Detoxify - Part II
What's Poisoning You?
Introduction
In this, the second issue of the Detoxify series, I contemplate emotional and personal toxins. These poisoning aspects of life can be found in damaging habits of self, mind, or relationship. I invite you to detoxify by identifying and removing such poisons.
A Minute of Motivation
Prune the Dead Branches
Plants, even growing ones, have dead and unproductive branches. These branches drain the plant of energy needed for growth; it is wise to remove them. After trimming such useless, energy-draining, branches, there is renewed and vigorous growth in the remaining, living parts. Freed of the burden of supporting the lifeless and non-producing parts of the plant, its energy can be redirected to the living, producing branches. Such removal seems painful or cruel to the plant, sometimes leaving the plant looking somewhat pathetic and bare, but exciting growth will soon follow.
As humans, we, too, have dead and non-productive parts of our personalities and lives. These energy-draining aspects could be expressed in many ways: perhaps an attitude that is destructive, or maybe a relationship that is going nowhere. It could be an unhealthy habit. Maybe it’s laziness. Possibly, a recurrent, energy-wasting thought. These aspects of self and life are comfortable companions; cutting them out seems wrong. However, rest assured, their removal enables new life in the remaining parts.
A wise gardener will carefully prune plants, removing unnecessary and unproductive branches. Be wise and tend the garden of yourself and your life. Remove dead and useless parts of yourself and your world so new growth is possible. Prune the dead and worthless branches.
Note. Written in 1992 but not previously published.
Enjoy Life More
Personal Editing
I have years of editing experience through my work with students’ dissertations. One of the hardest forms of feedback to give is to recommend removing what doesn’t belong. Every sentence required time and effort; I tread carefully when suggesting anything needs to be deleted. Sometimes there are parts that simply don’t fit; these paragraphs distract from the flow and message of the remaining parts. The writing is cluttered, the reader drained. The paper becomes more coherent and compelling without the useless parts.
This makes me wonder about draining parts of my world or myself. Perhaps some “personal editing” is in order? It might be a draining relationship or a toxic coworker. There could be activities which once provided joy but have become drudgery. I may have trapped myself in ways of thinking, poisoning my sense of self.
We could each use a personal editor, a good friend who can point out what needs to be deleted, someone who can ask, “how is that working for you now?” Perhaps you can be your own editor, looking into the mirror of your life, and seeing the parts no longer serving you.
Life may have more joy by removing the parts that are useless and draining. Enjoy life more by editing what is not helping your life be coherent and healthy. Edit the toxic pieces.
Faith Corner
“Jesus prunes every branch that bears fruit so it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:2.
I am not a very good gardener. Oh, there are lots of reasons, but I really resist pruning my plants. I can cut off dead branches or pull dead plants. But really good pruning sometimes means cutting off parts that are not really dead, just limiting the growth of the plant. That’s tough for me.
Apparently, Jesus is a better gardener than I am. His pruning isn’t just about cutting out the dead parts but also about strategic pruning in order to produce more fruit.
And, of course, gardening and pruning is a metaphor to describe how Jesus seeks to make us better. He is working to remove parts of a believer’s life when those parts are getting in the way of growth and fruit-production.
Which makes me wonder what might need pruning in my life, something the Divine Gardener is cutting out. What might the Divine Gardener be trying to prune from your life?
Lord, this teaching about pruning is hard to understand. Thank You for being a good gardener of my life, removing the unhealthy and draining parts. Help me surrender to the loving work of Your pruning. Help me trust You. Amen.
Poetry Pause
Paying the Toll
Some seasons are draining-
Assaults on joy
Relentlessly taking their toll.
The toll road
Was the only route –
No detours were available -
For the already weary
Traveler.
When is the toll paid?
At the beginning?
Or at the end?
Perhaps both.
The toll road has been long;
My reserves for payments
Exhausted.
Tears are the only form
Of payment
Remaining.
Here’s hoping
The exit
Is near.
Or
Perhaps
A Rest Area.
By Cindy MacGregor, June 8, 2022
Note. See Matthew 11:28-29.
Old Mom to Young Mom
“SuperMom” is a Myth
There are no super-hero moms, just moms who are super. Oh, I should know; I tried very hard for many years to achieve super hero status as a mom. I achieved, instead, a persistent sense of inadequacy.
Being a parent calls forth a higher purpose from those who are blessed with the 24/7 responsibility of a developing person. For me, that call was stronger than the resources I believed I had. For much of my active years of being a mom I felt my efforts were far short of enough.
One late night, while lying in bed struggling to find a sense of peace about my years of being a mom, I sensed my Lord asking me: “How are your children?” I quietly replied, from the depths of my mind and heart, “My children are fine.”
His reply convicted me: “Then why are you feeling guilty?”
I had been comparing myself as a mom to a mythical standard of SuperMom, and, as a result, was coming up way short. At that moment I saw my kids as they really were, healthy and well-adjusted. I didn’t have mythical children, I had wonderful ones. And I hadn’t been a mythical mother, I was a wonderful one. The toxic, unrealistic expectation I had of myself had been draining my joy.
Stop expecting mythical status of yourself as a parent. There are no Super-Moms or Super-Dads. Just be a wonderful (super!) mom or dad.
Dear Dr. Mac
I love to think. And I love giving advice. If you would like to hear what I think about something, please send an email to: drcjmacgregor@outlook.com; I will respond via email or in this section of a future newsletter, or both. I hope to hear from you!