Dotsie, Your point is VERY relevant to the topic of mangled thinking. I speak in my book, and will speak here later in the month, about how I've had to become just as diligent about not allowing toxins into my mind as I am about not allowing them into my body or environment.

I've learned the hard way that I have to be extremely careful what images are allowed into my brain, especially before going to bed. It's not that I want to bury my head in the sand, and in fact it's because I DO care TOO MUCH. Those images haunt me, keep me awake in tears and anxiety all night, depress me and threaten to throw me into a deeper despair because the situations seem so desparate and any attempts to help seem futile. I cannot allow too much of that dark, depressing imagery into my brain or I become overwhelmed and literally succumb to the darkness and futility.

Dotsie, you'll be interested in this. Lately I've been following your encouragement to "hunker down with God". Over and over again, I hear Him "suggesting" that I NOT start my day off by reading the newspaper over breakfast, which has been my habit for many years. It took awhile to take Him seriously, and also to wean myself off that habit. But gradually I've been changing my morning routine. I start, while still stretching and relaxing in my bed, with "gratitude chit-chat" with Him, then sit up and read inspirational daily meditation stuff that I bought a few months ago, and prayer; then I go downstairs and have my breakfast - with Him instead of the newspaper...chatting about the day to come, praying for loved ones (including Boomer sisters) and thanking Him for the wonderful life I now have (especially as compared to before!) Then, after I've finished eating and praying, I read the paper, prayerfully, praying for all the various situations and people I read about there.

It's making a difference. It's a much gentler, more hopeful beginning compared to the dark, seemingly endless focus on the war and devastation that fills the newspapers.

[ September 02, 2005, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: Eagle Heart ]