Friday, July 12, 2013

excessive absences

(writing for five minutes on present)
here i am, present in life! (really, this is a random picture.
i'm tired of the broody betty snapshots....)

it's broody betty again
(she has so much to teach)
she's sitting on the chicken porch again
and
gathering the other hens' eggs for her own
brooding
i push her back into the coop world
but even then she's not present
she ignores the other hens
she seems disoriented
she spends an inordinate amount of time fluffing
she steps right back up the ramp to her porch
really, she's obsessed
and don't we see this in ourselves?
obsessed and...absent?

what do you do when you find yourself or a loved on obsessed and absent? i'll go first in the comments....

linking with-

the gypsy mama for five-minute-friday, grace for FYBF, beholding glory for faith-filled friday, cheryl for true vine challenge, barbie for freshly brewed life

11 comments:

  1. when i'm obsessed, i pray, choose scripture that is anti-the-obsession and carry it in my pocket, and i tell someone so i have some accountability.

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  2. Hm. We've got chickens, too, and fought this brooding obsession, at least my husband did, for the longest time. Then we decided to raise new chicks the natural way, letting some broody mom do the work instead of the awful brooder-machine, with all its big failures and little deaths. And what wonders we got to behold! Hers was a natural "obsession," which when allowed to blossom and bloom worked better than anything we could have tried.

    But natural is the key word, as in God-designed. I've had my own fleshly obsessions, and sometimes have had a hard time differentiating them from the God ones. And it wasn't easy to root them out when I did identify them as earthy. So I can't think of a simple little act I used to try to fix myself. I have just tried to make more sure of God's go-ahead before immersing myself in some dumb obsession that would just absent me from what He really has for me. That and aiming just to receive each moment as the gift it is and give it back to God in gratitude or service. The little device I use for that is like yours, a scripture verse in a pocket or somewhere I'll see it often, to remind me.

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    Replies
    1. i adore the idea of getting betty some "live" eggs. i'm going to do it!

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  3. I pray too! In fact, every time the thought comes round again, I pray about it. Soon it is defeated. It's when I neglect prayer that it defeats me!

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  4. Dear Kendal
    I run as fast as I can to Jesus telling Him that I am a Scabanger again and I need His help ASAP!
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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  5. This was a good post for me this morning....I was up late last night, obsessing. But I prayed and asked God to give me what I needed to calm my heart. He showed me exactly what I needed to see. :)

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  6. Someone close to me has been struggling with ed--thank you for posting on five-minute Friday so that God would direct me to your site. Your poems and Ed story have helped me understand the mind of our hurting loved one just a little better.

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    Replies
    1. and that is why i wrote the book and talk openly about that time in my life - to help bring about understanding and healing/don't hesitate to email me or "facebook" me if you need a sounding board....

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  7. We did not have a rooster, so when our hens wanted to "set" my dad put a fake smooth stone egg under her for a few days. Then a trip to the feed store to purchase some live baby checks. The mother was so pleased with her newly "hatched" family, and as they grew, the roosters went first for Sunday dinner. Can't have a rooster in town waking up the neighbors so early in the morning. :-)

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  8. Oh this makes me miss having chooks so much!!

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