Part of the problem with lust is that it assumes that we need to have sexual experiences immediately because we may miss the opportunity. Although some people never marry, the vast majority of people — more than 80% — eventually do marry. When we realize that these experiences are most likely ahead of us, but are reserved for a different season — in which they will be beautiful and right — rushing becomes unnecessary.
Lustful thoughts, however, will come. We may be especially vulnerable when we are trying to pray against them. Instead of getting caught in a cycle of praying against lust only to have a fresh onslaught, we can shift our focus. "Try looking at your mind as a wayward puppy that you are trying to paper train," Anne Lamott wrote. "You don't drop-kick a puppy into the neighbor's yard every time it piddles on the floor. You just keep bringing it back to the newspaper."
Our puppy, Yae - and no, we don't drop-kick her!
When our minds wander in unfortunate directions our job is to bring them back to those things that are good, true and lovely (unless of course, a lovely person is what got us into trouble in the first place).
-- from Jenny Schroedal's A Season of Celibacy
Boundless Webzine 2004
Thursday, November 20, 2008
You just keep bringing it back!
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2 comments:
this photo really reminded me of willy...
I think Yae is cuter than Willy... but Mary says that's just because I've finally gotten used to dogs!
Its funny, I never thought I'd miss Willy but I did for a long time and even now it wrenches me a little when I remember the day she died.
She became kind of like family - with the exception of husbands and wives, we don't choose our family, but over time we certainly become attached to each other!
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