Fasting the News to Slow Down Anxiety

By: JANA GREENE

Gather ‘round, kiddies. I’ll spin you a yarn about a time when need reporters didn’t posit they’re own opinions in reporting the news.
Even 20 years ago, you were much more likely to get “just the facts.” They presented those facts, and nobody had any idea the reporter’s political affiliation is. Because we thought for OURSELVES. And we expected others to do their thinking for themselves, too.
It is year 4 of avoiding the news – almost entirely. If something big happens, it will come across the feed of a social network, and so can decide if I want to know more about it, and seek it out. I get the whole ‘MURICA phenomenon, it kept me glued to the tube too years ago. I watched/read/ate/ slept religiously watching the news was after 9/11. That’s where the obsession with current events became neurotic.
But the 24 hour news cycle is just a train wreck on its way to a Doom City, always. We just weren’t made to absorb so much negative information constantly. No positivity. And you are powerless against the vast (and I mean VAST) majority of situations in the news. There’s nothing you can do, except grow your own paranoia and anxiety over it. So no thanks.
Letting things flow (that you can’t change anyway) is the rawest form of trusting in God, I think. Plus, I don’t want to be continually grumpy for however much time I have left earth-side. and I assure you that if I became a news junkie, I would take the grouch cake.
There ARE things we can do to better our mental health, like not nibbling on the fruits of the media. Fruits of the Spirit are tastier!
The government ain’t telling us anything anyway, and the little bit they DO let out is probably May as well be happy, and protect your peace. P.S. Your quest for peace is always worth protecting.

Spiritual

We Women of a Certain Age

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By: JANA GREENE

Ladies over 50, since time immemorial, we have been told that our attractiveneess and worth have expiration dates.

Be thin, but not TOO thin. When you lose too much weight, the fat can’t fill out your wrinkles.

But don’t gain weight either, even though metabolism will fight you every step of the way.

Have invisible pores – nobody wants to see your actual human skin.

Thin lips? Ew. You need filler. If you don’t look like a whole-ass bee stung you square in the mouth, you’re doing it wrong.

Paint the barn door, for crying out loud. You need makeup.

Women aren’t supposed to be hairy. Are you trying to look like a caveman?

Natural eyebrows? Where are your forehead caterpillars? They are all the rage now.

Your eyelashes are too sparse. If you aren’t gluing them on, what are you even doing?

Yoga pants are a privilege, not a right. (Ugh.)

The wrinkles you got for laughing? You probably shouldn’t have found so much joy in life.

Speckled chest from sun damage? You should have worn more sunscreen religiously, lady.

Fat upper arms? They keep waving when you have stopped.

Stretch marks? *GASP*

Cellulite? There’s a $1000 cream for that.

Smile lines? That’s what you get for having the audacity to be happy for 50 years.

Face showing “character?” That only applies to men, silly.

We have “fupas” now, so you better get a tummy tuck. Never mind that your body grew and housed and birthed entire human beings.

And natural boobs? Ghastly. way past their prime. Again, never mind that they fed your babies for 4 1/2 years of your life, for their intended purpose. Stuff those puppies in a push-up bra.

Touch up those grays. Your roots are showing. And while we are on “hair,” older women should never grow their hair long.

Hey, what’s with the turkey neck? Good GOD, that’s unattractive! Lift that jawline.

Get your saggy butt lifted. You’ll never be a Kardashian at this rate.

Don’t wear anything sexy. People will tsk-tsk at you and say you’re not acting “your age.”

Bleach / wax / lift/fix / fill / Botox / work out. Be “more” and try harder.

Otherwise, you might as well be an old lady that nobody sees.

Ah, but I see you.

You are beautiful in your aged-ness.

You’re not “old” like the world wants you to think you are.

You are not old like Tweety Bird’s frail grandmother, tottering around in small, arthritic steps, made grouchy by that damn cat and life in general. (Although, is it any wonder we’re grouchy?)

No.

You are “old” like “The Oracle” in The Matrix.

Soft.

Strong.

Wise.

Regal.

And like her character in the Matrix, you represent the prophesies and victories – not over machines – but over the expectations of a shallow world.

You provide assistance to the freed, when you can free your mind.

And by being free to be yourself, you will be the pied piper of the Sisterhood.

And when the world insists or insinuates you have somehow lost value?

