[via Beer, Anyone?]

Procantstinate

I want to but I can't.

Messy Attachments

It is much less messy to try to change people’s minds than to tend to their wounded hearts.

[via The Heresy]

It was dark. I remember that much. Beyond that, I can't recall the specifics of my surroundings. I was driving home from work. Tears were streaming down my face. Broken dreams and losses of things closest to my heart piled up. I felt homeless, helpless and hopeless. That's when I heard it.

A whisper....I know they meant well. They thought what I needed was a good "encouraging" rebuke; the kind that says, "I know you're hurting but, really, Lu, it's not about you. Others are hurting too and you should be out there bringing them comfort..." Well meaning. Served with a pinch of truth.

But I didn't believe the rest of it anymore. I don't believe "its not about me." It is....

What better way to hurt someone, to cause them immense pain and grief, than to turn the one they adore against them. It's even better than killing the loved one. Especially in this case.

[via A Voice of Hope]

It's weird how a simple, spoken phrase can take you clean back twenty-four years, against your will. Forget the present context- it doesn't matter....It is now I who functions as the irrational, crazy dry drunk.

[via Been There...Still There]

[via Twyla Central]

Clarity is falling on my soul
like the snow outside
I blink to upset the balance
Opening my eyes to
look out again on the
singularity...
white defines the balance
as full-spectrum color
while black defines the absence
of definitive answer
[the full poem by Twyla here]

To end is common; To continue is not; To struggle is the question.

“fairness, when sought on behalf of oneself is not only unfair, it is the greatest of vices; but when sought on behalf of one-another is the greatest of virtues.”

--Jason, in response to this post by Gaddabout

Both quotes from Religion Outside The Box:

Imagine that at half the age you currently are, you fell asleep. And, imagine that you slept right through (like Rip Van Winkle) until today. What five things would be most surprising to you?

and

Funny how thinking we're going to live forever might take some of the joy out of living.

---

Sorry for the lack of posts the past few days. I'm just very talented at neglect! My mental health was a bit rough the last little while. I was quite apprehensive, discouraged, dejected and frustrated this week, almost despairing. Moreover, this came after my usual "PMS of the year" (i.e. the first two weeks of February), which was a bit challenging and odd this year as well. Things are easing some at the moment, but...

I apologize for any inconvenience and aggravation this has caused. Things should be back to normal soon...Thank you!

---

Anyways, I hope to be at The Worship Freehouse, tonight. Some more details for those interested:

Imago Dei is an interactive worship installation hosted by the worship.freehouse on February 19th at 7:00 p.m.

It is the fusion of music, liturgy, art, and discussion as we explore the image of God in the first of a series of worship gatherings looking at our relationship with God, others, and our world.

We will be at a brand new location in the Refinery Art and Spirit Centre at 609 Dufferin Avenue (map). If you have never been there, it is right behind Victoria School, just off Broadway Avenue by five corners.

[via iowahawk, HT: FzxGkJssFrk Blogs Here]

Green Bay, WI - Like a pot of bratwurst left unattended at a Lambeau Field pregame party, simmering tensions in the strife-torn Midwest boiled over once again today as rioting mobs of green-and-gold clad youth and plump farm wives rampaged through Wisconsin Denny’s and IHOPs, burning Texas toast and demanding apologies and extra half-and-half.

The spark igniting the latest tailgate hibachi of unrest: a Texas newsletter's publication of caricatures of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.

Protestors demonstrated against the images throughout the Badger State yesterday, with violent egging and cow-tipping incidents reported in Oconomowac, Pewaukee, Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Antigo, Oshkosh, Waubeno, Wauwautosa, Waunewoc, Wyocena, Waubeka, and Washawonamowackapeepee.

Some of the most dramatic skirmishes were centered around Kenosha, where a mob of masked snowmobilers invaded the Texas Roadhouse on I-94, briefly holding the margarita machine hostage. They were later seen storming the beverage department at Woodman's, where they purchased several cases of Point and a pack of Merit menthols, and later at the Brat Stop classic rock/sausage outlet, where they were reported angrily "boogie-ing out" on air guitar to featured entertainment Molly Hatchett.

