tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61464403653896928232024-02-08T02:31:23.312-08:00Musings of an Almost IgnoramusAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-21431578657641345372015-03-09T20:25:00.000-07:002015-03-09T20:25:01.344-07:00The Wonderful Wonders of the Written Word<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You are, in a sense allowing me inside
your head right now. It is quite likely I am using the voice of your
internal narrator for my own. Meaning these words, which I have
written, are forming in your mind with the very same voice with which
you form your own thoughts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though these are merely abstract
symbols on page that have no meaning but what you apply to them, they
can not only convey emotions, but evoke them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You are an accident, a happenstance,
the product of only a random sequence of events. There are a billion
more like you, with lives filled with no meaning, you fight to live
but then you die, all that is you will one day very soon pass away.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You disappointed them, yes, you know
who I'm talking about. You may even remember their face at that time,
that time you profoundly let them down, didn't come through, weren't
enough to save them or fulfill them and that's why they left or died
or didn't show up. How could you do that? Why are you so weak? How
can you be so cruel? Why are you so broken?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You are a treasure, unique in all of
space and time, there has never been a one of you and no you will
follow. You are not your father or your mother, your brother or your
sister, or even your identical twin. You may have 97% of your DNA in
common with the stranger down the street, but were you to share 100%
your experiences and what you do with them have created and are
creating YOU.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You are fearfully and wonderfully made
and, even if you do not believe you were purposefully made, you are
still a masterpiece; for not only do you exist, but you know you
exist, know that you can effect your environment, affect those around
you, have dreams and pursue them, believe in a cause and make the
conscious decision to fight for it. You have self-awareness, can
develop an attitude of self-sacrifice, you have the potential to not
only give yourself in defense of your young (which many animals will
do) but also to chose to die defending a helpless stranger, to rob
death of the weak one nature seems to demand.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Did the previous paragraphs make you
feel anything? Make you doubt or smile or smirk? All of that was
communicated by squiggles on a page, typed in a messy room which may
be very far away from you. All of that was conveyed through a few
simple, written words.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Audible speeches inspire passion, can
rouse crowds into a riot. Writing can do the same, but I think it's a
slower build, more internalized and deliberate; perhaps more often
brings about a lasting change in thinking. I wonder if a part of why
this is so is because it is the aforementioned voice of your internal
dialogue which is filtering the thoughts you read. Through the filter
of this voice, those thoughts are at some level mistaken or taken as
your own thoughts or, if they are in stark contrast to what we
believe, to “hear” them uttered by that familiar internal voice
is revolting, for that sentiment surely is not a part of us. Maybe it
is for this reason that, sometimes, “the pen is mightier than the
sword” for it more directly speaks into your mind and touches
places a sword never could, that part which makes our self.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-82613956490169070822015-01-31T20:07:00.000-08:002015-02-01T14:01:39.233-08:00Interruptions in Heaven or God's Biggest Fans<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
First, in order for you to “buy this”
I think I may need to point out some things about Heaven which you
may not have thought of before. Do you realize our longest and most
detailed view into Heaven is during what is perhaps the most
important ceremony to have ever taken place? It is the revealing of
The Lamb that was Slain and the opening of the seals which only He
could open, it is “The End Times,” which are just that “times”
that are temporary.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now think for a moment about the most
important ceremonies which go on in your church, for instance
weddings or funerals, if someone were to only be present during those
times would they have an accurate picture of what your church
normally is? Would they not likely come away thinking it's rather
formal or somber rather than a mixture of formal, somber, joyful,
fellowshiping, and all the other circumstances which happen in your
church's walls?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Keeping the above in mind, now read the
rest.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I watched a recent interview of Taylor
Swift. As she came out from the back and then periodically throughout
the interview the cameras would pan the audience. In this video and
in others I have seen throughout the years of different stars, I was
utterly amazed that anyone can get so excited merely to be in the
presence of another human being that, in reality, they don't even
know. To have one of your biggest wishes to be that famous person
just touch your hand or (gasp!) give you a hug; to have one of the
things you want most in to have a picture made with this person
standing next to you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You've been around those types of
people, those people whose excitement is infectious; who though they
may not quite convince you to show as much enthusiasm as they, still
cause you to show more than you ever would otherwise. If nothing else
you smile at their antics and their delight. Their delight in seeing
a friend's baby for the first time, of seeing a long-lost loved one,
of going on a trip, to a concert of their favorite band, or even
going to a place you've gone with them a hundred times before.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though a small part of you may think
they're ridiculous and silly, you still may cherish a memory where
you caused that excitement in them, when you made it to the luggage
area and where gathered in their arms or when they saw your first
child and they seemed to really realize it was the most perfect baby
in the world (unlike some other friends and family). One of my very
favorite memories is from an “overly” enthusiastic greeting that
I received from one of my best friends in college after she first saw
me after break; she caught sight of me as I came around a corner, ran
to me and almost knocked me over by jumping into my arms.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some of us, when we get to Heaven, are
quite likely going to fall down on our faces before the throne or at
the very least hang our heads a little bit, because we can't quite
accept that we're allowed to look into the face of God, need reminded
we're perfect enough to actually be in the presence of Perfection.
Likely, it will be Christ who approaches us and gently lifts us up,
or raises our chin and looks us in the eyes with a smile on his face
to assure us that we are, in fact, wearing his perfection and that it
has become our own.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then there will be the other type. The
type who in death, as in life, have enthusiastically embraced their
newness, who truly know they are perfect in Christ. I believe this
type will burst into the Throne Room, oblivious to all the solemnity
and almost bowl Christ over in their embrace. I suspect that the
first few times this occurs after a more somber soul has just
recently arrived, there is a sense of shock until they realize that
this approach to Christ is just as perfect as their own.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, I know that some of you may have a
hard time buying into this interruption thing but, if you allow
yourself to think about it, can you really imagine Peter or Mary
Magdalene first greeting Jesus in any other way? On earth Peter threw
himself out of a boat (in his excitement maybe he briefly thought he
would again be able to walk on water) in order to get to Jesus sooner
and Mary wouldn't stop clinging to her Lord when she first saw him.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can see Peter running towards Christ
yelling, “I made it! Thanks to you I made it!” and Mary embracing
and maybe even kissing Jesus (in a purer way than we can even
understand before we are given new bodies not made of flesh) saying,
“Now you have ascended, is there any reason now I cannot cling to
you to show my thanks and love?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you still do not believe in these
interruptions which I fancy sometimes happen, perhaps my last
thoughts will convince you. Have you had anyone in your life who,
though grown, has the mind of a child? Who has held onto a child's
enthusiasm? Who never developed past a certain point? Have you seen
their excitement when they successfully tie their shoes or button all
their buttons all by themselves? Or finish a race (and it doesn't
matter what place they come in)? Do you really think these innocents
will care for propriety when they see something beyond their wildest
dreams? See the one who created them and are finally able to
understand how he has used their “imperfections” to make them
into exactly who he wanted them to be and how their differentness
help to shape so many others in their lives for the better? Do you
think they will hang their head? No, they will probably shout “I'm
here, look at me!” and demand high fives of the Heavenly Host on
their rush to their Heavenly Father's throne.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of innocents. What of those
children who knew no real family on earth, who left life early
because of neglect or war or famine? While on this earth Christ said,
“Let the children come to me for Heaven belongs to such as these.”
Will he not say the same in Heaven? When one of those young souls are
welcomed home, will his lap not be waiting? I think those starved
souls will see Him seated and know exactly what he wants, for it is
part of what they were created to want, to be loved and touched and
cherished.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes, I believe Heaven is about worship
and praise. Yes, Christ and his Father are more majestic than
anything we can begin to imagine, more awe-inspiring than our minds
can now comprehend. But also our God is Love and we are reminded
again and again that we are the Bride of Christ. The Church's
relationship to Christ is compared to the relationship of a husband
and wife and I firmly believe that we are called to try to work on
and perfect our relationships here because they can better teach us
how to relate to our Creator and will allow us to have a better
relationship not only here but also There.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I do not think I will run into Christ's
arms or run to hug my Father's knees but I do not think I will be too
shocked when I see some of my Family do those very things. Then I
will know some of God's biggest and most enthusiastic fans have just
walked or rather ran through Heaven's door.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-15279879191792027342014-11-11T19:10:00.000-08:002014-11-11T19:16:06.175-08:00A Review of Sorts for The Hero of Ages: Book Three of Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is going to be more a “how I
felt about the book,” than a real review, not because there isn't
much to talk about or I didn't like it much (I thought it was great
and want to buy the trilogy) but because I just don't think I can
write much, if anything, about the plot without giving away major
spoilers for the first two books.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you've read my review of the first
two books or read the books themselves, you know a major theme is
trust. In the third book this theme continues, with Vin and Elend
having to learn to trust each other even further in their
relationship and how they respond to situations around them. It also
deals with the flip-side, how some can develop a sense of trust only
to use it for their own goals benefit.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my last review I'm not sure how much
I discussed that there is also a theme of self-sacrifice, especially
putting the needs of your followers/people ahead of your own.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The third book develops the theme of
sacrifice tenfold. Elend continually questions whether he is being
too ruthless, that he is requiring his citizens to give up too much
for “the greater good” but he gives up just as much in his own
life. He is compelled to use force to relocate citizens to where they
will be safer, asks his soldiers to expose themselves to a
potentially deadly enemy they cannot fight (but allows those who wish
to go the freedom to do so), and fears he is becoming like his
ruthless father or even the emperor he helped to overthrow.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is also a strong theme of servant
leadership, with Vin, Elend, and Sazed (and other characters as well)
putting aside the selves they are most comfortable being, what
perhaps they even view as their “true selves,” to be instead the
people those they serve need them to be because of their potential
and the abilities they possess. This theme hit somewhat close to home
with me, there are some jobs/volunteer opportunities I know I would
excel at, in which I know I could do great good, but I shy away from
those things because I know they would hurt me (emotionally) and they
scare me (I'm scared I may break). The three individuals previously
mentioned give their all for others, for those they know and those
they don't. They know themselves well enough to know recognize their
talents and, though it costs them tremendously to use those talents,
they do so for the sake of others. And perhaps, as Christians or even
simply human beings who feel called to give the best of ourselves for
the benefit of humanity, the way we can most deeply fulfill our
purpose is to seek opportunities in which we can most fully use our
gifts...even if it will eventually use us up. I suppose the comfort
in being a Christian is that, if or when we break, God can put us
back together and, even if this world uses us up, we will be restored
and made new in another realm.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet another theme is hope. How people
