pastor Rick Warren (among others, including my own pastor) say that the Bible is full of "one-another" passages that cannot be obeyed or fulfilled outside the context of community.

So, why does this word put such a burr under my saddle?  It's not the word itself, but the attitude it arouses from people which, quite frankly, pisses me off.  For example, I had to explain more than once to my church's Marriage and Family Pastor and his wife that there's nothing available fellowship-wise or help-wise for the "unicorns"--those of use who are older who've neither married nor had children. They didn't know--and it didn't phase them at all.  I'm not being heard.

Apparently we are not family.

But it's our fault we are lonely?

Bite me!

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In case you missed it:  

* My latest Weekly Review:  "As It Sits," is here.
* My latest First Line Friday Post: "#21: Master of Change" is here.
* My latest Wednesday Hodgepodge post, "One Word-Finish," is here.
* My latest book review of Good to Great is here.
* My "24 in 2024" list is here.
* My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
* My latest Monday Mess Making post on my Auntie's Workshop blog "Square Parties" is here.

First Line Friday #21: Master of Change by Brad Stulberg

Thanks to Carrie at
Reading is My Superpower
for the Link-up

 

Title:  Master of Change
Author:  Brad Stulberg
Genre:  Self-Help

  〰First Line〰

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It was shaping up to be the trip of a lifetime, but for reasons no one could have imagined.

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Synopsis:  (From Goodreads) 

A revelatory book on rethinking change, creating a rugged and flexible mindset and identity, and developing habits for life's intensifying flux. From social disruptions like economic recessions, pandemics, and new technologies to individual disruptions like getting married, career transitions, and becoming a parent, we undergo change and transformation—both good and bad—regularly. Change is not the exception, it’s the rule. Yet we endlessly fight it, often viewing it as a threat to our stability and sense of self. Master of Change flips this script on its head and offers a path for embracing and even growing from life’s constant instability. Brad Stulberg, sustainable excellence expert, coach, and bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness, offers a new model that describes change as an ongoing cycle of order, disorder, and re order—yes, we return to stability, but that stability is somewhere new. Drawing on modern science, ancient wisdom, and daily practice, Stulberg offers concrete principles for developing a mindset called rugged flexibility , along with habits and practices to implement it. Along the way, Stulberg In the end, Stulberg reshapes our entire perception of change and shows us how to grow in its midst—ultimately helping us move forward better, stronger, and wiser than we were before.

 〰First Thoughts〰

My pastor recommended this book during a sermon.  I balked a bit at first, but with all the changes going on with me right now, my hope is this book will be useful.  You would think that with all the changes I've experienced over the past seven years, I would be gung-ho for help with effectively navigating new things.  I think my problem is "change fatigue," which is probably not a thing, but if the wealthy can have "decision fatigue," I can have "change fatigue."

So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?

As It Sits: The Weekly Digest

 Looking out the window....

Colorado is in the throws of "Fake Spring #4."  We've had a few days of refreshing warm weather.  On my drive from church today, I saw several trees and shrubs in bloom and the brown winter grass is starting to show the green of the changing season.  Alas, 'tis not real spring yet--there are cold temps and snow in the forecast.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step.  The first step is to realize that one is proud.  And a biggish step too.  At least, nothing whatever can be done before it.  If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed. C. S. Lewis, A Year With C. S. Lewis, p. 97.

Pursuits that align with your core values and shrink a big, unwieldy, and overwhelming world to make it feel smaller and more manageable are useful for integrating significant changes into your life and walking confidently into the unknown.  Brad Stulberg, Master of Change, p. 32.

We as followers of Jesus are not called to be known for what we're against; we are called to be known for what we're for--and what we're for is absolutely amazing.  Pastor Robert Gelinas, Kingdom Categories, Part 1, April 14, 2024.

I'm thinking about...

In Luke 18:8 (ESV), Jesus asks, "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”  Though I've been a follower of Christ for several decades, my faith can be weak in some areas.  Some of the promises of God range from frightening to too good to be true though they are absolutely reliable.  I know that no true element of Christianity can be fully experienced in a vacuum.  However, it is becoming increasingly clear that in most areas of spirituality, I am on my own...and I hate it.

I learn a lot from participating in worship, reading books, listening to sermons, taking notes, and trying to find ways to implement what I'm learning.  However, sometimes believers have to "hook up" faith with one another.  I know this sounds mean, but I can't let just anyone pray for me.  If I'm believing for one thing, but the person I asked to pray is believing for something else, we're working at cross-purposes.  Worse yet, instead of praying, I have too many people in my life who tell me what God can't or won't do.  Their assumptions are not based on Scripture, but on theirs or someone else's experience.  Like I heard one minister say, "I don't have time to preach to you so you can pray for me."

Is there anyone around who just believes the Bible "as it sits"?

What I read this week...

• The Release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee ✮✮
• Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne ✮✮✮
  

I'm currently reading...

• Master of Change by Brad Stulberg
• The Self-Aware Leader by John Maxwell
• Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee
  
• Lectures to My Students by C. H. Spurgeon
• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis

I am thankful for...Tutorial videos with accurate instructions.

From the Workshop...

This set was made for a co-worker who is due later this year.  It's called "Angel Afghan."
The pattern can be found here.