But by far the fiercest demonstration took place in Green Bay's Lambeau Shrine parking lot where throngs of Packer faithful burned Texas flags and effigies of Roger Staubach as Lutheran pastors led them in chants of "Those who defame the Vince suck" and "Favre is Great." Many of the frenzied demonstrators were seen ritualistically beating themselves with mozzarella sticks.

[via catholicnews.org]

DAR-ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA -- Latter Day Saints (LDS) across the world have reacted with mild irritation in response to a Tanzanian's newspaper editor's decision to run cartoons mocking the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' well-known genealogy service.

"This just isn't very nice," said Elder Adam Hunington, 19, of the cartoons that appeared in the online version of the Dar-Es-Salaam Express News. "This cartoon shows a man setting his computer on fire after having trouble finding his ancestors on our genealogy website. I've never found our genealogy service website to be that hard to maneuver. This cartoon seems a bit unfair to me."

Twelve cartoons of the Choir and genealogy service ran in the Dar-Es-Salaam Express News over the weekend. Editor Mfaume Wakil said he ran the contest to "shake things up a bit." "I don't think anyone was too upset over it, though," he said. "Although when I waved to a couple of Mormon missionaries this morning, they just biked on by and didn't wave back or smile. Maybe they are pouting a bit."

{read the rest}

Blessed are the cracked: for it is they who let in the light.--- Darren Friesen

We may have related experiences (which gives our compassion far more authenticity), but our imagination is limited as to sharing the actual experience of suffering any other individual person bears.

This distance, whether it be physical, psychological, or both, makes it so much easier to not love others as well as we love ourselves. And if we don’t love ourselves either, that would add a whole other dimension too!

[via daydreamer]

Picture: The Natural Condition of the Heart by The Reluctant Disciple

The Root Cause?

There is no such thing as a “root cause,” really, in the sense of going back to a beginning point where something happened without provocation. Every important thing that’s happened in history has, on some level, been a reaction to something else.

But I think a more basic assumption underlying this, and that is common in Western culture generally, is that power = freedom. If you have money, position, and influence, the thinking goes, you have more choices and alternatives than if you’re poor and downtrodden. Therefore you are more responsible for your own actions, and circumstances and outside influences don’t matter as much.

It seems commonsensical....there’s definitely a strain in modern thinking that connects sin with freedom. If anything, sinners seem freer than the righteous because they don’t bother obeying the rules, but do their own thing. And if it’s suspect in Christianity to gain power and wealth, but gaining those things brings you more freedom, well, what’s so freeing about Christ?

....I think the danger in envy is that, even in criticism, it colludes in the illusions of the powerful that they have obtained the best in life. The Gospel, however, says otherwise. They think they have power and freedom, but in reality they are pitiful slaves. And unless they see it like that, I doubt they will be interested in giving any of it up.

[via the musings and searchings of Camassia]

Ideals and Images

Let me stress that these reports include the obvious — that the hate speech linked to these cartoons is coming from Muslims who are often opposed by other Muslims. We are, yet again, seeing signs of fissures within the Islamic communities in these lands.

But it is also hard to ignore that the Islamists are actually saying. Who is talking about this being “a war”?

....I think editors are having trouble pinning “hate speech” labels on their meddia counterparts in Europe. Yet that means that the Islamists must be wrong. What to do? Who to blame? You know that legions of editorial-page editors are praying that Pat Robertson will say something amazing and bail them out.

[via Get Religion]

and in the comments...

I am perplexed by why we always have to equate this to the offensive actions against Christians. I know there is a double standard — no argument there. (I think this is what the pro-Danish groundswell is actually saying when they reprint the cartoons across Blogdom.)

I think the better argument is to say, “How can Muslims plead outrage and take offense when they are constantly guilty of attacking and denigrating the Jewish faith and people?”

To use the first argument is to defend all sacrilegious freedom of speech. “Since you already offend Christians, you might as well offend Muslims.”

To use the second argument shows the inherent double standard within Islam, which is more important than the tiresome double standard within the mainstream media.

--gsk