Friday, November 7, 2008

The Monster, Ned Flanders and Me

Quick disclaimer: Sorry this is a bit long. This has been stuck in my head for awhile so forgive the wordiness...and oddness (but oddness is a given, right?)...

I am a visual person. Well, to be more accurate, I am really a cartoon visual person. I translate too many of life's doins into some pretty hilarious cartoons in my head. This took on a new meaning with me recently as I realized: I also have a cartoon conscience.

In a nutshell, it's the shoulder devil & shoulder angel concept.

We've all seen it in some form: the classic battle of good versus evil vying for our attention and obedience. There are days I feel like I can almost hear the little shoulder angel and devil bickering (feathers flying, hooves stomping). I've read a couple books recently that have inspired my personal labeling of this little conscience devil as a "monster". To me, Monster is a far more accurate term. He's cunning, intimidating, short-tempered, demanding, relentless and just an all around pain. So that's the reason for "Monster" in the posting title. I fight The Monster a lot (aka "sinful nature"). Give in to work gossip with a coworker? I can feel the Monster purr with delight. Stand up for what is right and I can hear the monster roar with rage. I could go on and on. Unfortunately, the Monster knows me all too well. But, I digress. So you get the idea of the Monster.

Not long after The Monster was labeled and as I dwelled on this more, the shoulder angel took on a more defined form. While joking with Dale one day, I recited back what I knew to be the right decision in a slow, hokey-yet-righteous accent. It was a mix of the Church Lady and Forrest Gump. It finally dawned on me WHO this accent belonged to: Ned Flanders. Yes, that's right. The sweet yet all-too-often ignored promptings of goodness (aka the Holy Spirit) take on the voice of Ned Flanders, from The Simpsons, in my head. Complete with the occasional "diddly". I ignore Ned a lot, sadly. There are even times where I wonder if I finally snuffed him out once I return to sanity after another shameful frolic with the Monster. But no, sweet Ned is always there. Beaten and bruised yet still smiling, sitting on my shoulder; waiting for me to return.

I should conclude with a Weak Sanity Disclaimer (WSD) - I really don't hear voices. But as I often think of the Monster and Ned, parts of my life and this world make a bit more sense. I believe unseen spiritual battles are very very real. Maybe this is how my debatably "Sane" brain processes it all? After all - we are ALL spee-diddly-ecial, right?

2 comments:

Cindy said...

Wow Leah, this post explains a LOT.

Seriously, your brain is VERY interesting. I've known you for what, like 10 years or something?!!? I know you love the Simpson's and all, but I certainly never realized that Ned Flanders was riding around on your shoulder!!! Simply fascinating!

Krisha Brooks said...

What a great blog! It was funny yet convicting at the same time. How often does the "Ned" voice become something we ignore and get tired of hearing...only to realize that it is there to help us out. People will probably think I'm crazy, or crazier now...anytime I have a monster vs. ned conflict, I know I'll be laughing envisioning Ned talking to me...heh! heh!