At the Feast

The table's set and round are seats
The food is piled very high
With many spices and special treats
The master bids come nigh.

But do you hear the voice inside?
The one that never lets you sleep?
The one that always whispers harsh,
And always prays your cell to keep?

Do you feel the heavy weight?
And wonder if it goes away?
Will it weigh you down for life,
Until the Lord returns again?

Is there an ache that you would lose?
A hole that leads so deep inside?
Do you think you could come out?
Or must you run away to hide?

When everything pulls you far away
And those you love you leave behind
Do you wonder what is right?
And do you worry that you were blind?

It is hard to trust sometimes
And it is hard to see
And still we will not reach out our hands
It's only me, me, me.

The way to peace is not through will
The way to hope is not through peace
What we want is at our hands
And all we need is at the feast.

On Friends, In Brief

As everyone knows, certain things are necessary for life. Things such as air, water, and food are actually necessary conditions for being alive. And of course we all know that certain other things are necessary for proper functioning as a human being... or do we know? Things such as friends, purpose, and rest seem to sometimes not be treated as if they were as important as they actually are. And then for the Christian, of course, there is another set of things that are necessary for them to grow and have peace (let alone happiness). Do we understand worship, fellowship, spiritual disciplines, or giving? I know that many Christians do and are happy for it. Let us back up a moment, though, and think a little more about something that everyone needs.

Have you ever known someone who really did not have any friends? These people often stand out as different and odd and sad (if you notice them). They seem different, odd, and sad because they may be a big number, but they are not a big percentage. Most people have friends. There is nothing rare or unusual about having a friend. Most people have friends because it is excruciating to live without them. The vilest villain does not usually want to be alone. The bible speaks about the importance of choosing your friends wisely, in part, because G-d knows that it is not good for people to be alone. People realize that it is not good to be alone themselves and they will put not being alone above other considerations (that they might not ought to). They would most often prefer bad company to no company (for long periods, that is). Many people in the United States, for example, have never in their whole lives been 72 hours away from all contact with other people. People really do intuitively know that they need other people.

So if there is nothing rare or unusual about having a friend to talk to- and certainly nothing rare about wanting to have a friend to talk to... why then does the phrase "I feel like I have no one to talk to come across many people's lips?" My heart goes out to people who feel alone- but they would do well to remember the necessity of friends. It is not hard to get friends, but it is important to choose your friends wisely. Remember Proverbs 1:15 and Psalm 1:1.

Presidential Election and Electability

The election is more than a year away and people are making predictions- I have some thoughts on this. If predictions can be made with any amount of accuracy this far out from the election- I think we either have a populace in agreement, or we have a problem. We do not have a united populace. Therefore we have a problem, or perhaps it really is too soon to tell. Now you may think that this is an either or fallacy, but that is what the comments are for. It is a long way from the election- people should not be using electability as a criterion in making your decision this far out. It is important to begin thinking about who you are going to vote for- and it is important to vote- but we should not be excluding canidates from the election because of "electability" at this stage in the game. If Mitt Romney wants to run for president, then let him run- don't worry about the fact that he is a Mormon. If you like Ron Paul but fear that you would be wasting your vote because no one has heard of him and he doesn't have a chance- stop worrying. Listen to his speeches. Talk to your friends about him. At this stage in the game, character, track-record, and political philosophy should be all that we as voters should be concerned with. Remember that the God who made the universe is still watching and is not slow as some reckon slowness.

Mad Men and Cultural Critique

I have been watching a new show about advertising executives in the 1960's that is surpisingly well written. Take this quote for instance:

"Kids today have no one to look up to... because they are looking up to us." - From episode 4 of the TV show Mad Men

Does every generation think that the new generation is going to be the last because they are not like them or their fathers? I wonder if we have it in us to step back and see what should and should not be a priority when we criticize a particular generation. Please feel free to discuss this amongst yourselves.

A Heart That Bides

In the rain and in the mud
Where flowers drown and beauty hides
I hear the slow and steady thud
Of a heart that holds its time to bide.

The heavy past is hard to bear
The clouds block out the sun
And when the moon is drenched in blood
It seems too hard to run.