Screw ‘em.

Be glorious, ladies of “a certain age.” Do not go quietly into the most liberating era of your life. Do not let them tell you that your value hasn’t appreciated. Because OH, how it has!

You are beautiful.

We are beautiful.

Blessed May we be.

Poetry · Spiritual

Ladybug and Ant: a little poetry jam

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You matter. You’re a very big deal. You bring strength and beauty to this world; thanks for that. May we lean into each other and look out for one another. Blessed be.

By: JANA GREENE

“I want to be big,”

said Ladybug,

And Ant said,

“Why, you already are!

you’re covered in dots –

you’ve the most beautiful spots!

And you’re bigger than me by far.”

“Well you are strong,”

said Ladybug,

“You lift such heavy grains.

And you’ve so many friends,

your hill’s full of them!

You’ve enough

to form a whole chain!”

“I’ve one more now,”

Ant said to her,

“You’re just the right size

for a friend.”

So they bugged out together,

(no need for fair weather,)

side by side

through the leaves and the stems.

Poetry · Spiritual

Speak Your Truth – a little poetry jam

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By: JANA GREENE

Your truth is just as valid

as theirs,

Dear One.

Even when

you’ve come undone.

Even if you’ve been shushed,

(perhaps especially then!)

Even though you were rushed

to grow up and validate them.

Trust in yourself,

Dear One,

Because your voice is true.

So stop worrying about the haters,

those rude commentators,

and be authentically YOU,

Poetry · Spiritual

Speak Your Truth – a little poetry jam

Featured Jana GreeneLeave a comment

By: JANA GREENE

Your truth is just as valid

as theirs,

Dear One.

Even when

you’ve come undone.

Even if you’ve been shushed,

(perhaps especially then!)

Even though you were rushed

to grow up and validate them.

Trust in yourself,

Dear One,

Because your voice is true.

So stop worrying about the haters,

those rude commentators,

and be authentically YOU,

disability · Spiritual

The Church, Disability, and Loving People Where They Are

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By: JANA GREENE

When people ask me what was the catalyst to reconstructing my faith, my genetic conditions top the list. There is nothing like “casting demons” out of a person who was born with a disability. It really adds insult to (literal) injury. You must be spiritually lacking, if you’re not getting well! You’re “under attack.” You’re oppressed by the enemy.” If you just prayed harder, believed harder! Surrender more!

And I didn’t get physically better. At all.

So it’s obviously a problem with my faith! I’ve been told the metal in my ankle had literally turned in to bone, and that I had already “gotten my healing,” it’s just not “manifesting” yet because there is some COSMIC LESSON in it for me that I’m not quite getting, so God is giving me the business. In a LOVING way, of course, but it just feels like pain to me, so what’s up with THAT kind of love? His ways aren’t our ways, to which I say: Why did he imbed the ability to love or be loved in us? We know what feels loving, and what feels cruel. Its love that makes the (fallen, broken) world go round.

People with disabilities maybe don’t need your judgey insistence that they are sick spiritually defective people, demons inhabit them. Powers of darkness aren’t making me sick; I was born making faulty, mutated collagen that my body cannot effectively use, and a host of other 100% genetic conditions that no amount of speaking in tongues, laying on hands, and fervent prayers will fix.

And here’s the thing: That’s okay.

I’m okay with that. I am NOT okay with perpetuating this mindset to the disabled community. It’s one thing to pray for healing (I pray all the time,) it’s another to perform a sort of exorcism on a person who is just simply born in a sick body.

But I have been healed in other ways.

All the years of being told I’m healed by Jesus’ “stripes,” I truly believe I was receiving another kind of healing, just as profound. My identity as a broken person has been fixed, in that I’m not begging God 24/7 to make me whole. Maybe I’m already whole and wasn’t defective in the first place. My sense of surrender has been healed. My acceptance of my humanity – and my differently-abled body? I’m getting that shit down.

Maybe the church (and world) are being called to love disabled people where they’re at. Maybe ask what help they need, instead of making their already difficult lives become about their eternal souls. We already feel like shit. We don’t need the layers of shame, guilt, pity, and fear that comes with this kind of religion. And for God’s sake, leave demons out of it altogether, holy cow!

Love people where they’re at, just as you love and accept the able-bodied. We can do better. We must do better.