8/31/2010
F.A.I.T.H. Team
Okay, FAITH Team is basically an evangelism program that my church participates in. We learn a certain outline called F.A.I.T.H. which is an acronym that stands for Forgiveness, Available, Impossible, Turn and Heaven; and includes Bible quotes all which point to the Gospel message. We go out on visits in teams of three to various neighborhoods and people in our community, sometimes even in different nearby towns. We have ministry visits, evangelistic visits and "welcome wagon" visits. There are two "semesters" of Faith Team a year and each lasts for 12 weeks. This is my 5th time doing Faith and I am trying to report about my visits for each week during this semester...
Week 1: went to four houses, but no one at home (or at least no one answered the door)
Week 2: Got in some good visits. We were able to speak to a mother who seemed very interested in our church. Her daughter went to VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church in the summer. She said that she was baptized at 15, but she gave a rather "works" answer when we gave her the F.A.I.T.H. outline.
Week 3: first we visited a family that comes to our church very often (though they are not yet members) that is in a serious situation as the wife/mother has a serious medical condition, and we were just stopping by to say hi, they were happy to see us, and actually the previous week whilst we were out making visits we saw the husband running and he flagged us down saying how he would like to see us hoping we would stop by soon so we did in fact stop by this week; we will probably go back and visit them in about a month; as for the rest of our visits tonight, well each team was assigned to a certain street in our area to go door knocking and promote the Back To Church Sunday event that our church is participating in which is on september 12th, we were able to pass out a few books to people about rediscovering church; got some sweat happening as we had to walk up a lot of steep street and driveways and steps on that street lol and it's still hot here this time of year very humid not very many mosquitos out tho so yh but anyway overall a good night, praise God
Week 1: went to four houses, but no one at home (or at least no one answered the door)
Week 2: Got in some good visits. We were able to speak to a mother who seemed very interested in our church. Her daughter went to VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church in the summer. She said that she was baptized at 15, but she gave a rather "works" answer when we gave her the F.A.I.T.H. outline.
Week 3: first we visited a family that comes to our church very often (though they are not yet members) that is in a serious situation as the wife/mother has a serious medical condition, and we were just stopping by to say hi, they were happy to see us, and actually the previous week whilst we were out making visits we saw the husband running and he flagged us down saying how he would like to see us hoping we would stop by soon so we did in fact stop by this week; we will probably go back and visit them in about a month; as for the rest of our visits tonight, well each team was assigned to a certain street in our area to go door knocking and promote the Back To Church Sunday event that our church is participating in which is on september 12th, we were able to pass out a few books to people about rediscovering church; got some sweat happening as we had to walk up a lot of steep street and driveways and steps on that street lol and it's still hot here this time of year very humid not very many mosquitos out tho so yh but anyway overall a good night, praise God
8/29/2010
Good, Clean Comedy
I've just been listening to some old clips from Bill Cosby stand-ups. Man that stuff is funny and it's good, clean funny. Not that garbage "comedy" that is loaded with filthy language and perversion. One of the best things a person can do is laugh to something that is okay to laugh to. I love it!
8/25/2010
I firmly believe that a person's possessions, money, property, etc. belongs to that person and no one on principle has the right to tell them what to do with it or to force them to give it away just so that others can have a piece of the pie. I think that is wrong and that is what I'm talking about.
The early church written of in the book of Acts gave out of their generosity because God had been generous to them. They were not forced into giving to each other by some ruling dictate, they were each choosing to give out of the generosity of their hearts as they each felt compelled. Which is also my point in Acts 5 when the Apostle Peter states that it was Ananias's property and he could do whatever he wanted with it. He confronted Ananias because he lied about giving, not because he didn't give. There are numerous other Scripture references that I can think of that show it is not that we should be forced into giving and sharing equally, but that every person should decide for himself as he pleases what he/she wants to do with their own possessions. They should want to be so generous, but not forced to do it against their will. But, talking about the early church isn't exactly the same as talking about a civil, national government.