I never thought a hope was here
And never thought this dearth would bare
But all things here are possible
And we ourselves are in His care.

At the Edge

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones."- Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)

Have you ever had a time in your life that was so full of hope and promise. A time that was full of learning and growth, a time where so many opportunities were coming together as if you were pregnant with hope- but then all of a sudden it all began to fall- and it wasn't necessarily falling quickly? Things were both oh so good, and oh so bad at the same time? Have you ever had a time in your life like that where you were not sure if it was all (and I mean all) going to be stripped away from you? You have to stop and ask yourself at times like these: what is the Lord doing? You have to ask yourself- how long Lord? Sometimes people burn brightest right before they burn out.

In times like these, when hurt comes easy, and your own sins and the sins of others come back to haunt you, when you wake with a groan and spend your time fending off despair, when everything seems like it is about to come together- or fall to pieces (and you do not know which), in these times I choose to remember something. If you ask yourself, "what is the Lord doing?" then you may begin to relax. The question reminds us of something- "the Lord". When you remember that Jesus Christ is Lord, the question takes on a different tone. The Lord is in charge; the Lord has authority. The Lord has power. The Lord is above you in all things. If you remember who is the servant and who is the master when you ask these questions- "what are you doing? How long oh Lord?" then you will be in an appropriate place to start to think about these things. Then you will be in an appropriate frame of mind to hear the answer.

"A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps." - Proverbs 16:19 (NKJV)

Name that quote

"I just figured if I was gonna change the world, I would do it with cookies."

The Secrets of Womens

For anyone interested I would like to point out that Sidwaya has a regular piece titled the secrets of women. There is a link to the news paper already on the right with some other news sources that I frequent. I just never noticed that they had those things available. When I stop laughing I may be able to read some more of the secrets and let you know whether or not they only apply to African women.

The Logical Path

Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, the current prime-minister of Iraq was quoted by the New York Times as saying something quite interesting. It was said in response to comments from Senator Clinton (quoted here from MSNBC.com) and Senator Levin.

Updated: 4:44 a.m. AKT Aug 23, 2007
NEW YORK - Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday the Iraqi Parliament should replace embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with a "less divisive and more unifying figure" to reconcile political and religious factions.

This is what al-Maliki said concerning the senator's comments:

But Mr. Maliki appeared to reach a new level of stridency with his reply to Senator Clinton, of New York, and Senator Levin, of Michigan. In remarks at a news briefing that referred to the senators by name, Mr. Maliki said they had spoken “as if Iraq is one of their cities.”
“Iraq is a sovereign country, and we will not allow anyone to talk about it as if it belongs to this country or that,” Mr. Maliki said. He added a phrase that could be translated as indicating that the senators ought to make sense again or should return to a logical path.

It is quite the thing to call for the removal of another country's politician of any rank. And here we have two of our own that sound to the whole world as if they have been called on doing just that. Do we really want to be in charge of the world, let alone think we are? Does Senator Clinton or Senator Levin really think it makes sense to speak publicly about their opinions on matters of staffing of foreign governments. I for one think that they have both abandoned the logical path. In so doing they have made the United States look very arrogant and ignorant. What I want to know is this- if you are going to accuse President Bush of making us look bad in foreign policy issues, why would you go and do the same thing? Hypocrisy is not the logical path.

Backwards and Broken

When you look at me like that
It Shakes me.
When I can see that you care,
in your eyes
It rattles my bones.
I lose my nerve under kindness
Like that in your eyes
I have to look away.
I am so used to harsh words
And harsh looks-
But I cannot look back
Not in your eyes, not when they are so kind
I do not want to look away
But I feel like you see inside me
And I am scared.
I feel exposed
Those who hate you cannot hurt you
Not nearly as much as those who care about you
And so if you care about me,
You can hurt me
And I am frightened
Like a child,
Because your eyes are so kind.

"...but God made me fast..."

I love to talk to people about God. I love to think about God. I love to meditate on God. I love to listen to other people speak about God. The study and contemplation of God fill me with something far beyond happiness. It is like a drug to me- only that seems far too cheap an explanation- and it is not a cheap thing.