can come to depend on you when you are the hopeful one when their own
hope is lacking. How it is easier to face trials when there is a hope
to hold onto and how it can give you strength.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you can tell, though these books are
fantasy, they are deep enough to cause one to think and wonder. The
characters continue to grow throughout the trilogy, in themselves and
in relation to each other. I highly recommend them and venture to say
that those normally not particularly fond of the fantasy genre may
find enough depth and character development to reconcile you to this
fantastical realm.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A word of caution to all readers:
Sanderson isn't scared to kill off important characters, so if that
is a deal-breaker, consider yourself warned. Some authors kill
characters off in such a way that you feel cheated and empty but
Sanderson does it in a way as to leave you somber and thoughtful. <br />
<br />
For those interested, here is my review of the first two books in the trilogy...also, it's a little more of an actual review. :) http://almostignoramus.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-review-for-mistborn-and-well-of.html</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-34473615405131211612014-10-28T17:39:00.000-07:002014-10-28T17:39:57.089-07:00A Little Tangent About That Grocery Item You Always Forget You Already Have<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't think I'm the only one that
does this. I know at least one of my aunts told me she does (though
her often bought item is sauerkraut). You go to the grocery store and
get things you think you need and, even if you have a list, you pass
by that one thing and think, “I'm not sure I have any of that, I
think I may need it,” only to get home and discover you already
have not one but multiple boxes/cans/etc. waiting for you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For me that item is refried beans. I
have not one but four cans of refried beans and, on the rare occasion
I use them, one can can get me through two or three meals. Refried
beans are about the least versatile food there is, it's basically
have them in a tortilla, on a tortilla, or with tortilla chips.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why can't my item be something like
chicken? You can fix chicken a million different ways. You can invite
friends over for chicken and not have your living room be filled with
noxious odors if your friends stick around.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or bacon? If it was bacon I could be
one of the manliest men around. “You guys want to come over later
to watch the game? Instead of chips and dip I'm serving bacon and
dip. I even made some cups...out of bacon.”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would probably have a troupe of
man's best friend just waiting outside my door, because, well, one
man can only eat so much bacon before he starts to share. Just think
of all those wagging tails that could be waiting for me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But no, my item is refried beans, so I
shall sit here all alone and contemplate how much methane I can
produce as compared with cows. And hey, I think the beans have lard
in them, which is kind of related to bacon. Also, according to that
wise old rhyme, they're good for your heart.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Note: I actually went to my parents
house tonight and fried a bunch of fish and had a lot of other stuff,
too, so I'm not really sitting all alone with a can of beans...though
I may be some time in the future. I also never watch “the game,”
I'm just not that interested in any of them.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-8724656190098737312014-10-20T19:02:00.000-07:002014-10-20T19:02:16.953-07:00A Brief Detour Into Frivolity: A List of Some of My Current Favorite Celebrities<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Apart from a long-time crush on Natalie
Portman (mainly based on roles from two of her movies) and an off and
on crush on Rachel McAdams, I have never really followed or been
interested in celebrities and watching their interviews. Even for the
previous two, I have very rarely watched interviews with them but
recently there have been a few celebrities whose interviews I search
out and enjoy watching and even enjoy learning some about their
lives. So here is my celebrity favorites list and what I would like
to do with each of them (spoiler alert, it's not anything dirty), in
no particular order.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jennifer Lawrence. I think this
girl is one of the funniest, most ridiculous, and adorable actresses
out there right now. I've heard she can curse like a sailor, so I
know I wouldn't like that aspect of her, but I would like to find a
really really bad/corny movie and watch it in a living-room group
setting with her (with her providing plenty of narration of course).
I love watching her interviews and enjoy her acting but I can't
decide whether I would greatly enjoy hanging out with her or if she
would drive me crazy. I think we would get along great in small
doses. She would probably only tolerate me if she got my dry humor,
otherwise I would be too bland.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Emma Watson. I admire this woman,
for the character she got to play in Harry Potter and the woman she
is today. I would love to get coffee with her to talk about books,
current world events, and her work with the UN. I think she is
smart, charming, and lovely. The thing I think I would be most
nervous of is appearing a little ignorant.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Emma Stone. I think she is one of
the most adorable and charming girls around. I would love to spend
the day with her and Andrew Garfield (her boyfriend or past
boyfriend) hiking or kayaking. I think they are cute together and
genuinely think I would get along with both of them, especially if
they were together.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Logan Lerman. He just seems like a
sweet, likeable kid. I thought he was perfect in Perks of Being a
Wallflower and I'm looking forward to seeing him in Fury. I think
he, Andrew Garfield and I share similar personalities and think they
may be oddball enough for me to get along with well.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And lastly, Taylor Swift. At
certain times (especially when she does not have a lot of makeup
on) I have thought she was quite beautiful but, and I know may seem
odd, I never really developed a crush on her until I saw the video
for Shake It Off. I love that even with all her fame, she doesn't
take herself too seriously and isn't afraid to be a little dorky
(which is one of the things I like about Emma Stone and Jennifer
Lawrence as well). I also love that she is getting attention for
being so supportive of some of her female friends. Speaking of her
female friends, I think it would fun to make dinner with a couple of
them and Taylor and then watch a movie. In high school and college I
used to sometime be a part of “girl nights” and I think Taylor
would be someone fun to experience this with. P.S. One day one of my
sisters and I were talking about Taylor Swift and out of nowhere she
said, “Your not allowed to date her.” So even if I ever got the
chance, I guess I'd have to let it pass by. :)</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple things I think all of these
people have in common is that they are all sweet and intelligent
people.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know fame has a lot of advantages
(and I believe some of the above people are using those advantages to
help humanity), a lot of perks but I also know I probably would not
handle fame well. I am a very passive and laid-back person but if
paparazzi was getting in my face and especially in the face of
someone I care about, I may have a hard time not throwing a punch or
uttering a few threats. I know celebrity houses/estates are often
very excessive but I can somewhat understand why so many indulge in
that excessiveness. Those compounds are a refuge to attempt to keep
prying eyes and listening ears at arms length. I think I would have
to take the Johnny Depp approach and live in a place where not many
people care about my fame.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I feel like I should say that if I were
to make a list of favorite actors, as far as how well I like their
acting, it would be a little different. Note: some of these people I
do not like in “real life” I merely think they act well and
typically chose good parts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In no particular order:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dakota Fanning. I've thought this
girl was an amazing actress since she was tiny (in I Am Sam and Man
on Fire)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Denzel Washington (good guy, bad
guy, good guy who's ruthless, he can do them all)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tom Hanks (I may have thought
Castaway was boring, but he still did an amazing job)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ashley Judd (she's so strong, I
love her in Kiss the Girls)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Morgan Freeman</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Will Smith (well, minus that After
Earth or whatever one he recently did with his son)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tom Cruise
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jennifer Lawrence (she made it
onto both of my lists)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leonardo Dicaprio (there may be a
lot of his movies I don't really like, but he does a an excellent
job)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Natalie Portman (if you think she
always plays the same cute/adorable character then watch The Other
Boleyn Girl, actually don't, it's a sad, twisted movie that makes
you hate Ms. Portman)
</div>
</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-55486483722576285572014-10-17T20:23:00.000-07:002014-10-17T20:25:56.425-07:00Life and the Significance of Creating Earth<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my last post I spoke of our life on
earth and how its significance pales when compared with the life that
is to come and, in a way it does, but it may also be that our brief
time here might be the most important part. Just think, something
about our experiences here are so significant and worthwhile that God
was willing to risk our eternal soul in order for us to have these
earthly experiences.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He could have (and did in the form of
angels and other heavenly beings) simply made us purely spiritual
beings, could have skipped earth and just had us in Heaven (that's
not to say that we couldn't have still rebelled, obviously some of
the angels did, but I think our rebellion would have been less likely
and maybe the angels rebellion as well). But he created earth and,
though he may not have originally created it with death, decay, and
temporariness, he knew it would become such. He knew that our bodies
would break down, knew they were fallible, and the world we live in
breakable but he was willing to risk it, risk us because there is
something here which we can gain.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I won't pretend to know what that gain
is, but I will attempt to guess. First, maybe it was just so the
God-head could enact the ultimate display of love through the life
and death of the Son on earth. If the world had never been created,
if the eternal Heaven was all there ever was, God could tell his
creatures “this is how much I love you, I would become temporal,
fallible, breakable, 'temptable.' I would be broken for you, allow
you to tear my heart to pieces, and then offer to save you. I would
be a sacrifice for your sake” and it would be no less true than it
is now, but in acting that out on this little ole earth I think it
changed something about reality, about how heavenly creatures view
the God they worship and creates a relationship for us to God that
otherwise would be impossible (and I'm not just talking about how
that Gesture solved our fallenness).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A life here on earth also perhaps
allows us to appreciate certain aspects of God which we would not
find as awe-inspiring had we not experienced decay, fallenness, the
breaking down of all around us, and pain. Perhaps through our seeing
so much<i> </i>imperfection,
we will better be able to see perfection.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-82959904754960404322014-10-12T18:36:00.001-07:002014-10-12T18:36:57.382-07:00God's Preparation For Work Here or for Life in Heaven<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A few months ago someone in our church
said something like, “I'm starting to wonder what God is preparing
me for, I'm getting old.” Meaning that they don't feel they have
accomplished a specific great work for God and they don't foresee
that great work in their future.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, I think sometimes God does have a
particular “great work” he is preparing us for, that he uses all
other happenings in our life to prepare us for and causes all things
to work together in such a way that we are “at the right place, at
the right time” and have been prepared perfectly for <i>just that</i>
situation, to accomplish <i>that specific grand work</i>.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But sometimes I think God “just”
uses this life to prepare us for our life in Heaven, that in some
lives there are no “great works” but just little, simple ones (in
man's terms) that still have eternal significance, that still echo
beyond time. And I think such a life is more than okay, for this life
pales in significance, is a “mere breath” when compared to the
Life that is to come. So all our preparation, even if it accomplishes
nothing of grand significance while we are here, is no less
important, indeed is even more important, than a preparation which
prepares us for anything here, no matter how grand.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-7796893222792787322014-10-11T11:31:00.000-07:002014-10-11T11:31:07.099-07:00The Triumphal Procession<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We, as Christians, are like those being
lead in a triumphal procession as the ones who were defeated, who
should be hanging our heads, only to discover that through our
surrender and defeat, we have been granted a freedom that is far
beyond what we had before; a victory greater than any defeat we
endured. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As we progress in our procession our clothes slowly change.
