July 12, 2017
Author: Rob Weddle
I'm 56 years old (egad), and have lived through not only chronic, debilitating pain and depression (including one suicide attempt), but the first moonwalk, Watergate (lost a lot of sleep over that one in first grade, I can tell ya), the deaths of Elvis, Bon Scott, Kurt Cobain and many others, and, finally the births and deaths of disco, 80s "hair metal" (WOOHOO!) and 90s grunge (BOO). My creative muse has been using his dang ball peen hammer and tap-tap-tapping on the chamber door of my spirit for several months now, begging to slink out of his hole and get some fresh air. Thus, I shall let him out and see what type of damage he can do. Blessings, and glad you're here.
July 11, 2017
Laugh It Up, Fuzzball
The tattoo on my right upper bicep (and on my daughter’s calf) says, “No fear of the future, no regrets of the past.” Granted, this is a mindset which is hard to attain, and even harder to maintain. It's a goal both she and I strive for every day. I'm closer to it than I was a year ago, but not as adept as I will be in a year. It’s totally doable, though. I know this because I've witnessed the joyful faces of those who have gone through terrible agony. There is a terrible sadness, hidden away, which has forever altered their lives. But not destroyed them. So follow the advice of that great theologian, Han Solo, who said, “Laugh it up, fuzzball.”
July 7, 2017
“God Rescued Me From The Grave”
We’ve all experienced that fear of worrying if the Lord has left us alone to die in our anxiety and pain. But at the right time, HIS time, He will tear open the sky, thunder out of the heavens, fly across the sky, riding on an angel, racing on the wings of the wind, and scatter His enemies. OUR enemies. The fact you are alive, and reading this, is proof He has fought Hell to hold you.
July 5, 2017
“I’m Just So Tired…”
I’m tired. So very tired. Although I have yet to discover the secret to boundless energy, I've decided to surround myself with those who do. You may not remember it, but long ago, before life beat you into submission, you used to run and play. You laughed and drank water from the garden hose and tied a towel around your neck as a cape to help you fly. Yes, you did, you just don't remember it.
July 3, 2017
Hats Off to the Veterans of Pain & Life
Sometimes I literally have to speak to the old dude staring back at me in the mirror. "Make peace with him," I say. "You're older, you're not as thin. Look at him. Make peace with him. His wife loves him. His children love him. His grandson and his parents love him. You must love him, too." We can allow the aging process to blanket our entire soul, or we can acquiesce to the inescapable, and cultivate an appetite for the artistry and charm of life.
June 29, 2017
That “Kill Me Now, Lord” Prayer
Man, life is a fantastic journey, to be certain, but sometimes the darkness seems too heavy a burden to bear. You feel you can't make it through another day, and yet you do. How many times have you prayed the same prayer, but to no avail? You are stronger than you think, and God has placed within you the strength and resolve to make it through anything this life can throw at you.
June 29, 2017
How Would Your Gravestone Read?
Keep in mind: when the curtain is drawn on this life, the measure of our wealth will be fully inconsequential. The only tasks withstanding the fires of judgment are those carried out in the Name of God. The pursuit of riches is a futile quest. Just sayin’…
June 21, 2017
Rest In Peace, Hollie
Being around those who are terminally ill is always awkward for me, but Hollie put people at ease immediately with her goofy sense of humor and her contagious laugh. She was all about laughing through the pain, smiling through the fatigue, pushing herself as long as physically possible, resting a while and then getting up and doing it all over again. We lost Hollie to cancer on Monday, June 19. Rest in peace, my friend. See ya soon.
June 19, 2017
Broken People 