Sunday, June 7, 2009

Sunday Sentiments

I have not done a "Sunday Sentiments" in awhile but when I received this e-mail. I was moved to share it. So many blogs that I have visited lately seem to be struggling with something whether it is depression or something else. Where I can't cure anyone. I can do something. I can do what is suggested here. So if you happen to stumble across this, my hope is that you find this beneficial too. Here is the e-mail:

Their Sunday Public Talk today was given by a Ministerial Servant who was a US Marine in New York. (He is no longer a Marine.) He is so warm, loving, and understanding.

The talk was entitled "AS CHRISTIANS WE CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE."
His first wife was bi-polar.
When he got to the part of the talk that dealt with Depression, he called a Brother who wears glasses up onto the platform to illustrate the point he was going to make.
May I have your glasses? (He handed them over)
I know you are short-sighted, but can you see the clock at the back? NO.
Come, on try harder. NO
Take another look, for I'm sure you can if you try. Think positive! Still NO.
(So the speaker gave him back his glasses and he sat back down.)

Speaker: "Short Sightedness is an inherited imperfection and no matter how hard I tried to motivate him, he can NOT see that distance. Depression is also a Biomedical Condition that will last until the new world, same as his short-sightedness. We cannot motivate people with Depression by saying 'try harder!' or 'think positive!" It doesn't change anything for them.

Paul counselled us in 1 Thess 5:14 : "speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward ALL."

In New York where I lived, there is a brother who is a Psychologist, and has several patients. CONSOLINGLY means SOOTHINGLY. That is how to treat the many among us with depression or related invisible illnesses."

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing. I try to read and apply 1 scripture to my life daily and this one is so touching I do believe that a smile and a kind word can console the sad in spirit and heart. I appreciated the words here.
Have a magical weekend.
XXX
Becky

Lynn said...

I wish more people would read this Terri, it is a wonderful example of how those of us with depression can feel. I have lived with clinical depression since I was a teenager, and some people still just do not "get it".
With medication and therapy you can live with it, just as the man who needs his glasses, we need medication, just as my husband needs his insulin for diabetes, I need my antidepressants to live a wonderful, full life :)
Thank you for sharing this.
God bless

Mahala said...

We all have a story and mine is a doozy. i enjoyed this post. Thanks.

Ozstuff said...

Thanks so much for sharing this with your blog friends, Terri. Depression touches all families and sadly it is often misunderstood. Nice song too!

Anu Lal said...

You are right. I too suffered frustrations and depressions in my life, or I am suffering. This is something wonderful that you have written about that. I am really impressed that you are trying to help people through your blog.Thank you once again for sharing this.
Take care,
Anu

Tumbleweed Trails said...

I wanted to give you a shout out and say hello. I haven't even had a chance to move my followers list yet. Good golly! But thank you for the tip, I will see what I can do as soon as I can.

What a great sentiment you posted here. Yes, deppresion is so misunderstood by many as is suicide.

The picture you have at the top of this post is so beautiful. Right away I found myself thinking that it needs to be in a gallery somewhere. It would even be fabulous as an advertisement for children's hats such as the one she is wearing. It's simply amazing and heart warming.

Jody

Terri said...

Thank You for all of your king words.
I found the photo on line when I did an image search for hugs.

Terri said...

oopse ..kind words