Thursday, February 17, 2011

Galatians 3

"But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith."
-Galatians 3:13-14


Life feels so meaningful and worthless at the same time.
How can things matter and not matter at the same time?
What does it mean to be loved?
What does it mean to love in this world?

Everything and nothing.
Something and sometimes.

Through it all, You have been steadfast and here.
You carried this broken mess of my life.
Time and time again.
You clean up my messes.
When I fall apart You are here to hold me.

Thank you seems so shallow and inappropriate.
Thank you for this breath of air.
Feeling grace in such a real way.
Knowing I am loved for being me.

Thank you.
Again and again.
I ache and cry, the pain and falling, living and dying.
Thank You.
Again and again.
Such wonder, such beauty.
Please help me learn how to love.
If you say that is how we can and will overcome.
Who am I to argue?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Yeah...I am such a fool.
Nothing new there though...

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sometimes...I simply have to wonder at how blazenly stupid I can be.

I think I may have just coined a new phrase with blazen.

Oie.

Why do I bother with such pointless and meaningless gestures and words when none of it will ever be returned in the slightest?

Plus side...maybe I'm getting better and the pressure and gunk in my chest will leave sooner than later.

So exhausted, so all over the place...so drained.

I wish my soul, heart and mind were lest apt to care...much less over such stupid and trivial means...
"Tell me the reality is better than the dream
But I've found out the hard way
Nothing is what it seems

I push my fingers into my eyes
It's the only thing that slowly stops the ache
But it's made of all the things I have to take
Jesus it never ends, it works it's way inside
If the pain goes on, I'm not gonna make it"

Friday, February 11, 2011

"You say you'll give me a highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night
You say you'll give me eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbour in the tempest
But all the promises we make from the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You say you want your love to work out right
To last with me through the night
You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold
All the promises we break from the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You
All I want is you"

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Quote of the Day:

"God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility, namely, real human beings, the real world, this is for God the ground of unfathomable love."
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Learning to Pray...Again, Again and Again

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
-Soren Kierkegaard

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord."
-Psalm 40:1-3



Prayer, like faith or love, is something I have trouble defining and putting into exact words. The more time I spend in the arts, the more ways I find of expressing prayer in means I never would have thought possible.

It is not the means or method in which we pray that matters... but whatever allows one to express themselves. I believe that worship can be in the small acts of living out our lives, enjoying the world and gifts we are given. Music, poetry, painting, singing and the other arts are means of expressing this otherwise inexpressible prayer of the soul.

"And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will."
-Romans 8:26-27

In ways I think the Holy Spirit acts as the fabled Muse in inspiring, pushing and otherwise moving us in ways we never would have found possible. There is such a divine miracle in every day life...that if we show up, do our best and work hard...wrestle, struggle and force our creative sides to engage...such beautiful and wonderful things can happen.

Because of health problems I find it a struggle to be able to kneel for long stretches of time (to kneel is a symbol and a powerful symbol that I feel is just as important as the exchanging of rings for a marriage) but if nothing else I try above else to make sure my heart and soul are kneeling.

Honesty is of the utmost importance in art but so much more in praying.

I will never begin to understand those who think that lying or pretending everything is fine is somehow normal. God knows the innermost of your heart and it may just be my odd way of seeing things...but I feel the need to be brutally honest. I have thrown more than a few swearing temper tantrum at God and I dare say it is better to yell at God than whisper plastic platitudes which mean nothing to you or Him.

For the Christian, we have this connection, this intimate communion with God that goes beyond words. When Jesus spoke of "drinking his blood" and "eating his flesh" and about the wine and bread...there is some supernatural intimacy going on that defies our understanding and logic.

Christianity goes beyond trying to earn a place on a cloud with a harp with good deeds and avoiding cursing, drinking, dancing and sex (grace, grace, grace) but there is this divine madness where God chases after the sinners and those who know how screwed up they are and says He loves them, He loves you and wants you to stop flailing about and stay still and let Him love on you, care for you and help you become something more.

I do not want to sound arrogant in my speech but having seen with my eyes, heard with my ears and felt the overflow of love and grace spread from my soul to every inch of my body...there is a God madly in love with a world full of thieves, tax collectors, prostitutes, traitors and those who are too self righteous for their own good.

We act as though we are doing God a favor by going to church, reading the Bible or praying at all...but it is God who is never too proud to chase after us and let us cry ourselves out and finally just give up so He can take care of us.




It's strange because I pray so often for relief from pain, nausea, the pins and needle numbness, my ever increasing horrible memory, insomnia, anxiety, depression, fear...I pray, cry and am so frustrated because it never seems things are happening fast enough...healing doesn't come and some days it feels that I am just getting worse and the best thing I can do is just lay down and hold my breath while waiting to die just like Jonah did.

Maybe the fibromyalgia is my whale.

God is thankfully never too proud to let us learn the hard way or let us go through trials so we can grow. Growing is painful, so excruciating but God is the type who never leaves things half finished and as long as we have breath than our lives have meaning and need to be lived.

I want to see the big picture but I am not sure it would help because at the end of 'the day I pray and I hear that 'still small voice' saying: "I love you."

