I totally understand about falling into a funk. Just before the Pandemic was declared officially official (as in a month before), I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure (dum dum dummmm eery music enters). Sounds much worse than it actually is, but in the beginning it was frightening to just hear those words. Then the pandemic hits, the shutdown comes on, and I was spending A LOT of time in my house, not going out, not wanting to risk infection along with this heart thingie. I slipped into depression without even knowing it. Wasnāt overly sadā¦ justā¦ flat, yāknow?
Here was the project that pulled me out of the doldrumsā¦ Last July, I started doing FaceBook Live morning devotionals. I wanted to better acquaint myself with the technology necessary to pull off a multiple screen feed to FB - with the endgame of perhaps producing some guitar lessons and/or music theory lessons once my guitar/theory book is finished (keep pushing, Ben - Iām chugging away!). I decided to do a daily Bible devotional The format was simple - I was going to āthink with my mouth openā as I read through whatever Bible passage I was reading at that time.
I have been doing this since July, and I was walking to the mailbox the other day and I realized that for the first time in several years, I was GRATEFUL. Thatās it. Thatās all. Grateful for every breath. Grateful for my wife, children, grandchildren, friends etc. Itās like the clouds lifted and the sun started shining again. I still have Congestive Heart Failure (itās being managed), but thatās way down on the list of things to think about. I am grateful. I truly believe the daily inflow of Bible every morning has been the trigger for this gratefulness. Oh yeahā¦ I am REALLY grateful for yāall. Blessings!
Mr g
How I came out of the Pandemic with my mind intact
As someone without any particular faith I think I am developing envy for those that do! My mind is never at rest and I perpetually keep busy for my distraction. Responders by all means do but do not hammer the envy word.
I was that way too before I finally came to understand what faith in God really is. Thatās one of the many great blessings of my Christian faithā¦ the security of knowing that God never changes. He always stays the same, and what He said would happen will happen. He is faithful, and what He gives me to bear He will help me to bear. The peace that comes from this is so overwhelming.
Grateful and glad you did not home in on the envy word. I do have quite an extensive pallete when speaking and writing but sometimes brevity is where I go!
I thought your profile pic was an owl at first glanceš Anyone else see that?
hah!
Only changed it myself this afternoon it is the resonator I built during COVID but admit when writing myself today I though it looked like a Wild animal .
My soul, in sad exile, was out on lifeās sea,
So burdened with sin, and distressed;
Till I heard a sweet voice saying, āMake Me your choice,ā
And I entered the haven of rest.
I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
And faith taking hold of the word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul:
The haven of rest is my Lord.
The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blessed
Of Jesus whoāll save whosoever will have
A home in the haven of rest.
Oh, come to the Savior; He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come; anchor your soul in the haven of rest,
And say, āMy Beloved is mine.ā
Iāve anchored my soul in the haven of rest;
Iāll sail the wide seas no more.
The tempest may sweep oāer the wild stormy deep;
In Jesus Iām safe evermore.
Yeah, after actually looking at it itās obvious what it is, just in the corner of my eye I thought it was an owlš
No I get it I think it also looks like an old Dog!
I see something like a Transformer ape 
@Mr_G, great post. I am glad you are in better health, but even more glad that you have a āheartā to shoulder whatever the world may throw at you! We got through 2020, and folks were like, āGood riddance! 2021 is gonna be SOOOO much better!ā Yeah, wellā¦ The big thing is often not the things we canāt control, but our heart and/or attitude (To be clear, I do realize that some live in truly horrific circumstances and I am not trying to minimize that). Being grateful is the start. People often seek pleasure or happiness, but what I think we truly crave is contentment. Pursuits that seem oriented to pleasure or happiness often work directly against contentment. My Pastorās (awesome) wife has a daily routineā¦ first thing when she wakes up, she thinks of 10 things she is thankful for. When I can remember to do that, my days just seem to go so much better.
Thatās a really good idea
Quote from a friends father:
āSomewhere there is a man with two socks, but no feet to put them on.ā
Very, very true.
Come, join the ever winning team! 
Thatās the one only way out! But if you see some harbor envy though they claim to be on the winning team, it is either that they are not in the winning team (most likely be the case) or that they have not really understood the side they are in (a tiny number maybe).
His Word is a sword and bread. I cannot survive without it, not to mention thrive.
Actually mis typed and have corrected it . Do Not hammer the envy word it was used in absence of a better word!