Let's call this one "Funky Staircases"

Isn't that a beautiful staircase? Wouldn't mind being the owner of a house with that in it?! I want to talk today about a different kind of staircase...one that I've found myself on more than once...ok, way more than once!

There are times when I feel a bad mood coming on. It's almost like I'm working my way into it. A bad look here...smart comment there...glance, glare, and *gasp* I'm there. Does that ever happen to you? No, I know...it's just me. :-)

The feeling I have is that I get to working my way down a spiraling staircase, step by step (or look by look, word by word). And when I finally take a look around and realize that I've made it down to the bottom floor it's too late. I'm there. I'm mad.

Then I think "I don't want to be here...it's much better on the top floor." So, I turn around and start back up. But something is awry. At first I suspect it's the stairs' fault. Maybe the banister is messed up some how and thus at fault. Maybe the angle or the height of the steps are off. The more I look the clearer it becomes that the staircase is fine...but there's another problem.

Me, I'm the problem. My pride makes getting back up the staircase a monumental task. That pride makes my legs feel so heavy, the task so impossible that it feels like it's hardly worth the effort...better to stay at the bottom, walk around a little bit, and enjoy the change in scenery. Maybe just wait for an elevator to be installed so I don't have to do any work to get back upstairs.

It's hard to climb out of a funk (ie anger, disappointment, discouragement, temporary depression, etc)...at least for me. I was talking with a friend about the passage in Philippians 2 that talks about Jesus humbling himself and coming to earth...not holding on to his true identity but taking on the lowly form of man. Humility was at the core of Jesus' existence...every word, deed, and thought. I don't think he got into funks because he didn't put himself above the people around him. He didn't sulk about not getting something the way he wanted. He didn't delve into the ugly depths of anger.

This is an unbelievable challenge for me. Instead of blaming others, looking for easy ways out, or staying in mental/emotional places I don't want to be, I'm trying to learn to just say "forget it...it's not worth it." I'm keeping myself from enjoying life during those "funks" and am really fed up with that. I'm trying to choose the way of my Teacher more. It's ridiculous hard at times and I'm going to fail often. But it's something I'd really like to see happen in my life.

Just wanted to share...