But, what exactly are we talking about here? What is socialism and how does it work, what are the advantages and disadvantages? Now talking about socialism can get very complicated, as there are different types of socialism and there's a difference between economic socialism and political socialism or national socialism. I've even heard the term democratic socialism. It's all good when everyone is getting something, but, the point that I've been trying to get at this whole time is that a system in which the government controls all businesses/companies is a system that is limiting personal freedom. The little guy gets brought up but the big guy gets shrunk down so that everyone is exactly at the same level. How is that fair? Is it not more fair to have equal opportunities, but to get what you actually earn? A system in which those who have more money by their own merits are forced into giving to those who have little money by their own merits is not fair. And a system in which those who are successful by their own merit have to be limited so that those who aren't by their own merit can be at the same level is not fair either. In society the majority people need to vote to agree to make things a certain way not be forced into it by a few elite.
It's the whole thing about limiting personal freedom, succession and property that I dislike. I don't want the government to end up controlling everything, especially a person's own property. I am against greed and I do not like people being robbed of their money and I do not like people being denied opportunities just because they're poor or something like that. But, is that because the system has failed or because people are corrupt? How does someone become poor or lose out on something, for example? If it's because they're being robbed of something or being discriminated against then yes of course that is wrong and that corruption needs to end. But, if it's of their own background or doing then that's their personal issue and other people shouldn't have to be forced to compensate for that. Everyone should have equal opportunities, but get something based on their own merits, their own work.
So what are we really against here? A corruption in the way things are being run or people being poor, for example? Is everyone supposed to make good money or make good grades in school and if they don't because that's just not happening then everyone else has to compensate for that? It doesn't make sense. It makes it seem like everyone is supposed to be living in some sort of Utopian state ideal or trying to do whatever it takes to make that happen and if it's not happening the bigger guy will get robbed - so to speak - in order to make that happen. That's as unfair and corrupt as the little guy getting robbed just because he's the little guy. But the reality is that not everyone is equal, not everyone has the same abilities, talents, connections, backgrounds, upbringings, beliefs, opportunities for whatever reasons. Everyone should have the right to make their own choices and have their own possessions as they please and give as they please.
When I think about the state of the nation, or even the world, and how corrupted and messed up it is, I feel a sense of hopelessness (not completely but somewhat) as if it is so bad that it's so hard to imagine that it can truly be fixed. There is hope, but I feel like there has to be such a major change and I don't know what it's going to take for people to make all of this happen. And it's not going to happen by constantly flip-flopping between political parties hoping that party will bring the "real change" whenever there's an election, because the problems always seem to be the same and they're never truly fixed no matter what party is in charge. I don't think that looking to the government to solve all our needs is the answer, but that to truly change things it all needs to start with turning to God primarily and I also think we as Americans need to get back to basics, get back to what our Founding Fathers intended for this nation.
The early church written of in the book of Acts gave out of their generosity because God had been generous to them. They were not forced into giving to each other by some ruling dictate, they were each choosing to give out of the generosity of their hearts as they each felt compelled. Which is also my point in Acts 5 when the Apostle Peter states that it was Ananias's property and he could do whatever he wanted with it. He confronted Ananias because he lied about giving, not because he didn't give. There are numerous other Scripture references that I can think of that show it is not that we should be forced into giving and sharing equally, but that every person should decide for himself as he pleases what he/she wants to do with their own possessions. They should want to be so generous, but not forced to do it against their will. But, talking about the early church isn't exactly the same as talking about a civil, national government.
But, what exactly are we talking about here? What is socialism and how does it work, what are the advantages and disadvantages? Now talking about socialism can get very complicated, as there are different types of socialism and there's a difference between economic socialism and political socialism or national socialism. I've even heard the term democratic socialism. It's all good when everyone is getting something, but, the point that I've been trying to get at this whole time is that a system in which the government controls all businesses/companies is a system that is limiting personal freedom. The little guy gets brought up but the big guy gets shrunk down so that everyone is exactly at the same level. How is that fair? Is it not more fair to have equal opportunities, but to get what you actually earn? A system in which those who have more money by their own merits are forced into giving to those who have little money by their own merits is not fair. And a system in which those who are successful by their own merit have to be limited so that those who aren't by their own merit can be at the same level is not fair either. In society the majority people need to vote to agree to make things a certain way not be forced into it by a few elite.