That love is a gift to give back to God, give to others and most important a love I have to learn to give to myself.

Prayer is sort of a circle.
A bit like learning to make the motions of accepting and giving love...so maybe we can stop trying to hurt one another and take care of each other.

If you read this, chances are I pray for you.
You are loved.
So loved, even if you struggle to love yourself at all.

God loves you, loves you more than you will ever have the faith or capacity to grasp...and loves you so much that He never will let you stay where you are when there is a life to live...and no matter how dark the night is, there is a dawn coming, light so bright that it will chase away every shadow and...


"I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”"
-Revelation 21:3-5

Isolation in the Sick Ward

Assuming my brain doesn't actually explode and I'm stuck with all this crap to take care of...which I don't know how to do, or what to do...

Panic.
What am I supposed to do?

Careers.
Marriage.
Families.

And I lay here crying because of how bad this migraine and the fibromyalgia hurts.
I read and see about genocide, war, homelessness. starvation, disease...so much screwed up in this world...I want to, I need to do something but don't know where to start.

So I feel guilt for the things I can't do and self hate for being so sick and unable to do everything.

This is almost as bad as China was...except without some of the more...'fun' bits...

I'm a world away from all the expectations and feel like I'm just going to keep falling down this hole.

It matters.
I matter.
Trying matters.
I just...pray and hope I till can stand.

I have all the answers.
And now I have nothing.
Nothing except the dark and my fragile ego and fears.
God.
I am in so much freaking pain.
What do I do?
It is so hard to make it to class.
I feel such guilt.
On top of feeling so much pain.

What can I do?
Do the tears matter at all?
Pain, so much pain.
"As I lay me down
I confess
I'm a fool for You
no more, no less"

Monday, February 7, 2011

Galatians 2

"Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law."
-Galatians 2:16


I have to stop and ask...what is the point?
Why do I bother to read scripture?
Why do I pray?
Why do I pray for myself, for this family of believers around me?
Why do I pray for others to see Jesus?
Why do I pray for health?
Why do I walk the path of celibacy and have taken vows of additional personal morality of things that are not emphasized in scripture, yet I feel strongly about?


"I was born
I was born to sing for you 

I didn't have a choice
But to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry
It was a joyful noise
Oh, oh

Only love
Only love can leave such a mark

But only love
Only love can heal such a scar


Justified till we die
You and I will magnify

Oh, the magnificent

Magnificent"

I have seen beauty in suffering.
I have found grace in a gutter when I was laying down, incapable of breathing from the pain...and here I stand today.

This is not about myself, not that I advocate or think God doesn't care and the individual is meaningless, but I do not want to advocate Matthew or a line of theology that is *mine*.

I have seen, felt...experienced what it means to be loved by Jesus...what it means to be forgiven and have this burden I place on myself lifted.

So quick, so fast I am to place large and unessential and unnecessary burdens on myself...and for what? What goal? What purpose?


*****
****
***
**
*

My life are those marks and they are quickly counting down and counting out.
Life is spinning out of control and will end soon.

I want to feel this electricity of grace coursing through my veins, I want to feel this energy and put it to work. Not keep the love inside, keep the love for me...but pour it out, let my life be emptied and let the grace of God be seen...no matter the cost, no matter the pain.

If Jesus can somehow take this broken shell and use it, make something so impossibly beautiful, than he can do anything at all.

I have faith that this pain, this suffering my Father, my Lord, my God, my Abba, my Daddy...I have faith that this isn't in vain, that I am not suffering and will die alone. Even in my darkest moments where I have cursed You, You have drawn closer to me.

Divine madman.
You are.
But so wonderful.
So frightening, so powerful...but such Love.

A Few Glimpses of Gallifrey:

http://bug-eye.deviantart.com/art/Gallifrey-172671252?q=boost%3Apopular%20gALLIFREY&qo=131

http://amras-arfeiniel.deviantart.com/art/Gallifrey-174233976?q=boost%3Apopular%20gALLIFREY&qo=18

http://aerindarkwater.deviantart.com/art/Gallifrey-desktop-163365162?q=boost%3Apopular%20gALLIFREY&qo=15

http://evionn.deviantart.com/art/Gallifrey-lights-84928349?q=boost%3Apopular%20gALLIFREY&qo=20
"He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe. And... he's wonderful."

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Quote of the Day:

"If you two could put your weight on the door and stop the it from opening too suddenly, I don't want to loose my arm. I'm rather attached to it and it is so handy"
-The Fourth Doctor
Such a strange but wonderful time.
Never know what to expect with life.
In spite of my cynical self...life can be wonderful and beautiful.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Galatians 1:10-12

"Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ."
-Galatians 1:10-12


The question that has to be asked...at one point did it seem like conformity was the right path?

I suppose there is the danger of being so obsessed with avoiding conformity that there is this accidental bastardization that comes about by trying to avoid conformity...

My faith seems so sure...but then is it faith when all certainties are accounted for? I struggle with trusting such a powerful, all consuming God who seems obsessed with the impossible and implausible...because I...am so weak, so weak and tired. Sleep does never refresh me...and I am afraid I am in such a downward spiral.

