STARVE THE PHANTOMS

 

Auntie and Beanie's homes.  Photo by Chris.

We live in bewildering times.  Those of us who were born after 1947 have never lived through a pandemic, wars in Europe, homeless and drug addicts camping on sidewalks, mentally ill people turning to violence, riots, burning of cities, terrorist attacks, criminals released from prison, and many other tragedies happening in these days.   Those of us who are growing older will have to deal with dementia whether with our own or someone else's.  

So when I saw this article by Steve West from World magazine I thought this piece on--  "Starving the Phantoms" would be helpful to rid our minds of fearful thoughts. He calls for each one to "Word and prayer. A focus on Jesus. But there is one other thing: remembering His faithfulness in life events. Going back to the memorials we set up in memory for when God delivered us from some peril of body or mind. When in His good providence He allowed suffering and yet drew us to Himself and delivered us in the midst of it. The Psalmist repeatedly remembered God's past faithfulness..."

Another way to keep your mind stayed on God (Isaiah 26:3-4) is to think about good things. My mom told me that the mental health verse in the Bible is Philippians 4:8-- so at times I like to listen to music, sing, smell gardenias, eat fresh baked bread, watch old movies, read, laugh, dance, and visit with family and friends.  

I like to think about my great aunt and great uncle,  Auntie and Beanie's, simple life style.  When we visited them in Eastern Washington I marveled that they only had one room houses.  I thought that was my ideal life.  Later, after living on a boat, I realized that I needed head room and indoor plumbing. 

Now our little four year old grandson, Noah, finds joy from counting and drawing telephone poles and wiring.  Here is one drawing he created the other day.

By Noah

For Mother's Day he drew a puzzle for me.  He knew I would like trees, flowers, and telephone poles. He calls them "T's."

By Noah

  Another way to avoid falling into depression is to humble oneself-- Proverbs 16: 18 says "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." ( Think King of Babylon-- Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:24-25.) The movie "The Madness of King George" explores mental illness caused possibly by pride.  The main plot of the movie was trying to cure King George from mental illness. What saves the king, at least for a time, is the materialization of a man named Willis (Ian Holm), who has revolutionary ideas about mental health. During a period of George's greatest confusion, the serious face of Willis swims into view, along with his portentous words: "I have a farm . . ." On that farm he hopes to shock the king into sanity, and the king is shocked, all right: George: I am the king! Willis: No, sir! You are the patient! The battle of wills between these two strong men is the centerpiece of the movie, and hugely entertaining. Willis, whose approach seems to embody some of the theories of modern psychology, tries to break the king down so he can build him up again. The king resists, aghast that a commoner would so treat the royal personage: "I am the verb, sir! I am not the object!" Holm is perfect for the role - stern, unyielding, and dotty.It is only when strings are pulled to reunite the king with Queen Charlotte that the pieces fall into place. Reduced from grandeur to a sad little old man, he finds that his mind has cleared, and "I have remembered how to seem myself." The sequence during which he pulls himself together and astounds Parliament is triumphant, and funny. (I thought it was an encouraging movie.)

But there are so many today who are struggling with mental or physical illness. There are many different causes.  Each person is unique.  I pray that they will be able to focus on Jesus and be encouraged as we wait for Him to come and set up His kingdom here on earth, Revelation 21.

Philippians 4: 8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."