The old cord about our waist becomes a Belt of Truth, the rags draped
around our shoulders become a Breastplate of Righteousness, our tired
feet feel as if they have wings of Readiness, on one hand our manacle
becomes a Shield of Faith, and the other turns into the Sword of the
Spirit, our bowed head momentarily falls a little lower with the
added weight, but then we realize our shame has been replaced with
the Helmet of Salvation. We look around us in wonder to discover that
we, the conquered, the broken have become the Conquerors and, instead
of being sentenced to a life of crushing slavery, we have been
elected Ambassadors of our Conquering King. With this armor thus in
place we must remember that we do not fight our fellow man, “For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.” As well as all our
other clothing and armor, we must remember to also clothe ourselves
with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And
over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in
perfect unity.” </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Those once corrupted with Darkness become a Shining
Light to the world and through <i>all</i> our attire aforementioned we reflect the Glory of our King.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-80374132428076844242014-10-09T10:19:00.000-07:002014-10-09T10:19:21.112-07:00Why an Eternal Worship Service Wouldn't Be Too Bad<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people don't necessarily want to
go to Heaven because they think it is going to be an eternal worship
service with everyone saying “Holy, Holy, Holy” over and over and
over again and then over again and again. Personally, I think there's
going to be more to it than that. But, if there's not, I do not think
that worship will ever grow boring and here is why.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I believe every beautiful thing you
have ever seen, every majestic sight, everything truly wonderful
thing you have experienced is merely a small manifestation of God for
he has revealed a portion of himself in those things. Take the all of
creation, all of its complexity, its beauty and its wonder, they are
but echoes of what make up God. This is the Being upon whom you will
be looking. To forever look at his face is to forever see new and
different aspects of beauty, of power, of glory. We will not be
singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” in English or any other earthly
language, but rather learn the “real word,” that sound which most
truly expresses the sentiment of “HOLY” and, knowing that word
and gazing at God we shall say “Holy” over and over again because
each moment gazing at Him is a moment in which we are better learning
how perfectly that word <i>fits</i> <i>Him</i>. We will roll the word
around in our mouth as if savoring a good wine, thinking, “<i>this
</i>is what Holy means and who it is
truly referring to.” We will say “Holy,” “Perfect,”
“Pure,” Majestic,” “Merciful,” and so many other words
because as we learn those True words we will see them personified
before our eyes and will not be able to help but say them. God is the
seemingly ever changing and truly unchanging God, he will forever
seem to be new and changing because of his vastness, his splendor,
and majesty.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If we “have to" forever stand,
kneel, and fall before God, I do not think our spirits will mind, for
that is what they were created to do, to worship God while in his
presence, gazing upon his beautiful and loving face. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-67930750788119065052014-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:002014-09-24T19:24:04.566-07:00An Open Letter To Hermione Granger-Weasley Concerning Emma Watson<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dear Hermione,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Forgive me for using your first name
but I am unsure as to whether you adopted the Weasley name, kept your
own, or if you and Ronald hyphenated both of your names.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am unsure of how much you stay
current regarding Muggle news but, because both of your parents are
Muggles, I believe it is safe to assume you follow it somewhat
closely. Because of this I also assume you have heard the recent news
regarding Miss Emma Watson and that she has become a Goodwill
Ambassador for the UN.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am unsure how how influenced she was
by portraying you for all of those years in the Harry Potter films. I
know her intelligence, passion, and her sense of independence are her
own but how perfect that even after that role has been completed,
even as she grows and becomes her own person, that she would become
someone whom I think you would be proud of.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How wonderful it is that Ms. Watson was
able to fill a role of someone who felt deeply about fairness and
equality, as you fought for for the House Elves, would grow up into
someone who is still fighting for fairness and equality. You must be
proud of her declaration of striving for gender equality, of her
being a “freedom fighter,” of sorts, just as you were.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have now listened twice to her speech
given at the UN and can say I agree with, if not every word, than
close to every one. Despite this I will not label myself a
“Feminist.” A part of this is because of what she said, it has
become an uncomfortable word, but also because though I agree with
her, there are some Feminists that I merely get frustrated with. It
seems some argue not for equality but for being treated just the
same, that all women should be treated exactly as men are
stereotypically treated. But I believe not all women want that, nor
do all men. Yes, I believe they, men and women, should be treated
fairly and justly but, as Ms. Watson said, there is a spectrum.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to Myers-Briggs personality
type tests I am an INFP and supposedly only 4% of United States are
this personality type. Among males it is even more rare. In college I
majored in Psychology and, in my classes, as my teachers talked about
typical thought patterns for men and women, I more often identified
with those assigned to women. Since then, this has typically been a
recurring trend.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am a heterosexual male, strongly
attracted to the opposite sex. But I have no desire for power, have
little ambition to lead, do not care for promotion, I am horrible at
math but love art and writing, and am not motivated by money. I have
a strong dislike of sports, a part of this is because I am so
non-competitive and confrontational that I get frustrated with those
who are very competitive. In other words, I do not posses many of the
attributes associated with being a “manly man.” I feel compelled
to say I have fought Missouri wildfires with little fear, have been a
part of building houses and cabins, and, if someone helpless is hurt
then I can get angry and passionate against those who hurt them. I
know it's silly and a part of what Emma and HeforShe is fighting
against, but I feel like I needed to share those things so people
will know I am not a “sissy.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have been blessed, though I have
grown up and continue to be a part of a Christian sect that is very
traditional and conservative, to be supported for who I am. I have
accepted I am who I am and am comfortable in my own skin. That I am
nurturing, that I feel deeply, that I desire to serve instead of
lead. My parents have supported me as I first thought I wanted to be
an elementary teacher and then decided I believe my calling is to be
a Youth Services Librarian. They understand and accept that I would
turn down more money, a position with more potential for promotions,
in favor of a somewhat low-paying job in which I will be happy and
will feel I am making a positive difference.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sorry to go on a tangent, but I say all
that to illustrate that we are all different. Yes, I stand behind and
support the Feminist cause of equality. I think it is stupidity to
not pay two individuals doing the same work, the same pay. I believe
women have the same potential for greatness and excellence as men. I
know that many women are smarter than I, that they can make better
engineers, architects, and rocket scientists than I could ever be.
Some of the best, calmest, most level headed, strongest leaders I
have served under were women. So, yes, I believe we are equal but I
still maintain we are different, we are all different. I am glad Ms.
Watson is promoting this along with her call for equality and that
she realizes that is not a war of man against women but rather a war
for humanity to feel, to be strong, to be gentle, to be brave, to
strive and be the best you can be whether man or woman and give the
support and tools for others to do the same.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thank you for your service to humanity.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jared White </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-63367238758000170512014-09-20T21:13:00.000-07:002014-09-21T05:18:32.705-07:00The Illusional Romance of “We Were Destined to Be”<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It seems our society strives to make us
think that which is most romantic is when destiny crashes two people
together, they were fated to be together, they didn't really have a
choice, they were “meant to be.” I understand the perceived
romance of such a forceful love, I even understand not being able to
help but “love” someone ...but isn't there something even more
romantic about “I choose you, out of all others, I choose to love
you” instead of, “I can't help but love you. The universe aligned
in such a way that it just had to be,” or, “You're so attractive
I just couldn't help myself.” The first is a matter of the head and
the heart, working together to continue to reinforce love, of getting
to know your lover's brain as well as body, of getting to know more
than just their smell, taste, and touch.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Society tells us love should be
effortless, you shouldn't have to work at it, that it will “just
happen” and keep happening. But in all other areas of our life
don't we learn and experience that often the best and most enduring
things come through hard work? Don't we most value those things which
were gained by hard work or treasure certain things because they were
given to us as a gift made possible by someone else working hard? Why
should one of the most important things in our lives be effortless?
Why should one of our most important relationships not take work?
Again, isn't it more romantic for someone to “work” at loving
you, to nurture and care for your relationship, to better themselves
for your sake, to make themselves more lovable, not because you ask
them to but because they love you enough to try? Isn't this more
romantic than, “I love you because it's easy”?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I believe I would someday rather hear,
“I choose you, I know I will not die without you, but I know you
will enrich my life. Yes, I am in love with you but I can help
myself. I choose to not only love you now, when it is easy, but to
also work at loving you, even when it's tough.” I know passion is
important and I want to be in love, but do you really want to be with
someone because their body demands it? Because they “can't help
themselves”? If that is really the case, then what happens when
someone else comes along with which their body chemistry is even more
finely attuned? Will they be able to help themselves then? What
happens when the planets seemingly perfectly align and they know fate
wishes them to be with this other person?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just some thoughts for all to ponder</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
P.S. I am really a hopeless romantic. I
love romantic comedies and an occasional love story. I was in love
with one of my best friends for years, a part of this was for her own
sake but I also can't help wondering if a part of it was because it
would have been so “perfect” for us to fall in love, it would
have been so romantic for us to have gotten married. A part of me
romanticizes about meeting someone and “just knowing they're the
one” but I also know I will be able to choose whether or not to
have a deeper love with someone or simply an attraction borne of
seemingly perfect circumstances, an adorable smile, shining eyes,
and pheromones that call to me in the breeze. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-65704261833091740372014-09-06T17:25:00.000-07:002014-09-06T17:25:11.147-07:00Continued Uniqueness While Forever Becoming More and More Like the Father<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think in Heaven we will continue our
journey to become more like the Father, we will have an eternity to
work on it, so maybe “someday” we'll get pretty close. So, does
this mean eventually there will be a bunch of identical creatures
occupying Heaven? If so, then what was the point of our experience
while on earth, of giving us each unique DNA, of creating us with
different strengths and different weaknesses, of allowing us to
experience different joys and different sorrows? If he wanted
sameness, I think he would have bypassed earth and just created us
ready-made, purely spiritual beings.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rather than becoming more and more the
same, I think that though some aspects of us will do that, we will
actually become more different and unique. Because though we may all
be becoming more and more like our Father, our Father is so complex,
so “huge” a being that we will never become “large” enough to
encompass this vastness. Our experiences, our DNA, our uniqueness
puts us more in tune with some particular aspect of God which we
better understand than any other being and through eternity we will
better come to personify that aspect, and in so doing become more
unique and different than the beings around us who are better
learning to personify some other aspect of God.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A part of why I think this way is the
image of us, as a whole, as the Body of Christ. Each of us are a
part. I am the left earlobe, you are the right eyelid. Given eternity
I will never be the whole body, you will always be a part of me as I
am a part of you. We will grow, we will change, I into a better
earlobe and you into a better eyelid. Together, all together, we will
come to look more like Christ and our Father. We will continue to
learn to function as one, to share what we experience of heaven and
God but I think we will forever remain different parts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-53256373087168856082014-09-04T18:22:00.000-07:002014-09-04T18:22:00.611-07:00God's Justified Egocentrism and How it is a Manifestation of His Love<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Think back on your life, to when you
were small. When you weren't being selfish, you wanted to share with
those you cared about. If you were eating something good, you wanted
to share it with your mom. If you were watching your favorite
cartoon, you wanted your dad to watch it too. You wanted to share
that flower you found, that rock, that bugger out of your nose.
