I am Thankful for a Sound Mind

Justin Knowles wrote me this week and asked that I reflect some more on the experience of writing this series. Justin, Donna, and Jude are the kind of people who make ministry exciting. Multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary, dedicated, humble, faithful, and the list goes on. I am thankful for them and for a host of other young (at least they use to be) families with whom we have been blessed to share the Christian journey.

I haven’t had time this week to reflect much on this experience, but one thought has crossed my mind several times recently. It is a gift of God to have a sound mind. There are days when I don’t feel thankful but find writing easy. There are other days when I am flowing with thanksgiving and writing is nearly impossible. Sometimes words flow and other times I can’t seem to find the word I’m looking for. It’s as if it dropped into the bottom of the file drawer never to be retrieved. The thesaurus is sometimes helpful, but there are times when I can’t even think of the first word to begin the linking process.

In short, writing this blog almost daily has caused me to be aware how fragile the human brain is and how close we all are to senility. I can usually trace my mental struggles to a physical or emotional cause: allergy medicine, fatigue, stress, etc. And I don’t think I have early onset anything. But I am now more fully aware how blessed I am to be able to read, deduce, induce, construct, deconstruct, articulate, meditate and otherwise use my brain for self-directed purposes.

I don’t believe anyone in my family has suffered with any form of dementia, if you don’t count drug or alcohol induced problems, or those associated with hormone deficiencies. All other diseases known to humanity, mental and physical, can be found in my family tree. I realize I could be the first to slide into the long good-by but I am trusting God to help me not make that journey.

For as long as I am able to formulate complex thoughts of thanksgiving I plan to keep on doing so. And should I lose that ability I pray thankfulness is so woven into the character of my being that it is somehow expressed on my face.

Cleveland, Tennessee
August 21, 2010
JDJ