It's the whole thing about limiting personal freedom, succession and property that I dislike. I don't want the government to end up controlling everything, especially a person's own property. I am against greed and I do not like people being robbed of their money and I do not like people being denied opportunities just because they're poor or something like that. But, is that because the system has failed or because people are corrupt? How does someone become poor or lose out on something, for example? If it's because they're being robbed of something or being discriminated against then yes of course that is wrong and that corruption needs to end. But, if it's of their own background or doing then that's their personal issue and other people shouldn't have to be forced to compensate for that. Everyone should have equal opportunities, but get something based on their own merits, their own work.
So what are we really against here? A corruption in the way things are being run or people being poor, for example? Is everyone supposed to make good money or make good grades in school and if they don't because that's just not happening then everyone else has to compensate for that? It doesn't make sense. It makes it seem like everyone is supposed to be living in some sort of Utopian state ideal or trying to do whatever it takes to make that happen and if it's not happening the bigger guy will get robbed - so to speak - in order to make that happen. That's as unfair and corrupt as the little guy getting robbed just because he's the little guy. But the reality is that not everyone is equal, not everyone has the same abilities, talents, connections, backgrounds, upbringings, beliefs, opportunities for whatever reasons. Everyone should have the right to make their own choices and have their own possessions as they please and give as they please.
When I think about the state of the nation, or even the world, and how corrupted and messed up it is, I feel a sense of hopelessness (not completely but somewhat) as if it is so bad that it's so hard to imagine that it can truly be fixed. There is hope, but I feel like there has to be such a major change and I don't know what it's going to take for people to make all of this happen. And it's not going to happen by constantly flip-flopping between political parties hoping that party will bring the "real change" whenever there's an election, because the problems always seem to be the same and they're never truly fixed no matter what party is in charge. I don't think that looking to the government to solve all our needs is the answer, but that to truly change things it all needs to start with turning to God primarily and I also think we as Americans need to get back to basics, get back to what our Founding Fathers intended for this nation.
the importance of personal freedom and individuality
everyone needs to be their own individual and make their own choices, a person shouldn't be forced into this or into that; i'm not talking about a person going out and committing certain crimes which harm others, but when a person is forced to give to another against their will that is wrong, or when a person is forced to limit their abilities so that others can keep up, or when a person is forced to adhere to certain beliefs rather than by choice than that is wrong, which is why God gives us the choice of whether or not to believe in Him, we must not ever forsake the personal freedom of choice, whether we believe that person is right or wrong, people need to be able to be genuine
The way I approach that as a Christian in this world is that primarily I try to be a good influence in my behavior and lifestyle hoping that others will see how I live my Christian faith out in my life, through prayer, at certain times actually speaking to people about God in some way that I feel led to even if it's just something small, participating in an evangelism group connected through my church, inviting someone to church or some kind of church activity and through other things like Gospel tracts or other Christian material. I also have two blogs on the Internet and I often write about God on Facebook, as most of my posts have to deal with that.
Through all of that I am not forcing anyone to believe what I believe. And you cannot actually make someone believe something they don't want to believe anyway because you can't control that aspect of them and we are not meant to either. I am only displaying to them what I believe and inviting them. And I try to not make anyone feel pushed, just that I'm putting it out there for them.
I try to live my faith out in my life as it is really my whole life because when you put God #1 in your life then everything revolves around Him, not you or anything else. It's all about Him and you allow Him to lead you, guide you in your everyday life through the Holy Spirit inside you and through His Words in the Bible. That doesn't mean that you spend 24/7 praying or in church. It means that you are putting His desires, His will, His word, His principles, His plans for your life as #1 and then living that out day by day. Sometimes we go off course and sin which we should repent of and we can know that God forgives us through Jesus, or sometimes we might do things that aren't bad but it's just not what God has planned for you, and we need to get on the right course. When we say that God is our Lord, that means that He rules our life, He is the master of our life, we are His servants. We make our own choices, as He has given us personal freedom ("free will"), but it's all meant to be in line with His will, His principles.
The way I approach that as a Christian in this world is that primarily I try to be a good influence in my behavior and lifestyle hoping that others will see how I live my Christian faith out in my life, through prayer, at certain times actually speaking to people about God in some way that I feel led to even if it's just something small, participating in an evangelism group connected through my church, inviting someone to church or some kind of church activity and through other things like Gospel tracts or other Christian material. I also have two blogs on the Internet and I often write about God on Facebook, as most of my posts have to deal with that.