Because sharing something you thought was wonderful is what you did
with those you loved. As you got older this trend continued. You
shared your favorite music with your friends, your favorite shows,
your special spot, your favorite game. When you had a significant
other, if you experienced something wonderful, discovered something
beautiful, you likely wanted to share it with that person. You wanted
to share the beauty of the sunset, the wonder of the stars, the
vastness of the Grand Canyon or the delight of New York. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We wish to share the best things with
those we love. We wish for them to feel the joy, happiness, bliss,
and delight that we experienced when we encountered those special
things. Now think of God, he is the Being from which all of those
truly wonderful things you want to share streamed from, they flowed
out of him and had their origin in his nature. He's the best thing
around, the most beautiful, the most perfect, the most wonderful and
oh so many other things. So, because he loves us, he seeks to share
himself, he seeks to show himself to us, he desires to bring us into
Heaven so we can look upon his face. Everything we have delighted in
sharing with those we love are derived from him. Yes, he may be
egocentric, but it's because it <i>is</i> really all about him,
revolves around him, streams from him, comes back to him. He asks us
to look at him not because he is selfish or vain but rather because
he loves us and he knows that, truly, there is nothing else we would
rather see, nothing else we could delight in more, he shares himself
with us because that is the best he has to offer and it is far better
than anything we ever attempted to share with those we love...except
perhaps seeking to share him as he has shared himself with us.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-2983199923577372232014-07-27T19:27:00.000-07:002014-07-27T19:27:00.888-07:00Some memories of AmeriCorps and very stormy nights<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm driving, driving, the sky is dark
with clouds, lit with lightening, and the night is alive with
memories, remembering another dark and stormy night.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Imagine driving down the interstate, it
being raised on a slight embankment, and instead of seeing earth all
around, covered with crops as it would normally be, there is only
water, with here and there the tops of trees or lonely buildings
poking above it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We were told of another emergency
shelter that we could stay in that night, only, as we get near to
where our exit is, there's still water on both sides of the road, and
as far as we can tell the whole town is under water. So we drive on
into the gathering night, yet another storm comes, blessing the earth
with water it does not need. Lightening flashes and all we can see
around us is water, water everywhere. A few times as we've been
traveling, there have been places where water has made it up to the
embankment upon which the interstate is built and we slowly,
cautiously creep across it (thankfully oftentimes there is a car in
front of us so we can see that you are able to cross safely). The
lightening flashes yet again and to left, over the fields of water,
it appears a funnel cloud is forming. Thankfully it doesn't touch
down, but it spooked us even more in an already stressful situation.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think this is the night we decide to
stay at a hotel, somewhere on higher ground, where we feel safe from
the lurking horrors of the night.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another day, another drive. We are
making a delivery of blankets for the Red Cross over the Illinois
border. The National Guard is in the process of rescuing and
evacuating a flooded town and as it has been most days for a few
weeks, it is rainy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We drive around “Road Closed” signs
and, again, drive over some small rivers of water. At one point our
road is circling around a large hill and when we look down in the
valley, where you would normally see cows or horses grazing, we see
not one but two large barges towing other barges, lazily chugging
around the valley in order to escape the raging Mississippi which
refuses to stay in its banks.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another night, another storm. We are
sleeping in the tiny town hall of a tiny town. The building serves as
post office, school, community center, as well as town hall.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We are awakened from sleep because the
National Guard, whom we have been helping to build a wall around the
the town, is pulling out because the sky is falling again and they
think this is a losing battle. While we have rested the Guards we
have worked with have been replaced with others, who did not know our
vehicles have been left on higher ground and that we need a ride. New
orders are issued, new logistics figured out and, after saying a few
hurried goodbyes to the townspeople who still refuse to leave, we
climb aboard to sit in back of a military transport which is designed
to hold 30 instead of I and my 2 companions (our leader is up front
guiding the Guard to the small church where we parked, where we hope
the water hasn't reached).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The canvas in back is left open and,
because these vehicles are so big, they not only go on roads which
have a few shallow rivers flowing over them, but plow over roads that
are completely submerged. So our view from the back is sometimes more
eerie than ever, the whole world is made of water, even that upon
which we travel, with here and there a tree or the top of a building
poking up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In 2010-2011 I was a part of the
Americorps Saint Louis Emergency Response Team and I and 3 others
where a part of responding to the Southern Missouri Floods where we
help the National Guard fill sandbags, helped the Red Cross however
they needed us, and assisted a town in coordinating their volunteer
efforts. It was a surreal time but I met some amazing people and
worked with some amazing people.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh, and the residents who refused to
leave where able to keep their town hall from flooding. The Guard had
built a wall around the entire town, but the water breached it. But,
their hall was the heart of the town and in their saving it the
residents saved their hearts and many of them returned after the
waters had receded (though, depending on who you talk to, that may or
may not have been unwise). </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-38430769850950311562014-07-22T20:00:00.004-07:002014-07-22T20:00:50.033-07:00The Conqueror of Monsters<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The idea of this first began when I saw
the picture you will see if you follow the link at the bottom of the
post. Well, I suppose it goes back further to when I did a storytime
at the library about “friendly monsters” but the picture brought
the idea above my subconscious. The picture then caused me to think
of Frankenstein's monster and how he became a creature of terror, for
he didn't begin that way. Then, after the idea was underway, someone
called MicroSFF who I follow on Twitter had this post:
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Are you a monster hunter?"</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I look up from honing my spear and nod.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
"You kill them?"</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How to explain not all monsters are
bad? "Yeah," I say.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After that, I decided I should take the
idea and run with it. Maybe someday I will turn it into an actual
story and not simply what it currently is. Without further ado:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
They call me the Conqueror of
Monsters, they think I break their wills, subdue them to my wishes
but really all I do is talk and, more importantly, listen. I speak
softly, calmly, and bring gifts. Nothing fancy, just things I know
the “monsters” need. Yeah, the villagers bring “sacrifices”
but they often run the other way screaming after they drop the
present off. Not exactly an endearing behavior.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I first go amongst the villagers
without letting them know who I really am, as if I'm just passing
through and I begin to silently recruit. Though all I recruit are
brave, they may not be whom you would expect. I get the soft spoken
ones, the ones who when they were a child mended broken wings and the
broken souls of those who others had given up on long ago. I get the
ones who don't shy away from the pain and suffering of those around
them but instead steadfastly attend the wounds that are both inside
and out.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The idea of sending virgins has some
merit behind it for, ideally, a virgin still possesses innocence and
with innocence there is sometimes a willingness to love and care
despite outward appearances. But, most of the time the villagers
expect the virgin to be eaten and they beat this idea into the poor
girl's head so she screams and screams into the monster's face until
monster is reminded of all the reasons why they hate humanity...so
they often end up killing her or leaving her for other beasts to
happen upon. It is a sort of self-fulfilling prophesy. Every once in
awhile their innocence wins over their misguided ignorance which the
villagers have put in place and when the “monster” comes slowly
and cautiously towards her she realizes that perhaps it doesn't want
to harm her and she succeeds in taming the “monster” and, thus,
the idea of offering of a virgin is reinforced. Or sometimes the
monster is so disgusted by the screaming child and the idea which put
them there that they move on. But again, often the wolves or bears
eat the poor thing so the villagers think it was the virgin that
appeased the beast and made it go away.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This type of success is actually what
started me along my present tract (the taming, not the leaving). I
used to be the typical old-fashioned monster killer and was quite
good at it, traveled far and wide, but in my travels I began hearing
of these tamings. So I started interviewing the successful virgins
and was surprised when the first few asked if I also wanted to
interview the monsters as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I began to find out that there was
something all of these monsters had in common, they had all been
desperately lonely and their deepest longing wasn't for blood or
pillage but for companionship. They had become monsters because
throughout their lives they had been repeatedly spurred and rejected
by humanity. When they were young they would often try and save
humans from drowning or wolves or some other predicament but instead
of thanks they saw fear and sometimes disgust.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm sure you remember the story, how
Frankenstein's monster saved the little girl, when she realized what
had saved her, she just screamed and screamed; then Frankenstein's
monster realized just how alone he was, how despised he was, so he
began to despise.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Basically the thing all monsters have
in common is that they are truly unique, either one of a king
begotten of mad scientists or mislead magicians or, as in the case of
the dragons, endangered species. Most of the time they are very aware
of their appearances, perceive themselves as scary, so they are shy
and keep to the shadows. Well, though I can say truthfully that some
are quite beautiful once you get to know them, they are often quite
intimidating and impressive so when most people happen to notice them
“lurking in the shadows” they're quite startled which leads to
fear, which reinforces the monsters whole idea about themselves.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So over time the monsters, in their
loneliness and rejection, become bitter and finally hateful. In other
words, they <i>become a monster, </i>they
didn't start out as one.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Can you guess why
I recruit the villagers I do? Because how I deal with monsters, how I
defeat them, is to become their friend and then help some of the
villagers to do likewise.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yeah, it's more
tedious and time-consuming than chopping their head off but it's more
challenging and I never really liked killing anyway.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/311311392965069448/</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-71403315513836732362014-06-27T19:51:00.000-07:002014-06-27T19:51:14.933-07:00Book review for Pleasant Valley by Louis Bromfield<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Book Review for Pleasant Valley by
Louis Bromfield</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Copyright 1945. Why, you may ask, am I
reviewing a book from 1945? Because I think it may be more relevant
now than when it was written.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I found this book in the gardening
section of a very small country library because it is classified as a
“farming memoir” and it is, but it is much more. It's about
economics, architecture, the stability of France (at least up until
the book was written), dogs, oddballs, self-sufficiency,
sustainability, conservation, politics, dangers of raising the
federal minimum wage, causes of poverty and its perpetuation, maple
sugar, a love of nature, and, oh yeah, farming.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The reason I say it's as relevant today
as when it was written or even more so, is because though we have
made our farming practices more advanced, we are still “strip
mining” most of the land which is being farmed and in many areas
not much is being done to actively restore land which has been
exhausted in the past. If Mr. Bromfield could catch a glimpse into
today, at our wildfires in the West and the flooding in the Mid-West
while at the same time having an alarmingly decreasing water-table,
he would be very tempted to say, “I warned you, I told you so, and
told you how to fix it.” Admittedly, he does share that the methods
used on his farm may not succeed as well in other places because the
glacial soil his farm is located above gives some advantages in soil
restoration.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it is relevant because there
was a start of a “food revolution” during the writing of Pleasant
Valley which then largely died off but, I think, is having a
recurrence in present day. Sadly, the government was, in part, behind
the last one. They were the ones who were leading the way towards
better land practices, they wisely sought to spread conservation and
good land stewardship through example (in the form of “pilot farms”
and land areas) and helping promote a largely self-supported
organization called Friends of the Land, made up of concerned
citizens who recognized our land as one of Americans greatest assets.
