Jimbo's Jots

You’re feeling it! It seems like we’re all stuck in Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day movie. What was supposed to be the prediction of Puxatony Phil for an early spring has turned into the eternal winter. You just feel BLAH!

Clinically speaking, there is a such a diagnosis called “Seasonal Affect Disorder”. It’s a form of depression and has many of the same characteristics: sad or depressed mood most of the day, lack of interest to do anything, potentially an increase or decrease in eating, and certainly your sleep schedule is off because you can’t sleep or want to sleep more. Now, compound that with a stay at home order where families are juggling with working from home, school from home, and relatively no contact with the outside word apart from that FaceTime or Zoom meeting. I would imagine that kids are especially feeling the crunch of the “never-ending” story.

Here are some ideas (not new and probably stated before) to help everyone over the BLAHs:

• “Look for the joy” – this is something we say in our house at least once during the day. Encourage looking for something good that is happening in this day. Also encourage each person share something they found joy in today.
• “Do the next thing” – between work, teaching, and now working homework you’ve assigned, feelings of being overwhelmed can overtake us. Do what you can on the next thing.
• “Rest at night” – think about this way: did you give your best today? This day is what you were given – there was some good, some bad. Rest in that! Sleep in the peace of God
• “Be better?” – I think we struggle with the whole lot of life sometimes. “I could have done that better” is what we think and say. If that’s you, then “what could you have done better” and do it! Maybe being cooped up, maybe thoughts of inadequacy! Move on! Don’t dwell on what you could have done better.

Hopefully the BLAHs won’t last much longer. In the meantime, and finally, dwell on this thought: In love [God] predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Ephesians 1:4-5, ESV). Live as you are loved and chosen by God!

Be blessed and be a blessing!