Through all of that I am not forcing anyone to believe what I believe. And you cannot actually make someone believe something they don't want to believe anyway because you can't control that aspect of them and we are not meant to either. I am only displaying to them what I believe and inviting them. And I try to not make anyone feel pushed, just that I'm putting it out there for them.
I try to live my faith out in my life as it is really my whole life because when you put God #1 in your life then everything revolves around Him, not you or anything else. It's all about Him and you allow Him to lead you, guide you in your everyday life through the Holy Spirit inside you and through His Words in the Bible. That doesn't mean that you spend 24/7 praying or in church. It means that you are putting His desires, His will, His word, His principles, His plans for your life as #1 and then living that out day by day. Sometimes we go off course and sin which we should repent of and we can know that God forgives us through Jesus, or sometimes we might do things that aren't bad but it's just not what God has planned for you, and we need to get on the right course. When we say that God is our Lord, that means that He rules our life, He is the master of our life, we are His servants. We make our own choices, as He has given us personal freedom ("free will"), but it's all meant to be in line with His will, His principles.
The driver, the convict and the skydiver. What do they all have in common?
1. The Driver
A driver was once stopped by a police officer. He was a good driver and as far ashe knew he had done nothing wrong.The police officer said, “I pulled you over because you were going 60 through a school zone. There were ten warning signs that the speed limit was 15 and you ignored them all.” Just like the driver had ten warning signs, God has given us ten clear warning signs in the Bible. They are called the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie, stolen something or used God’s name as a cussword? If you’re like me the answer is ‘yes’. Listen to what the Bible says:
• Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10 God is saying that by breaking one Commandment we have sinned and will be held accountable for breaking all of them, including adultery and murder.
• God’s judgment for our sin is death. (Banishment to hell because He will not allow sin in His presence). Romans 6:23a
If the story ends here, there is no hope for us…
2. The Convict
An innocent man approached a judge and volunteered to be executed in the place of a convicted murderer. The judge consented. The next day the judge told the convict he had adecision to make.“An innocent man has been put to death in your place. If you will accept his payment for your crime, you are free to go. If you will not accept his payment, you will be executed for your crime. Which do you choose?” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sinless but voluntarily gave his life to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. (God’s judgment for our sinis death). Three days later he rose from the dead.
• God showed his great love for us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
• The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23b
As a result of Jesus’ death in your place, you have two choices: Receive both God’s pardon for your sins and eternal life by repenting (sensing your sinfulness and desiring to turn from it) and placing your trust in the Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21) OR Reject both God’s pardon for your sins and eternal life by trusting in anyone or anything other than Jesus to make you acceptable to God, thus bearing the penalty for breaking God’s law yourself.
• Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,but whoever rejects the Son of God will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.John 3:36
Knowing about Jesus doesn’t mean you believe in Jesus…
3. The Skydiver
Skydivers demonstrate their belief in their parachutes when they jump from the plane. Followers of Jesus demonstrate their belief in Him when God’s Spirit changes their thoughts and desires.
• If anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreation; the old has gone, the newhas come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
• God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” Ezekiel 36:26
Just as entering a garage won’t make you a mechanic, attending a church won’t make you a Christian. If you would like to receive God’s pardon for your sins and the gift of eternal life, consider a prayer like this: “Jesus, I believe you paid the penalty for my sins when you died on the cross and rose from the dead. I want to turn from my sins and place my trust in you as my Lord. I am willing to follow you the rest of my life. Thank you for the gift of eternal life. Amen.”
• Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13
The desire of real followers of Jesus is to:
• Live a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10
from On-Tract.com DOWNLOAD this message and other resources indozens of languages. They were created to help you know and follow Jesus. All resources are FREE.We would love to hear from you: ontract1@gmail.com
A driver was once stopped by a police officer. He was a good driver and as far ashe knew he had done nothing wrong.The police officer said, “I pulled you over because you were going 60 through a school zone. There were ten warning signs that the speed limit was 15 and you ignored them all.” Just like the driver had ten warning signs, God has given us ten clear warning signs in the Bible. They are called the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie, stolen something or used God’s name as a cussword? If you’re like me the answer is ‘yes’. Listen to what the Bible says:
• Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10 God is saying that by breaking one Commandment we have sinned and will be held accountable for breaking all of them, including adultery and murder.
