Grumblings from the Mailstrom

It is not a misspelling. It is a play on words. My vanity requires an explanation, causing the ruination of the effect. I realize one shouldn't have to explain a pun, but neither can my fragile ego suffer the quizzical stare, or worse the "Hey, you misspelled 'maelstrom'. Whaddaya, ignernt?" No, better to explain and then shuffle on.

This has been a very difficult week. My numerous professional and personal obligations have again careened into each other's orbit, as they are wont to do periodically, and the subsequent interaction of their gravitational fields has caused chaos, fatigue, frustration, and self-loathing again. Same as it ever was.

What I need is to simplify, simplify, simplify. Maybe next week I'll have time to look into that.

But take a look at this cool picture from my Rural Route #2. This was taken in nearby Carlos (pop. approx. 50) which is pronounced "carr-lus", dry and atonal, with no lingua romanzesca whatsoever. It is a vintage limo; I have no idea what year or make. If I have time, I'll get a closer look tomorrow. Sure, it's beat up, but it is still a great-looking car. How fun it would be to fix that baby up and tool around in it.


This picture really cheers me up. I'm not sure why.

When I work too much, I get depressed. It really sends me into a funk, and not the good kind of Brothers Johnson or Tower of Power funk. But, in those inspired moments when I do momentarily stop feeling moody and snappish, and actually pray for help, God actually does help. Sometimes my prayer goes something like this:

"God, you are going to have to deal with this because I have had it up to here with this @#$^)$#@ and I can't take it anymore. I can't believe I have to deal with this #**$%^@!"

The Lord understands frustration, though, verily far better than I, I'm sure, since He has billions of people to deal with. And as soon as I start talking to Him about what it is about my life that is driving me temporarily insane, the relief starts to seep in. Not all at once, but little by little, my heart starts to unclench, my brain starts to clatter again, the muscles in my neck relax and, even though my circumstances may still suck, I really do, miraculously, feel better. If I stay at a bit, my perspective actually shifts into a much happier and healthier place as I again remember how well off I am, comparatively. Music helps, too, especially worship music. When I stop focusing on myself and my "problems", I just start to feel better.

God's strength abounds when his children are beset by weakness. He has had numerous opportunities to show His strength around me this week. When there is less of me and more of Him in the equation, things definitely go smoother.

Here is a short and very good devotional my Mom sent me that cheered me up. It's good when you're Mom cheers you up. Its good when my Mom cheers you up too. So go read it and be blessed. If you don't, that means that you either don't like my Mom or you have all of the blessings you need right now.

Update: The limo is a hearse. I thought it was, then I thought it wasn't because of the windows, then today I looked closer and now I'm sure it is. That makes it even cooler, of course. I don't know much about vintage cars and even less about vintage hearses.