Feeling Better

I just Googled the clause "Feeling better is never going to answer my questions," and was kind of astounded that there were no hits.

Last year I posted about happiness being orthogonal to sadness. I still think it's true, but wow, throw a bit of angst into the mix and it's harder to figure out.

I like crying all day better than having my mind quit functioning properly from anxiety, that's for sure. Combine those, though, and ugh. That's when it's really bad. As for today? I was happyish and cried all day and then I started ranting about the confusion in my head.

Here was my question:

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15)

So, how could this thing I've seen as an obvious truth in the world possibly be consistent with the doctrine that all our sins are forgiven through faith in Christ's death and resurrection for our sins?

Isn't it a whole lot simpler to take His Word, obey and believe it? Isn't *that* what He taught us to do?

I'd been wondering this when I read:

"The distinction between the Law and the Gospel is a particularly brilliant light. It serves the purpose of rightly dividing God's Word and properly explaining the Scriptures of the holy prophets and apostles. We must guard this distinction with special care, so that these two doctrines may not be mixed with each other, or a law be made out of the Gospel." (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, beginning of Article V: The Law and the Gospel)

Well, it's not all that simple: it's easier to drink a bottle of wine than to face repenting wholeheartedly. The brilliant light of distinction though? Doing is Law-stuff. Believing the Law is easy for me, so, in reading Christ's Words in Matthew, I mistook Law for Gospel.

As for feeling better? Even if I don't always feel it, I can see how it's wonderful to be wrong when it's understood why with true comfort.

Corn

It cracks me up that there are so many processed snack foods made of corn, and yet my favourite instant snack is fresh sweetcorn.



Given that I normally nuke it in the husk (high, 3 minutes, done), I'm usually in a bit of a hurry when I peel it (hot, hot, ouch!). Trying to decide how to sketch it, I peeled this corn really slowly, one piece at a time. It was so beautiful.

I wanted to add, "like getting to know a lover", and then had to laugh at how absurdly dissimilar these things can be!

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Orthogonal

This is one of the most important discoveries of my life. It's quite possible to cry all evening and still be happy!

Incompatibility

This is another oldie: the original Non-mating Parts sketch. It's been nearly two years already!