Autumn

The sun has closed it's one huge eye
and yet I sit here in the glow
of my candle, burning low,
as leaves like tiny corpses blow
along the cold, hard earth.

Looking out into the night,
naked trees, their branches loom
like evil spirits breathing doom;
shapeless shadows in the gloom,
they reach out in the dark.

Nature's fingers tap! tap! tapping!
Tapping on my window pane!
I think it's driving me insane!
And what's left of the candle's flame
is guttering.
                         Patrina Olszewski

Quote for the Day

"We must love one another or die."

You Give Love a Bad Name

"Why don't you come right out and say it?  Even if the words are finally gonna hurt, I'd rather have the truth than something insincere."       - Relient K
In America, more and more people quit going to church every year.  The church has become a place not where they can go to be loved and accepted but where they are harshly judged and looked down upon.  The group that is supposed to represent the body of Christ, more often ends up acting a great deal like the Pharisees.  Legalism and piousness abound...compassion and humility are drowned.  Our churches should be a safe place where people are truly unconditionally loved and where souls can be bared and closets emptied of skeletons without fear of rejection or gossip.  If we aren't able to be real, why would anyone want to gather with us?  Insincerity and fakeness are everywhere.  In fact, the whole world is full of it.  If we aren't real, we can't heal.  Our hidden wounds will fester within us, causing us to rot from the inside; rendering us useless, broken vessels, unable to receive blessing or to bless others.  Conversely, the uncomfortable, sometimes even painful cleaning of those same wounds can allow healing to begin, bringing us back to the point where we are cups overflowing with living water, pouring out upon the lives of everyone we come into contact with.  So you can either pretend you're okay, wearing your mask of mediocre fineness, and suffer inside from painful, festering wounds for the rest of your life or endure a painful cleansing and purging process that will lead to the regeneration of healthy "soul-cells".  Lead the revolution and demand more from your church, from your brothers and sisters, from yourself.  Show the world that there is a place where people truly care about others, where humility and compassion can be found and where people aren't afraid to throw down their masks, ask for help and find healing.

Weighing In: on Cheerleading (my opinion)

Do we really have nothing more important to argue about than whether or not cheerleading is a sport?!  A sport is defined as an activity which is competitive and during which one exerts energy.  By that definition, we could argue that marching band or video-gaming on the Wii is a sport, or that golf is not.  But does it really matter?  Who argued this all the way to needing an official ruling?  And don't they have other ways they could spend their time and energy?
Cheerleading began as a kind of "pep squad" to keep energy high in an effort to motivate both fans and competitors.  It has progressed to becoming a competitive, energy-exerting activity.  But sport or no sport, surely there are more important issues to take a stand on!

Quote for the Day

"Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this:  that wisdom preserves the life of the possessor."

Alto Frio - Youth Camp - 2010

Amazing doesn't even begin to describe the week we had at camp!  Walls were broken down, masks were thrown off to reveal the true people behind them, bonds were strengthened, new friendships were formed, wrongs were forgiven and lives were changed.  I am confident that this will be a transformation that sticks.  There will be struggles and we know we all have some things that will be difficult to overcome, but now we know that there are people who care about us, who can relate to what we are feeling and the issues we are dealing with.  We know that we are all in this together and together we are stronger.  Together we cannot fail.  The cross is the perfect reminder of the greatest commandment and the second that is like it:  the vertical - love God, and the horizontal - love people.  We are not only called out of darkness and called into the light, but we are called into a family.  As brothers and sisters we are to love each other unconditionally, trust each other and be trustworthy.  I want all of you who went to camp to know that YOU are the reason I do what I do.  I love you guys so much and will always be here for you.  My kids are the greatest in all the world...wanna be one?  You know you do!

Buried Alive by Chris & Conrad

We've all broken ground \\ Take one look around \\ We're in over our heads \\ But we keep digging down \\ We've all broken ground \\ Making sure that nobody sees \\ The dirt on our face \\ That just would not come clean \\ Hoping that this is the day \\ That everything changes \\ So we take one last breath \\ Let the walls cave right in \\ And we cover our heads \\ As the weight of this world \\ Comes crashing down again \\ And the last ray of light \\ Can no longer be found \\ And with no point of reference \\ To find our way out \\ We scream out loud \\ Does anyone know that we are buried alive? \\ We all know the sound \\ We've been hunted down \\ And we all sing along \\ From the moment we're found \\ We all know the sound \\ So we take one last breath \\ Let the walls cave right in \\ And we cover our heads \\ As the weight of the world \\ Comes crashing down again \\ And the last ray of light \\ Can no longer be found \\ And with no point of reference \\ To find our way out \\ We scream out loud \\ Does anyone know that we are buried alive?

Unsolicited Advice

Over the last few weeks I've had a lot to say but wasn't sure just how to word it.  Here's the abbreviated version:
(1)     Don't allow your emotions to rule you or your actions.  If someone hurts your feelings (especially over text or chat), don't assume that they meant to hurt you.  The bad thing about these "techy" ways of communicating is that our true tone and intent take a back seat to the reader's interpretation.  When there is reasonable doubt, give them the benefit of it.  Then talk to them (preferably on the phone or in person) about the situation if necessary.  It's silly to allow someone's words or actions to have so much control over you that they virtually decide what kind of day you will have.
(2)     Before you condemn someone else's actions or choices, take a good, hard, honest look at your own.
(3)     Smiles and frowns are both contagious.  Whether in the literal sense or in attitude, you get back what you send out.
and
(4)     Don't stick your nose in where it's not wanted - it may get swatted with a newspaper.