I say sadly because, currently, I think such government support is
lacking or at least I have not heard much of it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pleasant Valley is about being
connected to the land and realizing every citizen, whether on a
tractor or in a sky-rise, is tied to the fate of the land. That what
the farmer does and, really, every landowner does effects not just
them but the country as a whole. The health of the land, the health
of our farms and the animals and fruits grown there are linked to our
health, our intelligence, our sense of security, our future and when
our land is poor, it perpetuates poverty because our health, the
development of our intelligence, our sense of security, and our hope
for the future suffers.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The overarching theme of Pleasant
Valley is that our land is our most valuable asset as a country and
having as many citizens as possible to own a little piece of land
which they can care for and nurture and, in turn, be nurtured by it
is the best way to have a strong and stable democracy. This is
because these people, in being tied to the land, have a stake in our
country and its well-being and in having the security that land can
offer (in terms of producing much of what that person actually needs,
if times get tough), they are free to vote for the best government,
they are more free to vote because they are not dependent on a
certain type of government and their hand-outs.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The above idea kind of goes back to my
post about people “putting down roots” versus having a renter
mentality in relation to the community in which they live. The same
idea applies, if someone is tied to a piece of land, is clearly shown
that their security is bound to that piece of land and the health of
it (and they are taught how to care for it), then they will better
treasure it. Bromfield says this is how France survived multiple
invasions and revolutions, though citizens lost jobs, though their
currency and economy were affected and disrupted, many countrymen had
small farms that their families had cared for and cherished, so they
tightened their belts a little and were still able to independently
survive without putting much of a stress on a already overtaxed,
unstable government.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another prevailing theme which
Bromfield shares is to work <i>with nature </i>instead
of against her, to learn from her methods in soil restoration and
merely speed them up by the help you, as a farmer, contribute. To
plant in such a way that you help the land as it provides for you, to
design your farm so as to harvest water and hold onto it, rather than
letting it all run away with your topsoil. To organize your fields,
orchards, and vegetable garden so nature helps to pollinate, control
pests, and encourage game.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I
was telling my mother about this book she shared that she remembers
some family friends when she was growing up that had an orchard and,
beside the orchard, they grew a variety of berries for the birds. The
family did not really harvest the berries, but left them for the
birds and the birds, in turn, did most of the pest control in the
orchard. This is the type of thing Bromfield advocates.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
is a book that I would like to own so I could underline and look back
through. Not only to better know how to care for the land I will
hopefully someday own but also so I can live a better, more “simple,”
fuller life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now
for some quotes:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from
page 10)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The permanence, the continuity of
France was not born of weariness and economic defeat, but was a
living thing, anchored to the soil, to the very earth itself. Any
French peasant, any French workingman with his little plot of ground
and his modest home and wages, which by American standards were
small, had more permanence, more solidity, more security, than the
American workingman or white-collar worker who received, according to
French standards, fabulous wages, who rented the home he lived in and
was perpetually in debt for his car, his radio, his washing machine.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Sitting there it occurred to me that
the high standard of living in America was an illusion based upon
credit and the installment plan, which threw a man and his family
into the street and on public relief the moment his factory closed
and he lost his job. It seemed to me that real continuity, real love
of one's country, real permanence had to do with not with mechanical
inventions and high wages but with the earth and man's love of the
soil upon which he lived.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some wisdom shared
by Bromfield's neighbor:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from page 144)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>He looked down at his big hands and
noticed, as I did, that some of the black damp loam of the fence row
still clung to them. He brushed them awkwardly together. “I was
just digging into the fence row to see what was going on there
underground. A fellow can learn a lot by watching his own land and
what go on in it and on it...Nellie always said a farm could teach
you more than you could teach it if you just kept your eyes
open...Nellie...that was my wife”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i> “Of course,” I said, “I
remember.”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before I share the
next one, I should share, Bromfield was not in the “middle class,”
he was a bestselling author, wrote scripts for Hollywood, etc.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from 132)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The middle class
is the backbone of democracy – in fact democracy cannot exist
without a flourishing middle class. Perhaps the simplest definition
of the middle class is that of a group of citizens who own something,
who have some stake in individuality, in freedom, in good government,
in the protection of civil rights and in the nation as a whole.
Democracy is essentially a giant co-operative in which all the
citizens have a stake...A man with a stake in the nation is
independent. He resists being pushed about and regimented. A man
without economic security, dependent upon the state to care for him
whether it be to provide jobs or to pay him a dole when he is out of
a job, is helpless. He can only continue to vote for the kind of
government which provides him with a roof over his head, a miserable
wage and food for the mouths of himself and his children. For him
there is no security and no other way out.</i>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from
314)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>We have set about to turn the wheel
of fertility moving forward again...What we have been doing has been
a relatively simple thing. We have sought merely to build as Nature
builds, to plant and sow and reap as Nature meant us to do; we have
sought to rebuild the earth as Nature built it in the beginning. With
man's ingenuity we have been able to do it more rapidly than Nature
herself, but only because we worked with the law and within the idiom
of Nature. Man has never been able to impose his own law upon Nature
nor to alter her laws, but he can, by working with her, accomplish
much...</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from 316)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Each farm is a tiny world in itself,
with each day its small play of tragedy, of comedy, of farce. Each
day is in itself a cycle of the history of the earth.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(from 318)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>For the children the rewards have
been greater possibly then for the adults. There has been health and
good food and fields and woods to roam over, animals to care for
,streams to fish and swim in, and all those contacts with air and
earth and water which make for wisdom and understanding and judgment
and for those resources later in life which are indestructible and
far beyond either fame or riches in the long and trying span of life.
They have learned, I think too, the great importance and solace of
work, not the aimless, monotonous work of riveting and fitting
together nuts and bolts, but of work which creates something, work
which is richly its own reward, within the natural scheme of man's
existence – the kind of work which contributes to the progress and
welfare of mankind and the plenty of the earth upon which he lives.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are other
portions I would like to share, but some of them are pages long, so I
will just once again encourage you to read the book.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-43801531852343841242014-05-27T18:26:00.000-07:002014-05-27T18:26:09.084-07:00The Product of an Overactive Imagination: Mother Nature is Sentient<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0in;">
<br /></div>
The reason we haven't realized it is
she is not some wise old Mother, she's like the 3-year-old who allows
you to build a tower with blocks, only to knock them down delightedly
and say “Do it again.” She is at this game endlessly with man and all
our works, because she is so vast she waits more patiently than a
3-year-old, because her life is so long her tearing down can take
generations, but it is no less deliberate; from her view it is no less a
pleasure when she swipes her hand and it takes 2000 thousand years to complete the swipe. But
sometimes, like a 3-year-old, she throws a tantrum when something isn't
coming down fast enough, she employs not only her slow hand of erosion,
rust, slowly shifting earth, and rains, but pulls out the baseball bat,
the gun, and the missile. A 3-year-old holds these in her hands, fires
at our works, smiles and says “Do it again.” And we, we do it again, we
build it bigger, we build it stronger, we dare her to shake it, buffet
it, and hit it with all she's worth and, because she's a 3-year-old,
she'll gladly oblige.
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0in;">
Next time the wind howls and shakes
your house, listen and hear if you don't agree. She's laughing at you,
at us. To her it's all a game.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-49267887401928311192014-02-01T08:38:00.000-08:002014-02-01T11:31:42.435-08:00How Becoming A Mobile Society Has Damaged Our CommunitiesLast night I went to a folk music
concert which was the launch of a new music venue, Music on Main. Who
performed at this 160 people venue? The Kruger Brothers, the ones who
have been on Letterman, performed with Steve Martin and Doc Watson,
played around the world and, in the next few months will play shows
from Alaska to Florida.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why were they proud to be a part of
this show? Why did they fill their concert with stories about the
little community of Wilkesboro, North Carolina? Because they have
adopted this place as their home, it is not the place of their roots
(the brothers are from <span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Switzerland</span></span> and Joel Lansdberg is from New York)
but they have put down roots here, they have dug in deep.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is the place where the Isoms and
others who are developing this venue have staked their claim that
this is there home and they want to see it prosper, thrive, they want
to bring new life to old traditions and old buildings.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Roots, they can not only benefit that
which digs them deep, but in turn benefit that which they have dug
deep into. Roots hold things together, help fill the soil with life,
encourage other life to come as well, and so many other things. When
your roots are dug in deep, you are invested in what is beneath your
feet, the health of where your roots are determines your health, the
improvement of the soil leads to improvement to yourself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Recently I have been looking for a
rental property to move into, while looking, I have learned of 3
places that have been damaged enough that the owners don't even want
to show me the place until they can clean it up and fix the place.
And in general that seems to be the renters mentality, “This place
isn't really mine, so I don't need to take care of it.” There's no
sense of ownership, there's less a sense of responsibility towards a
place when you know you can just pick up and leave.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, I think this mentality has also
developed in the minds of “mobile” people who move from place to
place. They treat the communities they live in as a rental property.
What do they care about the future of that community if they will be
leaving before that future comes to pass? Why should they pay high
taxes, invest themselves and their money in making improvements to a
place that they will leave?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And so people live in places with the
mindset of getting out, they don't dig their roots in. This is bad
for the community but it is also, in turn, bad for the people who
live like this. Because they don't dig in, don't invest themselves in
getting to know their community, don't allow themselves to care for
it, they get a shallower experience of that community, don't get to
experience everything the community really has to offer, which leads
to a worse experience overall and they think some other place will be
better, so they move on.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Deep down I think most people still
know that most things really worthwhile, of real value, take time and
effort to develop and maintain. These things need nurturing to
prosper and this applies to the community you live in as well. It is
partly up to you to make the community you live in worthwhile and
valuable; if you nurture it, it will in turn become a place which can
nurture you.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Those behind Music on Main have
committed to putting on 20 something shows in the course of the year.
