Category Archives: EMOTIONS

Joseph Wept. Genesis 42:24.

One of the greatest stories in the Bible is the record of the life of Joseph. Until Benjamin was born, he was the youngest of eleven boys, and he was his father’s favorite son. People criticize Joseph for being proud, suggesting he indulged in the fact that he was his father’s favorite. But I amContinue reading “Joseph Wept. Genesis 42:24.”

EMOTIONS. Luke 7:37-38, 47.

We are emotional creatures. I have heard some describe their emotions as a “roller coaster,” but I think emotions are more like waves in the sea. The amount of energy in motion does not really change, but as the sea floor gets nearer to the surface, the waves become more dramatic. We all feel emotions,Continue reading “EMOTIONS. Luke 7:37-38, 47.”

Layers.

Childhood emotions come in single syllables: mad, sad, glad.  You laugh, cry, pout, fume.  Adulthood is complicated.  You feel pensive, ambivalent, bittersweet.  Adult emotions have more layers than a wedding cake.  David understood.  This poet who killed giants, this warrior who was a music therapist, this military tactician who cuddled lambs—David understood complex emotions.  ForContinue reading “Layers.”

Journaling for Faith.

In high school I kept a “visual journal” full of pictures (that I often drew during down time in class). The pics illustrated my emotions that day. When I got home, I would put them in a binder and write something to explain them. And the more I wrote—analyzing my troubles—the more I felt compelledContinue reading “Journaling for Faith.”

D.I.Y.–Do It Yourself.

I love DIY projects: build your own porch, re-pipe your house, remodel your bathroom.  But a man must know his limits.  Some things are NOT DIY projects.  For me that means, no, I cannot remove the .bb from the palm of my son’s hand.  No, I cannot remove 10,000 honeybees from the walls of myContinue reading “D.I.Y.–Do It Yourself.”

Is it Better to Release Emotions or Hold Them in?

Is it better to release emotions or hold them in? That depends on the context.  “There is … a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” Ecclesiastes 3:4.  A memorial service is a good time for weeping, but if the county judge were to weepContinue reading “Is it Better to Release Emotions or Hold Them in?”