Abby, Daddy...I am so weak, my health so frail...and these faith rises up in me when I have nothing, nothing left...I am so weak, so exhausted. I do not care about cliches, about the world to come because right now...this very minute, I am hurting, I am so weak...so tired.

"Too weak to wonder,
too tired to care,
Jesus Christ, are you really there?
I've fallen down,
Can't pull myself back up.
I'm going to drown, have mercy,
Have mercy.

I need you now,
Not words or a feeling.
But Jesus Christ,
I've hit the ceiling."

I don't care what they say, what they write...everything is coming to a climax with You as the sole reason for living...even this broken body of mine is Yours for whatever glory it can be given.

Please do not let me reduce you to a series of tests, a formula and loose what it means to have You be my Daddy, my Love, my reason, my being...everything I could ever dare dream to hope to see...to feel...to pray and want to know.

I suppose like Mary...I want...not I need to hide these words in my heart, to feel your love anew each day...I love You, even though I ache and want to scream until I am hoarse. I need You, I need You so much especially when I am hurting so bad and feel so weak...

Please, please, please do not tarry my Love, hurry and rescue me from the limb I got myself stuck on. I blame all on You when so much is my fault...I pass the blame but never the guilt and get myself stuck in cycles...

Thank you, thank you for love...such uncompromising grace and mercy that carries me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
A million times again and again.
Such beauty, such wonder.
Such terror and such hope.
Jesus Christ,
everything I am
and pressing me to overcome
everything I am not.
"I believe there'll come a day
Maybe it will be tomorrow
When the bluebird flies away
All we have to do is follow
I believe a dream can still come true
Why shouldn't I believe the same in you?

You may say I'm a fool
Feeling the way that I do
I believe in friends and laughter
And the wonders love can do
I believe in songs and magic
And that's why I believe in you

You may say I'm a fool
Feeling this way about you
There's not much I can do
I'm gonna be this way my life through
Because I still believe in miracles
I swear I've seen a few
And the time will surely come
When you can see my point of view
I believe in second chances
And that's why I believe in you"
"I've been in every black hole
At the altar of the dark star
My body's now a begging bowl
That's begging to get back
Begging to get back to my heart
To the rhythm of my soul
To the rhythm of my unconsciousness
To the rhythm that yearns
To be released from control

I was punching in the numbers
At the ATM machine
I could see in the reflection
A face staring back at me
At the moment of surrender
Of vision over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

I was speeding on the subway
Through the stations of the cross
Every eye looking every other way
Counting down 'til the pain will stop

At the moment of surrender
Of vision of over visibility
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me"

Quote of the Day:

"I want neither a terrorist spirituality that keeps me in a perpetual state of fright about being in right relationship with my heavenly Father nor a sappy spirituality that portrays God as such a benign teddy bear that there is no aberrant behavior or desire of mine that he will not condone. I want a relationship with the Abba (Aramaic for "Daddy") of Jesus, who is infinitely compassionate with my brokenness and at the same time an awesome, incomprehensible, and unwieldy Mystery."
—Brennan Manning

Friday, February 4, 2011

I try to smile.
But sometimes the pain is too real and too much.
Sometimes it is my stomach or my back...or conversing with...

I sometimes wish I was born so I wouldn't feel so strongly.
But...that would mean I was not me.

I want to make You proud.
And...I can make her smile and laugh even in the awkward times...so that is something.
Right?

Thursday, February 3, 2011

As annoying as some people are...setting them on fire would simply be a waste of perfectly good fire.

Quote of the Day:

"That is so bloody typical of this galaxy. I finally get my daughter back and now you tell me we're all about to be blown to pieces in four minutes."
-Arthur Dent, "And Another Thing"
"you and me
we're in this together now
none of them can stop us now
we will make it through somehow
you and me
even after everything
you're the queen and I'm the king
nothing else means anything"

I sometimes have to wonder why I think so much of marriage and family.

I'm in no position to even start that stuff...even if I had someone I could trust, someone to open my soul to...that wouldn't just use me and toss me aside.

What does it matter?
I can't define myself by actions, titles or people...
It is who I am in the light of eternity and the end...


"Now I am somewhere I am not supposed to be,
and I can see things I know I really shouldn't see
And now I know why, now, now, now I know why
Things aren't as pretty
On the inside"


I want to be like Paul, being content in any situation.
But I'm shallow.
In ways I am coming to grips with that...but I don't want to be content with mediocrity...and be changed by the patterns I hate.

Who am I?
I feel as if I am being torn into several pieces...all of them having to be me...forced to be various shades of...so many, many things.

I know I am me.
That should be enough but I worry.
I forget who God is...and what it means to be loved and faithful.

It's a struggle to find balance.
I just...

Words, so many many words.
Endless words.
Circles and figures.
Pain and so much and so little.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

"With Pollyanna" - Bill Eager



Yeah.
Freaking infectiously happy.
But I want to use this as refrain in writing a story...obviously EarthBound/Mother and Chrono Trigger inspired...just like everything else I write...but maybe this time it will be the best story I can write.

Just.
Maybe.

Thank you Jesus.