I believe the overall genre will be folk, because The Kruger Brothers
and others have decided to make the claim that Wilkesboro is the
“Heart of American Folk Music.” Some shows will be open mic, many
will be local artists (which we have lot wonderful talent, so don't
equate “local” with “not very good”), and some will be pretty
big time folk groups (which we will get here with the help of the
Kruger Brother's friendship).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I said before, the idea behind these
shows is to bring new life and breath to North Wilkesboro and
Wilkesboro. To get our name more on the map and show the world what
we have to offer.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wherever you live, look in the nooks
and crannies, up to the rooftops and in the basements, look on the
sidewalk and find what it is you love about that place. Then nurture
that love in yourself and put effort into making that thing or place
more lovable and share it with others. Maybe you'll someday find your
roots dug deep, your community more strong, and your head held more
high because you are confident that what is beneath your feet will be
there for you, because you have been there for it, have nurtured it
and made it strong.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-39354229121654008732014-01-29T18:58:00.000-08:002014-01-29T18:58:00.239-08:00Asking Questions and Speculations About Heaven
I know some people aren't comfortable
with speculating concerning religion, heaven, God, etc. (I'm thinking
about some particular people at my church:), but I read C.S. Lewis as
I grew up and probably 70% of his theological works are speculations
based on logic and ponderings, struggles and faith. I grew up loving
the Psalms, where questions abound and Psalmists aren't even opposed
to yelling at God and they yell some pretty strong things, but you know what? God preserved those questions for us.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In things relating to salvation, yeah,
it's dangerous territory to start speculating but in terms of
relating to God, I honestly think, more than anything, he is amused
by our speculations of him as a Father or Mother would be assumed at
the speculations of their young children. I think if he didn't want
us to ponder him and who he is, he would have only given us the Word
and not also revealed so much of himself in the world around us and
through our interactions with other human beings.</div>
<br />
In terms of what heaven will be like,
in the end I don't think it really matters, we will all be wrong,
because what awaits us is beyond imagining, is beyond our
comprehension. I take the Bible's physical descriptions of heaven
"with a grain of salt" because, personally, I don't think
jewels are very pretty and I am not impressed by gold. I think what
was trying to be conveyed is that it is a place of beauty beyond
compare, where there is no want or squalor...and so much more.<br />
<br />
With that preface, on to more
speculating.<br />
<br />
I have often heard people say, "When
I get to heaven I'm going to ask...," but it seems like the
persons intent is to ask it <i>right then, right when they get
through the gate or even when they're standing in line at the door</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
If you read the Psalms, you God is comfortable with questions, he
doesn't always </span><i>answer</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
them, but David asked </span><i>a lot </i><span style="font-style: normal;">and
he was called a man after God's own heart. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">We are
going to be an eternity in heaven, a "time" so long that it
ceases to be measured. I think there will be time enough for every
question and that we will hear every other persons questions and that
we will be encouraged to ask more questions and have innumerable
questions answered without even asking. Why? Because through our
questions we will understand God more fully, through others questions
we will understand him even more fully, and to understand God more
fully is to better be able to praise him, because we will better
understand why he is to be praised. I think heaven is partly going to
be a show and tell of how God worked in your life (what you
understand of his work before your questions and even more after your
questions have been answered).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I
think one of the experiences of heaven is going to be looking back at
our life through the eyes, maybe not of God (because even our
"indestructible" souls would probably explode or
something), but through the eyes of heaven. I think we will see how
everything effected everything and everyone else, how everything was
connected together. I think at first we will be consumed with an
almost overwhelming sadness, for we will see all the opportunities
lost, all the good deeds prepared for us that were left undone. Now,
before you tell me, "There's no tears in heaven," let me
finish. I think we will then be be shown the picture more fully, that
things will be pointed out that we didn't notice at first glace. I
think we will be shown how God "has caused all things to work
for the good of those who love him," how God managed to take our
feeble attempts when we tried our best and caused everything to work
out beautifully, to realize he made our individual imperfections into
a whole that </span><i>is perfection</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">So
keep on saving up your questions and, when we get there, don't be
scared to ask...but maybe wait awhile, merely gazing at the face of
God will probably answer thousands of questions we never knew to ask.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Also,
try to look at your life and the lives of those around you through
the eyes of heaven. Try to think, "How is God going to use that
in the picture?" "How is God going to use that aspect of
that persons life for the ultimate good?" </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Maybe
sometime soon I'll make everyone nervous by devoting a post to trying
to describe God, but I think this is enough speculating for now. :) </span></div>
<br />
P.S. I think if I do have a "crown" it's going to be made of something living with leaves and flowers incorporated in...and maybe have a hummingbird nest on it as well. Whatever it is, it will match me better than I could ever match it myself and yours will match you.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-75016379165761420002014-01-28T18:05:00.000-08:002014-01-28T18:05:48.716-08:00The Loss of Unstructured Play and the Fading Shared Human Experience<br />
As I have said of other of my blog posts, I
didn't do research about this, it is merely my opinion which formed
while I was tying my shoes, or taking a shower, or, in this case, as
I was getting dressed on Sunday.<br />
<br />
My thoughts started out thinking about
writing a post concerning how "children are children the world
over, no matter where you go"...but then I realized this will
soon not be the case. At the last church I went to, every week at my
church small group the toddler age daughter of our hosts would play
with people's phones, my nieces (one of whom is 4 and a half) play
with my sister's phone, and many people are starting to buy phones or
tablets for children who are that age or younger.
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've heard kids have computer classes
in preschool and, if not then, then very soon after. Recess, free
time, etc. seem to be in ever shorter supply in our country (and
perhaps other developed countries). Not only is kindergarten actually
highly structured but so are many preschools. Not only is school time
structured, but "play time" now largely consists of myriads
of structured activities.
</div>
<br />
Kids thrive on a sense of structure, of
knowing what to expect but spontaneity <i>has</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
to be a part of life, you have to experience spontaneity and learn
how to respond to it at an early age or life is going to be really
tough. </span><br />
<br />
So very increasing structure and
becoming deeply involved with technology at ever younger ages, what
does this have to do with the "shared human experience?"
When telling others why I like working with kids in different
cultures (and I have experienced quite a few) one of the things I say
is, "Kids are kids, wherever you go." You may have no clue
about the language, you may know nothing pertaining to the proper
customs when interacting with adults, but you can play tag,
hide-and-seek, climb a tree, kick a ball around, play hopscotch (or
something like it), and relate to the kids in a thousand other ways,
if you're willing to. Why is this possible? Because their
unstructured play using only their environment and very limited
resources took on a structure of its own that echoes your own
childhood experiences. During this largely unsupervised play they
formed their own rules of interaction and they remind us of lessons
we learned on the playground or in our backyard. These children,
those as a people they look and act so different from us, remind us a
little of ourselves.
<br />
In short, through the children of
another culture, we realize "they" are not so different
from ourselves. The picture flashed in my head of the old and not so
old pictures of soldiers smiling at children and children smiling
back, because they are relating to each other, even if the parents
seem alien, there's a spark of familiarity between the soldier and
the child.<br />
<br />
In this age of globalization we might
just be increasing the differences between developing countries and
developed ones; instead of closing gaps, we might be widening them.
Imagine a child from today or one born ten years from now, with their
hands always on technology, with their organized sports, organized
dance, organized life, and now imagine them going to a developing
country for the first time when they are a teenager or an adult.
Their phone may not get reception and <i>slightly</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
organized chaos is the schedule for the day. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Will
there still be as much of a spark of recognition as they look at
these alien children, will they still be able to see themselves in
them and their play? It may be interesting to watch, it may be
heartbreaking...I guess we'll have to wait and see.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">P.S.
Maybe I'm totally wrong, maybe because of often exposure to world
news, to cultural events from around the world, the children of
tomorrow will be able to relate to cultures other than their own
better we ever could. Again, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.</span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-27890531224782567862014-01-19T19:03:00.000-08:002014-01-19T19:03:32.632-08:00Movie Review for 42: The Jackie Robinson Story and An Apology to Men With Color Other Than My Own<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I was writing
the book review for To Kill a Mockingbird a particular instance which
occurred when I was a busser in a restaurant kept cropping up in my
mind. I went back and scanned through that book review and didn't
deal with that instance there. Watching this movie made me remember
it again.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was a man I
worked with who was good looking, well put together and, as I was
around him more, I began to think of as sort of a “Renaissance Man”
of the restaurant business. If someone was sick or didn't show up, he
seemed to be able to take anyone's place. He was hired as the
dishwasher but he also filled in for the prep cooks, the cooks, and
helped me as a busser a few times.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first time he
helped me with bussing he said something like, “I don't want to
work this position, anything dealing with money. If something goes
missing, they'll look at me.” He was nervous about the tips being
left on the table, he felt that because he was black he would be
suspect.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple weeks
later one of my fellow bussers was fired for stealing tips...and he
was black. Supposedly one of the waitresses saw him do it, but I
still felt it was unfair that I didn't even seem to be a suspect,
they didn't question me or anything.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyway, that
situation gave me a personal experience into the fact that the work
Atticus started on in To Kill a Mockingbird hasn't been finished yet,
justice is still not blind and people are not blind in ways they
should be. And I am sorry for that. I am sorry you are still more
likely to be suspected because of the color of your skin. I am sorry
we still see colors in ways we shouldn't, that we still attach
certain attributes to people because of how they look. In other
words, I am sorry prejudice is still a problem, even after all this
time, even after all that has happened and all the supposed growth.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Onto the movie. I
am not good at history, especially history regarding sports, but from
the brief reading I did, it seems the movie stayed true to the story,
even if all the particular instances in it were not exactly correct.
Whether you like baseball or not, it's a movie worth watching because
it was a wonderful story of courage, not just of Jackie, but of so
many around him.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't know how
accurate Branch Rickey's character was or the reasons behind what he
did, if they were noble and for the love of the game or about
eventually making more money. Whether they were noble or not, it took
guts to do what he did and it took smarts to choose the right player
for that historic role.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I admire Jackie's
wife, admire her for loving him and supporting him, even though she
probably worried every time he walked out the door, every time he
stepped up to bat, every time he went on the road.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I admire the
players on Jackie's team who, over the course of time, were united.
