The Landlord of My Head

Debra had a great "post" today on her site that caught my eye. We certainly allow some pretty poor tenants to take up residence in our minds. Perhaps we should take note of Paul's exhortation to the Christians in Philippi as recorded in Philippians 4:8. Check out Debra's blog by clicking on the link at the left, As I See It Now!

Debra writes:

"That's me--the landlord of my own head. Up there I own a street of lovely homes which I rent out to those feelings and emotions I deem worthy and responsible to take up residence. I look these folks over and decide who will add to the peacefulness of my street and who will not. To the peace-enhancers I give my hand. To the others, I give my boot.

Sometimes, though, certain emotions come in a good disguise when really they are not good at all. And sometimes I've discovered some feelings living up there who snuck in through windows while I was unaware. They didn't even ask first if they could take up residence. I have had to step into those houses and insist that those squatters leave, they and all their junky belongings.

Oh my... the bad renters I have had! The Evil Forebodings are renters who keep returning and I keep having to throw them out. If I don't, they sit on the front porch in rocking chairs and shout words like, "Hey! Things have been going really well for you lately. Maybe a little too well, perhaps? Maybe you are due for something bad to happen next. Better look out!"

I've learned you just can't let folks like that rent space in your head. You have to insist that they leave--sometimes over and over until they get the message. Otherwise they ruin your life because they get you believing for bad things instead of good. And it matters what we believe. Like Jesus said, "Be it done unto you, even as you believed."

Other bad renters?

The Easily Offendeds
The Fearfuls
The Guilties
The Dreadings
The Worries
The Unforgivings
The Irritables
The Allaboutme's

All will ruin my life if I don't exercise my legal, God-given right to kick them out of my homes.

Who are the good renters, you ask? Who adds to the peaceful neighborhood of my head?

The Mercifuls
The Courageous'
The Pardoneds
The Anticipatings
The Trustings
The Forgivings
The Calms
The Notallaboutme's

...and so many more.

I enjoy being the landlord of my head. It's never a boring job and God and I get to write up all the contracts. He and I are in charge of what goes on up there--and we are certainly not helpless in dealing with bad renters."