Evanescence - My Immortal (Live)

Refuge

"In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth" (Psalm 31:1-5). Amen.

The Meeting Place of Two Eternities

"You and I are standing this very second at the meeting-place of two eternities: the vast past that has endured for ever, and the future that is plunging on to the last syllable of recorded time. We can't possibly live in either of those eternities-no, not even for one split second. But, by trying to do so, we can wreck both our bodies and our minds. So let's be content to live the only time we can possibly live: from now until bedtime.' Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall,' wrote Robert Louis Stevenson. 'Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all that life really means.' " Dale Carnegie

May I have the strength and the wisdom to live for today, to embrace the gifts of this day and to make today all it can be.  No matter what is happening in my life, I want to choose life and love and joy.  All I can control is my choices day to day, moment to moment. God give me what I need to make the best choices I can for this day.

I still see the beauty of life all around me and I choose to embrace that.

"The Beauties of the Past"

"Nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love.  It is nonsense to say that God fills the gap; He doesn't fill it, but on the contrary, He keeps it empty and so helps us to keep alive our former communication with each other, even at the cost of pain. The dearer and richer our memories, the more difficult the separation.  But gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.  The beauties of the past are borne, not as a thorn in the flesh, but as a precious gift in themselves."

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Just thinkin'....

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.”


Stuart Chase

I would imagine this quote would cause most people to think of religious beliefs. It was the first thing I thought of when I read it.  And, I think it is true in regard to religious beliefs. But, then it got me thinking....

I think that concept is true no matter what we might believe in.  Whether we believe in a person, a thought, a feeling, a value, a relationship, etc.....

As human beings, we tend to find reasons to believe what we want to believe.  We tend to look for the "proof" to back up what we want.  And, if we believe in something or someone strongly enough, we not only don't need "proof", we may even choose to overlook "proof" that would oppose our belief.

Many people make many life altering choices this way.  In reality, they are making the choices based on what they want, rather than any real "proof".

The same things hold true for when we don't want to believe something. 

Have you ever noticed that when talking to someone who has "dug in their heels" on an issue, no "proof" or logical argument will sway them?  Why is that?  You could make the most convincing argument on the face of the earth and it will make no difference. 

It is our human will.  We want what we want. If we don't want to believe in something, or someone, we just won't do it.  All the "proof" in the world won't matter.

The bottom line is that we have choices about these things.

I think we just need to be honest about our human will, longings, desires, and "wants".  If we make choices based on those things, we may be overlooking important factors we don't want to see.  That can be hard to face.

But, then again....most things that seem really important in life are usually hard.  But worth it.

"You are Safe"

What does the voice of fear


whisper to you?


Fear speaks to you


in logic and reason.


It assumes the language


of love itself.


Fear tells you,


"I want to make you safe."


Love says,


"You are safe."



Emmanuel from his book: Emmanuel's Book II

How rare and precious it is if we are blessed enough to find love in which we are truly safe.  That is true love.  And love to be treasured and protected.

I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

"Addiction is the most powerful psychic enemy of humanity's desire for God," says Gerald May in Addiction and Grace.

Addiction.  Most people think of this in terms of alcohol and drugs.  Those are powerful addictions many people battle.  But, there are so many forms of addiction that are equally powerful and hold people in equally destructive bondage.

People become addicted to their own selfish desires.  People become addicted to a chemical "rush" in their brain when they are pursuing those desires.  People become addicted to "ideas" of what they think will fix them, make them happy, create some kind of magical solution to the struggles they face.  Once that addiction takes hold, there is no logic or reason that will convince them otherwise.

Just as a person addicted to alcohol or drugs needs to abstain completely from these substances in order to be able to free themselves from the psychological, emotional, physical, and biochemical nature of the addiction, so does a person addicted to their own selfish desires.  Without completely giving oneself adequate time to be in total abstinence from these things, that person will do almost anything, including destroying themselves and others, in order to get that next "hit".

And, this, the pursuing of oneself above all else, takes that person further and further from God, from the Creator.  Placing oneself first is the opposite of what most forms of spirituality teach.  There is a reason for that.  It is spiritually unhealthy to do so.  And, it tends to lead us into self destructive choices. It ultimately destroys the desire for God, the desire to honour a power greater than oneself.

Sadly, there is no greater bondage than that.

It is my prayer today that those bound by such addictions can have the strength and support they need to remove themselves from those situations.  May we all find the courage to examine ourselves in this area and set our priorities in line with what our Creator would have us do.  Amen.