Who started respecting Jackie as they got to know him and his
abilities.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And, of course, I
admire Jackie Robinson, who held true to his word and didn't fight
back, and in so doing showed that he was more of a gentleman than
those white men who hurled abuse at him.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The acting in the
movie was superb. Chadwick Boseman did a wonderful job of playing
strong and independent Jackie (which sounds true to the real man),
Nicole Beharie was beautiful, fun, strong, and charming in her role as
Jackie's wife, Harrison Ford perfectly mixed the gruff old man and
someone who deeply cared about baseball and people, and the cast in
general just did a splendid job.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a movie about
baseball, yes, but it is also about so much more. It's about breaking
down barriers, overcoming prejudices, having the courage to not fight
back (when fighting back would only make things worse), changing
mindsets and changing the world. Even if you're not particularly a
baseball fan, I still highly recommend it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-72721139357366356452014-01-12T18:53:00.000-08:002014-01-12T18:54:56.681-08:00Mankind’s Relentless War on the Sea or Why the Mermaids are Silent<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the same vein as <i><a href="http://almostignoramus.blogspot.com/2012/10/zombies-attack-america-or-why-zombie.html" target="_blank">Zombies AttackAmerica</a> </i>and <i><a href="http://almostignoramus.blogspot.com/2012/11/in-same-vein-as-zombies-attack-america.html" target="_blank">Lights, Camera, Cue the Alien Invasion</a> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">I
bring you, </span><i>Why the Mermaids Are Silent.</i>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have been an
unwitting participate in Humanity's longest war, you and, most
likely, all of your ancestors. In the dawn of time, once humanity
began to come into its own, to develop trade, travel further, and
finally started to use the seas for trade, we were approached by
emissaries from under the sea. At first they were welcome allies,
beings who were civil in the world of nature that is not.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The merpeople
escorted our ships, guarding them from pirates using their awful
spears. After a time, the sailors began to notice that when they were
accompanied, the weather was more likely to be fair and there was
often a favorable wind. Sailors grow lonely in the watches of the
night and so grew used to the merpeople's presence and developed
friendships of a sort (at least as close to a friendship as you can
come with having very little in common in terms of means of
communications). Because the merpeople revealed their powers
gradually and in subtle ways, they were merely incorporated into
sailors superstitious ways, instead of being feared.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you can imagine,
the merpeople's technology is very different than our own. Though
they developed means to go about on land, it was cumbersome and
uncomfortable, besides, most of the world is made up of water, so
they left the dry dirt to us. As well as developing ways they could
go ashore, they made ways in which man could visit underwater. Over
time the story of Atlantis has gotten twisted, it wasn't that the
city was buried in water, it had always been underwater. And it
wasn't the city that was destroyed but rather our means to get there
and the ties which allowed us to go.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Merchants have
always dealt in stories, as well as goods, and they began to tell of
the powers sailors spoke of their guardians having. Also, those few
merchants who had visited the underwater cities boasted of the
wonders and power they saw there. These stories filtered up to kings
and queens and those kingdoms which had coastlands began look from
their tallest towers at just how much water there was, some dwelt in
lands with water that went on forever and spread news of this
neverending water to those who had never seen such a thing. From
everywhere there was water came also tales of merpeople, with their
weather controlling power, their spears which could go further than
any weapon of our own, and their otherness. As often happens when we
are confronted by things we do not understand, the rulers became
suspicious and fearful of the merpeople.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sailors had quickly
learned, when they were accompanied, they could not throw their waste
overboard. Their companions conveyed they could grow sick from this
refuse. Well, some merchants had learned of these things and had also
heard their rulers fears, so they sold this information along with an
idea to weaken the ones their rulers feared.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So mankind began
the most continuous onslaught of any war, and began using biological
and chemical warfare before they learned of germs or really knew what
chemicals were. Mankind became the merpeople's enemy. Mankind was
encouraged to throw their filth into their freshwater sources,
because all streams lead to the sea and, thus, would weaken our
enemies. Sailors were told to throw their waste overboard to chase
away their guardians.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Merpeople began
hiding their dead so we could learn no more weaknesses, developed
means to keep areas of water pure enough for them to live in, and,
mostly, withdrew into themselves. Though occasionally a particularly
hardy young one rose to the surface to seduce and drown lonely
sailors. Also, the legends of Selkies or Seal Wives make me wonder if
they continued to develop less cumbersome means of venturing on land.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Merpeople
are a farseeing people, so as well as immediate attacks using storms,
drought, and other means, they use acid rain which strip our
monuments and weaken our buildings. </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
From the side of
the merpeople, it has never been an all-out war, just an occasional
extra storm or discouraged raincloud on a parched land. But then
things changed. The US launched a sustained nuclear attack starting
in 1946 which lasted over the course of 15 years guised under the
claim of “nuclear tests” at the Pacific Proving Grounds until the
Partial Test Ban Treaty finally put a stop to it in 1963. Starting at
the same time Russia decided on a more passive attack of dropping
their waste from their nuclear power plants into the sea and, because
it was passive and used less resources, was maintained for an even
longer time than our attacks.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since then the
merpeople have become more invested, causing tsunami, earthquakes,
tornadoes where they have never been before and increasing the
frequency of “natural disasters” in general.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also, they are in
the process of melting the icebergs and glaciers in order to
devastate our coastlands. Because of this, many governments have
reevaluated in the last few years, instigating clean water acts,
striving to “go green;” in other words, trying to appease a
species we cannot seem to destroy that is capable of destroying us.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now the question
is, is it too little too late? Have the merpeople's hate built up for
us to such a degree that they are willing commit mass suicide in
their attempt to enact their revenge by shutting down the global
conveyor belt, canceling out Thermohaline Circulation by raising the
temperatures at the poles. This would basically kill the wind,
dramatically change the weather (or make the weather stop), and
stagnate the oceans...in other words, change the world as we know it
and turn it into a far less friendly place.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So push for peace
with the merpeople, take care of your planet, or you may have a lot
of help bringing about its end. Also, push for relationships with
them, we all know the best way to overcome old hates and prejudices
is to get to know entities from the group you hate. Maybe if they get
to know a few of us who are decent, who care about them and our
planet, we can all work together in preserving our planet instead of
destroying it in our attempts to destroy each other.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh, and if you
doubt that merpeople are real, how you account for the fact that
mankind has so thoroughly dirtied our waterways for so long? Whether
humans knew of germs or not, they had herders and merchants who told
tales of how refreshing and wonderful unpolluted springs and mountain
streams were. Even if you knew nothing of the benefits of clean
water, you could see and taste how much better water was that did not
have animal feces and all of mans waste in it. There had to be a
reason to account for this madness.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
P.S. I recently told my brother I don't need pre-established conspiracies...I can make up my own. :) </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-84164291644871363902014-01-11T20:12:00.001-08:002014-01-11T20:12:26.025-08:00The Downfall of Face-to-Face Interactions or Why The Younger Generation Doesn't Want to Talk to You
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll say up front, I didn't do any
research concerning this, it is simply my opinion based on snipetts
of conversations I remember and pieces of things I've read.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've shared on this or another blog
that there was a period of years when I didn't really miss anyone,
whether it be friends or family. Throughout my life I've always been
leaving places and when you leave places, you leave people and, if
you allow yourself to, you miss them...and missing hurts, missing
makes you long for someone who isn't there, missing sucks. Because I
was always leaving places, I decided I wouldn't miss people but in
deciding this, I was unknowingly also deciding to not really connect
to people, to tie our hearts together, to have our lives bonded. So
one day I decided to allow myself to miss people again and, through a
process, I did. I have to admit, though, I often I still leave places
before I can get too attached to anyone.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I say all that because for years I have
heard that our society is becoming a “mobile society,” people
don't stay in one place as long as they used to, they're waiting for
longer to settle down (in terms of starting a family), but even when
they do “settle down” they still may not stay in one place.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know I am an extreme case, over 13
houses in 3 countries before going to college and never staying in
one place longer than 11 months (most of the time shorter) since I
graduated in 2007; but I think, in general, people are moving more.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's two types of relationships you
can choose between, one that is based largely on physical
interactions or one that is based largely on texts and social media.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You move when your kids are young,
after they've played “hands-on” with kids and been physically
involved in each others lives, and it hurts to leave those friends
behind. Even if you don't move, as the kids get a little older, a lot
of them leave school to go home to empty houses and it hurts to be
alone, away from people. But in both those situations, you know what
type of relationships come through for them? What allows them to take
their friends with them across the country and into empty homes?
Texting (which you can more easily do with multiple people than
trying to have a conference call) and social media (which easily
allows you to share your life with those who are not physically
around).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
They are connecting the best that they
know how, the least painful way they know how, and in the process,
the internet becomes more real, the intangible becomes more solid to
them than you can understand.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
They are interacting, they are
connecting. In some ways they are more intimately involved in each
others lives than an older generation could ever be; because they
have a camera, video camera, and means of communication with them at
all times, they can share what they see and hear (in a limited
fashion), the moment they see or hear it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But I am old-fashioned and getting
older. Compared to side-by-side interaction, I don't even like phone
calls. Though I enjoy being alone, if I am going to interact with
people, I want them to be beside me. I want to hear their footsteps
beside me as we walk together in the night, I want them to smell the
campfire with me, I want to see them laugh or cry, to be able to walk
with them arm in arm, or pat them on the back.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In all the younger generations
connection with others who are far away, they begin to value less the
possibility of connections immediately around them, after all, that
was the type that caused them pain.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite all of their connection, I
think there is a deep-seated need for physical connection as well. It
is through those types of connections, the type that puts you
face-to-face, that you learn respect (because you see them cry and
hurt because of what you did), patience (because it's harder to
ignore someone in the room with you whom you are tired of or
frustrated with than to simply ignore texts), conflict resolution
(because it's harder to dismiss a problem if someone is looking you
in the face), and so many other things that apply to all aspects of
our lives.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It seems to me and I seem to remember
reading some research about that fact that it is in unstructured play
that we learn many of the lessons I hinted at. Since there are less
set rules, we have to work out our own and learn them, in short, we
learn to have more successful personal physical interactions because
we learn all the nuances which underlie them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unstructured play is something that
children/young adults have been sorely without for many years. First
we forsook our front porches and took away our watchful eyes and our
neighbors watchful eyes and, partly because of this, many of us grew
fearful of letting kids outside to play, to explore. I wonder if the
world has really grown more dangerous for our children or are we just
more fearful because we know of every awful thing that happens from
coast to coast and around the world because of our global media?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I guess my advice is to put down roots,
form deep physical connections with some families around you (and of
course with your own family). Find a camp or some place where you
feel safe enough to let your kids run around together being kids,
without too much supervision. Even if it's just for a couple weeks
each year, I'm sure they will learn a lot and have fun as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh yeah, and a part of unstructured
play may be a skint knee or even a broken arm or being around another
kid when something bad happens. But you know what? This teaches your
kids that actions have consequences, that things they do can get them
hurt or someone else.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my goals in life is to make some
of these safe learning places, whether this be a library I am someday
involved with, a camp I make, or a neighborhood I create. Also, I
will push for others to make such places as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Someday the internet will be even more
tangible than it is today but maybe, just maybe, the value of the
immediate, of the here, will grow more tangible as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now stop listening to the child-rearing
advice of a single guy and go hug someone or give them a pat or the
full sensory pleasure of watching you dance across the living room
(if you do it for long enough, they'll probably film you, make fun of
you, and share the video with their friends).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
P.S. I have heard stories of
parents and grandparents who had largely lost touch with their
growing children/grandchildren but then they started texting them.
Before they hardly ever talked but now they text quite often. Be
careful not to get your hopes up too much, though, because they may
just think you're weird or intrusive because that's in some kids job
description (it's a bummer they take off the tag off at the hospital
before the parents can read it).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-70778761658454893162014-01-07T18:32:00.000-08:002014-01-07T18:32:00.593-08:00The Word That Never Came<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wrote this a few years ago for another blog. As I was re-reading it before I used it for a Lord Supper talk this past Sunday, I realized the ideas for it were strongly inspired by a skit I was a part of at Bible camp years ago. I don't know the name of the skit or who wrote it...so that's the best I can do in giving credit.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Angel Michael stands in readiness
with legions of angels flanking him and standing at his back. At any
moment they expect the word, they are constantly on edge, leaning
forward in their strain to hear, in case it is said in a whisper.