When I was about eight years old I met a man named Rich. One day I asked him about Jesus and he kept answering my questions. It was amazing. Everytime he answered a question of mine I would ask him a question about his answer and he would answer that one, too. He took an eight-year-old boy seriously and answered all his questions. I felt something stirring in me then and that night I began to feel nauseous. I felt wicked and stubborn and guilty. I knew that I was an enemy of God. I knew I would not come to Him- but instead, He came to me. I knew that I would not choose Him- but instead He chose me. He opened my heart and took off the blinders from my eyes so that I could see. And when I could see, I became sick and I began to despair. I got down on my knees and I begged the Lord for mercy. I asked Him to come into my heart (I believe those were the words I chose at the time) and save me. I knew I needed to be saved. I asked Him to forgive me and take away my sins. My sins felt like a great weight upon me and I pleaded with the Lord to take them from me. I thought I would be overwhelmed and even killed. I was afraid once I could see myself a bit more like I really was. I was eight years old and I was afraid. A strange thing happened next, though- I was flooded with peace and assurance. I felt it in my bones. My skin tingled. I let out a sigh and I wept for so much- much of which I did not understand fully at the time. It was then that I first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ever since then, nothing has satisfied me except Christ. Whenever I have strayed away- nothing but misery has followed me. I was bought- and there will be no resale.

Now I know hope. Now I know truth. Now I know life. This is all I desire- to study and meditate upon it- and explain to others all that I have learned- to answer all their questions that God will allow me to answer.

Goodnight

The night is not good from where I sit
And though the story may end in glory
The night is not good from where I sit.

The night is not good from where I stand
And though it may be necessary
And though it may prove to be all the difference
Still, the night is not good from where I stand.

The night is not good from where I lie
And though I may not change the night
And though I may have hope for tomorrow-
Still, the night is not good from where I lie.

All those things I've overlooked
And all those things I've let pass by
Apparently are not enough
To let a man just feel.

They tell me not to be so ruled
As if feeling was being ruled
They tell me this in irony
For I told them the same long before- and they are much more guilty of it.

And in the night I call to Him
And there are only echoes here
And I will sit within this dark
But it is not a good thing here.

An angry response is not a poor response
A feeling is just a feeling
If you want one, you get them all
And if you don't want one- you don't care- you don't want any.

The night is not good from where I sit
And though the story may end in glory
And though I may know and believe it well
Still, the night is not good from where I sit.

I want you to stop. Take a deep breath. Now, I want you to remember. A lot has happened. It may take awhile. It has not always been clear. Relax now, and remember what has transpired. Remember the good. Remember the bad. Think about what has happened. Remember...

The World And The Glass

The song, "ain't no sunshine when she's gone" is interesting if you take it seriously- which of course the songwriter most likely never intended. Seriously though, what does trust do to your attitude?

On Value Judgments

I have been thinking about some things lately. I have been wondering about the way people formulate longer arguments. It seems telling to read what a person making a case for something expects to encounter in the way of objections. I think you can sometimes learn more from how people frame the discussion than you sometimes learn from the argument itself. People do not seem to realize how much information they give up in the way they frame a discussion or argument. You tell people so much in the way you dscribe an issue. You often tell them what you think before you even get into the details of your argument. That becomes problematic if you are trying to have an "open" discussion. When you state your case- you can give away your "position" that you supposedly don't have yet because you are waiting to hear the other side. Such is life, though.

A Hard Swim To Save My Life

I did not think the sun would rise
And now I sit in darkness here
I did not think the moon would shine
And now I see the truth of fear.

I left the place I wanted most
Because I could not see the shore
And in that rocky vessel host
I began to want no more.

You were there and I have jumped
And swim like mad for the distant coast
And though I'm very tired now
I could not find a way to patch the boat.

Sink well beloved
I pray you find
The answers to that
Which you left behind.

The North Face, or Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen

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Don't ever call The North Face. This is not even one of the bad calls. I didn't even get put on hold or have to actually talk to someone who didn't want to help me. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Harry Potty?

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This is the culmination of an important round table discussion on Harry Potter and society. I think you will find it gripping.

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