I was born among heretics who didn't know it

                                                                                    who'd of thought

that is, what I mean, is that the Christianity I was born into in no way resembles the 1st or 2nd century Church, neither Greek nor Roman; in no way resembles the Church that became the state religion of the East and West; in no way resembles any permutation of churches or worship until the 19th century. Yet,  in the agrarian enclave of North-Central Georgia I grew up in revivals and altar calls and hell fire and damnation were hallmarks of the true church - the very pith and marrow of orthodoxy. Not orthodox! 

Readers may say, "Why does he keep going on about this? Why is this important?" And I could say that each time I write about it, I await a blessed release.

"You're funny, be funny."

I get that. Think of Jesus' statement after the foot washing scene "do you know what I've done to you?" -which we typically think of in terms of changing status, questioning the status of hierarchy - and think of it psychically: "My god, what have you done to me!"

I carry on as I can. I recently wrote that on Face Book I'm the equivalent of the guy two tables over talking to himself. I have to accept that. When Lacan says that the ego is a mechanism of frustration, he's pointing out that our ego is something we've constructed to please an Other - doesn't matter if we can say who that is or not. We think we've constructed an image of our selves and that it's a good one - could have fooled us! The frustration comes when people don't attend to our ego (or when events expose our ego as a construction - events like not making an A, not getting into a group, not getting That job, that house, that spouse, etc) - and we yell and stomp, we become indignant - the Gall! [and when I write We, I mean Me]

For some it's easier than others to say that it's just my ego being diminished, so what! Jung points out that cures don't take place until we make the crucial move ourselves. People pointing things out doesn't help much. In our psychic life, just like in regular warfare, the point of attack resists direct assaults and is best outflanked.

There is some impetus behind my crafting a year long devotional set.

I've written before about what I feel most contemporary devotionals lack. They tend to be bland and unchallenging. Sometimes I would read one of these and I'd laugh in wonder at the interchangability of the opening sentences.