If so, do you remember his name?
He is He-Man. I will copy and paste something from the very useful Wikipedia entry on this cartoon:
Despite the limited animation techniques that were used to produce the series, He-Man was notable for breaking the boundaries of censorship that had severely restricted the narrative scope of children's TV programming in the 1970s. For the first time in years, a cartoon series could feature a muscular superhero who was actually allowed to hit people (although he more typically used wrestling-style moves rather than actually punching enemies), though he still could not use his sword often; more often than not He-Man opted to pick up his opponents and toss them away rather than hit them. The cartoon was controversial in that it was produced in connection with marketing a line of toys; advertising to children was itself controversial during this period.
Isn't it amazing how the above controversy has been turned upside down on its head!
All of that is just FYI for you -- I really pasted that picture on my blog because He-Man's expression fit into what I am thinking about.
Lately I just feel a bit lost. I feel disconnected from humanity -- grownups really. I do okay with interactions with my children and their friends, but when it comes to adults I seem to be lacking.
Part of this is my personality.
Part of it is the summer schedule.
Part of it is my feeling of no real role in my church family (though this is not true).
When we are feeling lost emotionally it is really easy to spiral down into a hole where these feelings intensify and deceive us even more into thinking they are reality.
They aren't. They're just feelings. And feelings aren't good or bad. They just are -- we can listen to them if we choose. But we don't have to.
The worst thing to do is listen to those negative feelings and begin to believe them.
In times like this, I have a really good exercise you and I can do to combat these lies that want to overwhelm us.
Let's look at our lives and list, not what we are thankful for (which is a good exercise too), but what is going right in our lives. Here's my quick list:
What is going right in Jane's world
1. My kids are healthy and happy.
2. My husband is beginning to take better care of himself.
3. I got some cleaning done yesterday.
4. My holly hocks, lavender and yarrow are in bloom.
5. I have a new bag of my favorite coffee.
6. Some kids accepted Jesus at VBS.
7. There's grass in my pasture.
8. My husband was able to buy some roofing materials and is going to roof the house this summer.
9. Hawk and I are reading some good books.
10. I have a letter-writing friend.
11. I have a crazy-Jesus friend two hours away.
12. A dear friend called me yesterday.
13. I am not behind on our mortgage.
14. All our cars are running.
15. My kids are getting along.
Focusing on what is going right gives perspective on feelings -- gets you out of that fast spiral that wants to overwhelm you.
Father God loves you so much. If you're feeling negative about yourself, about what you're accomplishing, about your life, notice what is going right. It can be as simple as being able to breathe. The simple right things are often the most important.
Let God show His love to you today.
He will.
And He wants to.
"keep yourselves in the love of God" Jude 21a