Although we may wish for all challenges to be taken away on this side of the veil, the Lord may have other plans for us. We do try, however, to encourage each young man who visits us to stop focusing on trying to change his sexual orientation. We feel that if a person focuses only on changing from a homosexual orientation to a heterosexual orientation, he or she fails to see that same-gender attraction is only a very small part of who he or she really is.Marilyn Matis in In Quiet Desperation
No... wait a minute. [Silently doing math in my head.]
I don't see why focusing on something that concerns you is a bad thing. Sure, we may ask and be denied several times for the thorn of our flesh, whatever it is, to be taken away. But is the asking a bad idea? I don't think so at all. It's a good idea (with all the caveats and perspective fine-tuned).
And despite all the talk of learning from challenges, and how challenges are blessings, etc., at the end of the day I'm happy to be through with them. There will always be more, and if this challenge can be completely eliminated rather than relegated to the backseat, all the better. Either way, I recognize that I'm much more than this one challenge. 225 pounds more, to be exact.
P.S. I'm not that fat.
P.P.S. Many apologies to any of you who are.
9 comments:
I'm so jealous. You get to be "kissed on friday", simply because you send a copy of your comment to at least 10 people by 1 am. I think you need to send it back.
Re: P.P.S.
Too late, you've already offended me.
you. are. hilarious.
let's be friends
Edna Mode speaks to me as I walk toweled past my bathroom mirror...."My Gawd, you've gotten FAT."
It does bug me that I'm fat (I'm about 60 lbs over what I feel like I should weigh). I feel like I'm somehow not living up to a covenant or something, but I'll just do the best I can every day and make sure it gets better not worse.
It's improper to make that analogy with out at least mentioning the fact that losing weight is exponentially easier than changing one's orientation. It makes sense to me that focusing on changing a fairly immutable characteristic can result in that characteristic monopolizing your self-image in a way that focusing on some extra weight does not.
Anon, you're kidding, right? Or have you actually lost that much weight and managed to maintain your ideal body weight afterward? I'm not saying they're equal, but "exponentially easier"? I don't know anyone who has accomplished the weight loss without surgery. Not one. I do know a guy who changed his orientation, and Ty knows another separate one, apparently.
You don't think being grossly obese will "monopolize" your self image? I'm guessing you have no idea what you're talking about.
The point Sister Matis is trying to make is don't spend so much time focusing on it. If you are so overwhelmingly consumed with trying to "change" your orientation or feelings or whatever, you may miss out on many great things life has to offer. I know that when I get so obsessed over figuring out how to "get out of the hole" I am in, I get stuck my head.
Basically, the point they are trying to make and I agree is stop spending so much time in your head worrying about how to change and just live life to the best of your ability and as the Lord would want you to. Change will never come by just thinking about it and focusing on it all day long.
By the way, attempting, samantha, and company... I hope your trip is going well. You guys sound like you are having WAY too much fun. Say hi to smurf for me.
Just chillin' here in D.C.
Socal
LOL! I loved this post. I resemble it it in more ways than one. :-)
You can't ignore the elephant in the room. I suppose that one could try but that leads to heartache both if your speaking of SSA or being fat (namely heart disease, etc).
I could have gone on bitching about my weight, but I've decided to be proactive (nasty little word if you ask me). I could wring my hands about being SSA (which I do and hold in reservation my right to do so on days that I feel like it). BUT I do know that I can't let SSA consume me. It's a part of me and one that I wish it wasn't or I wish it would go away cuz yes it would make life easier. Maybe it will, maybe it won't I just have to remember who's in charge.
Now, where's my damn donut?
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