Amanda the Great by Amanda El-Dweek for September 30, 2024

This is why I don’t go through some kind of “examination of conscience” at the behest of some self-imposed authority figure. I do mine in direct conversation with the Lord. He grants me peace and forgiveness.

Are you OK, Amanda?

Darn it, Janet err Amanda!

We love you exactly as you are.

I do know how you feel because we don’t run out of bad luck but sometimes I have that “KmA” attitude now – pardon my French.

It’s good that you share your feelings! But don’t forget to count your blessings – Dan, Dan and (last but not least) Dan, your cat, your home, your paid-for student loan (Dan!), your loving family, friends, your parish,…

Heck; we do know how it is to be depressed. Guess what helps a lot? Reading your comic? DINGDINGDING!!!

O God, Who resists the proud and bestows Thy grace on the humble . . .

Oh, Amanda, you shouldn’t have let it get this far. We are what we are. Long before this, I would have grabbed a cat and taken a nap. You need to look at all the good in you and stop dwelling on this other stuff which is mostly in your imagination. Everyone here sees the good in you ~ focus on that. HUGS!!

“Amanda, I have given thee the power of making lists, as I did for Moses. Fare thee well and celebrate that one is not condemned to a listless life.”

(with apologies to You-Know-Who)

I am in synch with this comic. My way of coping is to open a manilla file folder, stuff everything that is negative in it and hand it off for safekeeping until I am strong enough to take a peek into the folder again. So far it hasn’t happened, but it seems the negativity wasn’t worth the brain cells I was wasting on it,

However, medical issues do require scrutiny, as do bank issues. Regardless of how awful and hopeless they make you feel.

Amanda, I’m glad you have shared this struggle with us, and I hope you know you are thought of and cared for by so many people you don’t even know. I’m sure that God is hearing more about you from us than you know as well. I’m having personal struggles of my own, and know it’s hard to understand why sometimes bad things happen to good people, but I also believe God doesn’t give us these things to handle if he doesn’t know we can manage them. All will be good in it’s time. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

These moments of self criticism are so brutal. I do it too often. The only way to possibly do better is to remember the wonderful parts of yourself that cares enough to question and keep trying to be better. Love yourself, we all do.❤️

He is all these things for you in you, so that you can focus on being the best version of yourself you can be. Once you’ve made the choice to follow Jesus there’s “No turning baaack!” ♪♫

Progress not perfection…

Lord, give me patience Right Now!

Peh. Unrealistic expectations for humans.

Thanks for these strong comics strip.

You are doing humanly, and that is what God has lovingly made us. I dread the Examination of Conscience, too. So easy to make a list of all of it. Maybe it’s supposed to be easy, so we can take that list we don’t like to dwell on and hand it over to God. And get in return wise counsel (‘cause it sounds like you have wonderful priest) and forgiveness that lead to relief (and a lot more tears but better ones.)

STOP. In the name of the Lord, STOP. God doesn’t want this. Forget Catholic dogma. Talk to God. The Holy Spirit will listen and interpret your groans. All prayer is is opening your heart to Him. Then listen for His “still small voice.” Live only in the now. Blessings in your endeavor.