Note: I will continue the “Just For Today” series over the next few weeks/months, but will be interspersing those posts with other thoughts. Thanks for your patience! At 11:55 p.m. last Thursday, I went outside and smoked a cigarette for what I’m determined was the last time. I woke up the next morning, placed a… Continue Reading
The ups, downs and in-betweens of a bipolar life redeemed by grace.
Emotions Anonymous, “Just For Today” and the Gospel Truth: Part 1
The sun comes up and new day is here. Some mornings I welcome the light. I happily get out of bed, ready to face the day. But, most mornings, I greet the sunrise with a deep and inexplicable sense of dread. Another day. It feels as though I am waking up and facing the entirety… Continue Reading
What Makes Good Friday so Good
We’ve probably all heard the jokes about Good Friday. On Twitter, Mike Birbiglia, recently known for his movie, Sleepwalk With Me, and a comedian I’ve actually enjoyed listening to since college, had these quips: “Are we sure Jesus signed off on the name ‘Good Friday?’” “They’re gonna nail me to a cross, we’ll call it… Continue Reading
Christian Smoker: The Gospel Message and My Nicotine Addiction
As a part of my attempt to apply the truths of the Gospel to all of the dark and messy areas of my life, I need to make a public statement. It sounds wrong, but I am Christian smoker. I am not an occasional smoker or a social smoker, but an honest-to-goodness, pack-a-day smoker. I… Continue Reading
Why “The Silver Linings Playbook” Really Bummed Me Out
Let me start with a disclaimer: When it comes to movies about people with mental illnesses, I tend to be a very biased reviewer. This is all the more true when the mental illness in question is bipolar disorder. All this to say, seeing the movie The Silver Linings Playbook was bound to either be a… Continue Reading
Bipolar Disorder Medications: Living in a Medication Fog
Forgive me in advance if this post makes little sense. My doctor, whom I trust implicitly, adjusted my medication because it is January and my bipolar disorder has a documented habit of getting a little out of control around this time of year. I’ve started back on a medication that I used to take but… Continue Reading
Being a Good Listener, or How I Listen Badly
I messed up with a friend of mine recently. My friend was having a terrible week and was in that place of extreme depression and desperation that I know so well. When she called me to talk about how she was feeling, I demonstrated some seriously poor listening skills. I made all the classic mistakes:… Continue Reading