They heard their Master crying, in so much pain he seemed to be
sweating drops of blood. They do not understand his words to the
Father, do not know what horrid thing Christ will face which causes
him to say, “Not my will be done, but yours.” Michael cannot
stand to see his Lord in such pain by himself, the Lord’s silly
disciples are asleep instead of attending to the task Christ set
them, so Michael comes to his side and reminds him he is not alone.
“Whatever needs done, we can help you, you know what strength each
of us has.” Christ looks to Michael with pain in his eyes, knowing
he must face this task alone, but thankful for the comfort Michael
has tried to offer.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Christ returns to his disciples, they
are asleep, again. He rouses them and points to the torches coming up
the road, to the mob coming through the shadows. Christ asks whom the
mob seeks, they answer and Christ says, “I am he.” They fall to
the ground from the power of his words, but foolishly still want to
take him. Michael smiles and readies himself when he sees Peter draw
his sword, now Christ will give the word. Instead all Peter’s
clumsy attempt produces is a loss of an ear and, to Michael and all
others amazement, Christ heals the injured man and allows himself to
be taken.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All the humans who are with Jesus do
not understand and flee; where is the warrior king they were
expecting? Why is the Messiah going quietly? Even the angels do not
know the plan, but instead of fleeing they surround their Lord more
closely until he silently tells them to retreat a little and stand
their ground, for his captors are losing their nerve. The captors do
not see the angels but can feel their suffocating power.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A man, a mere puny man dares to call
his Lord a blasphemer so Michael raises his sword to deal a killing
blow, thinking, “Surely he will now give us the word.” Instead,
Christ simply stands there as the supposed priests strike the King
and spit in his face. One of the angels meekly asks, “Do you think
he somehow lost his ability to speak?” not believing his Lord would
allow this to happen to himself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare of a night continues, the
angels, of course, not growing weary but some of these ancient,
almost timeless beings begin for the first time in their existence to
feel impatient, as their Lord undergoes more accusations. Some begin
to doubt the wisdom of God, why did he decide to become a being
limited in power anyway, a creature who can be broken, hurt, and
killed?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
An angel yells to Christ as Christ is
being beaten, “We are still here, can you not talk? Why Lord, why
are you allowing them to do this? Just give us a sign.” Ending with
a desperate, almost helpless voice, “We are still here…we are
ready to stop all this.” But the Master of all still does not stop
the blows and torture. And still the nightmare continues, more
mocking, more accusations, more misunderstanding on mans part and the
angels and finally, heresy of heresies, a sentence of death on the
most innocent man who has ever walked the earth.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Lord is forced to carry his own
cross and falls beneath its weight. A tear slides down Michael’s
face, the angels are crying at seeing their Lord so weak, knowing
full well how strong he could be if he would only summon the power
into himself. They are crying because he seems so alone, yes, they
are standing all around, but the humans, the foolish humans whom
Christ came to save are treating their Messiah as a thing of utmost
contempt.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nail is posed above Christ’s hand
and Michael yells to his legions in a voice which shakes the sun,
“All ready now, the word must come, has to come.” The hammer
strikes, again and again, on to the other hand and a nail through the
feet…still no word comes. The universe looks dark to the angels
eyes, everything seems wrong, as if wrong has finally won, as if the
Traitor has somehow cheated God and has finally gotten his way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michael and his legions surround the
hill, keeping the sniveling, snickering demons away from the angels
Lord. Michael looks into the the face of the devil and sees the smile
on his face, his sneer thinking he has finally won. The sky seems to
match the devil’s mood, for it seems the very sun has forsaken the
sky and darkness appears to reign over the light. Michael’s face is
grim but he says, “It isn’t over yet, we are only waiting for the
word and all this will stop, then you will not be smiling anymore.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Twice now the Lord has spoken and were
it not for the lightening reflexes of the angels the universe would
be no more, for when they saw his mouth begin to open the angels
began to make their move, only to stop themselves and hear with
disbelief the words which came from their Lord, words of forgiveness
instead of a command.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Final words come from the Lord’s
mouth, “It is finished.” The angels see that life has left the
Savior’s body. “What is finished?!,” all their throats yell
with a voice so filled with grief, confusion and power that it rips
the world in half.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Michael hangs his head and says to his
army in tones of sadness and shame which makes creation tremble,
“Somehow we have failed.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If only our Savior would have yelled or
whispered to the waiting angels, “Now!,” the world would have
stopped, the skies would have melted and the ones who were crucifying
our Lord would have turned to dust before the angels fury…but that
word did not come, Christ did not stop it all and God did not destroy
the world because of the monstrosities committed against his Son that
day. Instead, Christ died, taking our sins, our guilt for every sin
we have ever committed upon his shoulders in hopes that we would look
at that act of love and be won by it to an everlasting life spent
with the Father and the Son.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course I do not really know what
Michael or the other angels were really feeling, but even if they did
know the plan (which God seems to like to have some mystery about
him, so maybe they did not know), they must have felt helpless. Even
with all their power, they could not take away the pain Christ was
experiencing, they were not allowed to strike down the ones who were
mocking the One they loved. The gift of Christ’s life which he
gave, the gift which allows us to be born clean and pure into
eternity, did not only cost Christ and God. It also cost the angels
the pain they felt, and the women's pain who loved Christ with their
all, and the men's pain who had put all their hope in Him. Happily,
the seeds of their pain lead to more joy than the universe can
contain, to a realized dream of God’s that will one day unite
angels and man before His throne, to live forever sharing with each
other the portion of God which they understand better than any other
being because of the experiences they have had. And what an amazing
dream that is.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6146440365389692823.post-73201609931936636772014-01-06T19:39:00.000-08:002014-01-06T19:39:52.480-08:00About the Movie Elysium and Some Observations Concerning Our Society<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, I watched the movie Elysium and it
wasn't very good, it was one of those movies where you want to yell
at the screen because the actions taken by the characters don't make
sense and some things about the world which was created just didn't
really make sense either.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spoiler Alert! but since it's a
Hollywood movie, you could probably guess everything I'm going to
tell you...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elysium is about our world in the
future. We, predictably, screwed up our world through wars and it's a
rough place to live; so the rich people of the world got together and
built a beautiful habitat which orbits earth. This place, Elysium, is
a place of beauty and wealth, of manicured lawns and parks, where
citizens have access to machines that can cure any disease or injury.
But the majority of humanity still lives on earth, in dirt and filth,
in overcrowded neighborhoods, a place where unemployment soars,
poverty is commonplace, where healthcare is primitive (even though
they know the city in the sky has machines which can cure all).
Everything is controlled by their masters in the sky, and, if they
can find work, much of it is done for the benefit of those who live
in Elysium. Whether on earth or in the habitat above, many service
jobs and law enforcement jobs are done by androids. Androids are also
in charge of taking care of the general well-being of Elysium's
citizens.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elysium is the place in the sky that
everyone stuck on earth wants to go to. It is the place where your
child can be made well. It is the place where your family won't
starve. It is the place where there is room to breathe clean air.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story is about a group, mostly a
man, who is trying to make the city so everyone can be a citizen of
Elysium and have access to the machines which can cure all ills. The
environment in the sky is perfect but it requires a tremendous amount
of resources to maintain its perfection, it's perfect but fragile.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the movie, the group succeeds in
making everyone a citizen. Because everyone is declared a citizen,
the androids are made aware of millions of people on earth who are in
need of medical attention, so ships disembark and humanity is made
well. I know I've shared I have an advanced sense of empathy and I
care a lot, but there is also a part of me that is coldly logical. At
this point in the movie, instead of feeling warm and fuzzy, I thought
“and so the society was overburdened and everything collapsed.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At various times in the past, this same
part of me has vaguely wondered if one of the reasons governments of
developed countries are slow to dispense healthcare and resources to
developing countries is that they view diseases and letting nature
run its course as a sort of population control. A sort of, “Until
those nations learn to better control their birthrates, we'll let
nature take care of it so we don't have to” sort of attitude.
Viruses, disease, and such help control deer and other animals which
no longer have many natural predators, why not just let them control
the human population as well?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This train of thought caused me to
think a little more about the movie. My initial thought about Elysium
was that it was stupid, but then I realized that, in a sense, America
is Elysium. I don't know if this is the statement the writer and
director were trying to make, but it is what I gleaned from it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know America is far from a perfect
Utopia, that we have sick and starving here, but just stick with me.
America (and other developed countries) are where those stuck in
poverty in other countries look for hope. It is the place where, as
they see their loved one dying from a common sickness, they look
toward in desperation and think, “If only I could get them there,
they could heal them.” Those starving hear about all of our food,
our epidemic of obesity, and think, “If only I could make it there,
my family wouldn't starve.” They may look at their overcrowded spot
in the world and think of the rumors concerning all of our space.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Saying all that, can we really blame
all those who want to come here, who try to come here?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people want to stop immigration
because they're scared we'll lose our heritage, but immigration <i>is
</i>our heritage. One day someone I
worked with in a past job was talking about how he was angry about
how people who come to the US don't learn English, how they hold onto
the cultures they left behind and how that's that's not how it used
to be...I don't think this person has ever been to New York, doesn't
realize that all over the country in large cities there are
neighborhoods that have held on to their “old cultures” for a
hundred years or more.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
have always been those first generation emigrants who fiercely hold
on to “the old country” and there have always been those first
generation who, though they have not lived here long, have become our
fiercest patriots.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whether
they be children of the former or the later, unless they are secluded
in one of those neighborhoods I was speaking of, second generation
emigrants almost always learn English, in many cases better than a
lot of “Americans” speak it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm
not good at taking sides, I know it's a weakness, but I don't like
“taking a stand,” because I hate confrontation...but I will state
my opinion on this issue. I say, until Americans are ready to
contribute more to our country than those who are illegally among us,
let them keep coming, let them keep working.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
believe and know there are still many hardworking Americans out
there, who have lived here for a long time, but there are also those
who could work but chose not to, who pose at getting a job but don't
really want one. Maybe we should spend more energy addressing that
problem than in dealing with those who are making contributions to
our society.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know
there are many people who actually <i>need </i>disability
and food stamps and other services, but there are also many who do
not. While I was in AmeriCorps I was the thankful recipient of EBT (a
type of food stamps) but, while I was thankful, I thought it was
ridiculous that I could buy candy bars, chips, soda, and almost every
other type of junk food with that card.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also
know that many illegal emigrates do not pay taxes, and I'm not saying
that's okay, but whether they pay taxes or not, some of them are
still contributing more to our society than some of our citizens are.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I stop
rambling. Elysium showed me how some of the world may view our
country, so despite it being frustrating and the characters sometimes
acting in stupid ways, it was worth watching.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
P.S.
One of the most frustrating and yet funny things is that one of the
main villains had an unidentifiable accent that was pretty hilarious.
If that accent is actually real to somewhere, I apologize for
thinking it's awful.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04037507745252049082noreply@blogger.com0