• God’s judgment for our sin is death. (Banishment to hell because He will not allow sin in His presence). Romans 6:23a
If the story ends here, there is no hope for us…
2. The Convict
An innocent man approached a judge and volunteered to be executed in the place of a convicted murderer. The judge consented. The next day the judge told the convict he had adecision to make.“An innocent man has been put to death in your place. If you will accept his payment for your crime, you are free to go. If you will not accept his payment, you will be executed for your crime. Which do you choose?” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sinless but voluntarily gave his life to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. (God’s judgment for our sinis death). Three days later he rose from the dead.
• God showed his great love for us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
• The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23b
As a result of Jesus’ death in your place, you have two choices: Receive both God’s pardon for your sins and eternal life by repenting (sensing your sinfulness and desiring to turn from it) and placing your trust in the Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21) OR Reject both God’s pardon for your sins and eternal life by trusting in anyone or anything other than Jesus to make you acceptable to God, thus bearing the penalty for breaking God’s law yourself.
• Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,but whoever rejects the Son of God will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.John 3:36
Knowing about Jesus doesn’t mean you believe in Jesus…
3. The Skydiver
Skydivers demonstrate their belief in their parachutes when they jump from the plane. Followers of Jesus demonstrate their belief in Him when God’s Spirit changes their thoughts and desires.
• If anyone is in Christ, he is a newcreation; the old has gone, the newhas come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
• God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” Ezekiel 36:26
Just as entering a garage won’t make you a mechanic, attending a church won’t make you a Christian. If you would like to receive God’s pardon for your sins and the gift of eternal life, consider a prayer like this: “Jesus, I believe you paid the penalty for my sins when you died on the cross and rose from the dead. I want to turn from my sins and place my trust in you as my Lord. I am willing to follow you the rest of my life. Thank you for the gift of eternal life. Amen.”
• Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13
The desire of real followers of Jesus is to:
• Live a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10
from On-Tract.com DOWNLOAD this message and other resources indozens of languages. They were created to help you know and follow Jesus. All resources are FREE.We would love to hear from you: ontract1@gmail.com
8/24/2010
8/21/2010
8/17/2010
Christ Is Supreme
Colossians 1:15-23
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullnesswas pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it.
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullnesswas pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it.
7/04/2010
7/03/2010
Jesus Cried
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-42)
41 But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
When Lazarus Died (John 11)
32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” He asked them. They told Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much He loved him!”
The Death Of A Widow's Son (Luke 7)
Soon afterward Jesus went with His disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said.
Now, this passage doesn't say that He cried, but it's obvious he felt a lot as it says, "His heart overflowed with compassion."
41 But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
When Lazarus Died (John 11)
32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” He asked them. They told Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much He loved him!”
The Death Of A Widow's Son (Luke 7)
Soon afterward Jesus went with His disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said.
Now, this passage doesn't say that He cried, but it's obvious he felt a lot as it says, "His heart overflowed with compassion."
The Things Of This World - When What's Considered "Good" Isn't Actually Good
Is it just me or has "comedy" these days become more and more perverse. I have only just turned 26, but I have already within the past 10 years noticed more and more perversion on television and movies. What is more sad is when people who consider themselves to be Christian actually find these things humorous and okay to watch. Well, I don't see how it's good for us to watch. How is putting trash into us corrupting our souls "good" for us. The answer is it's not. What happens is that a Christian becomes more and more desensitized towards these things because of ignoring the Holy Spirit's leading. It's easy to do this when it seems "normal" to do such things, when everyone else around you is okay with it. And also because some of these "Christians" are not actually Christians, people who have experienced the new birth in Christ. Those certain people tend to not actually know what it really means to be a Christian - not only a believer, but a follower of Christ, one that lives by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Bible.
7/02/2010
What Are You Living For?
Jesus isn't a sticker to post on the back of a car or a t-shirt like it's just a cool fashion statement, and then you go off and forget about him as soon as you get out of high school and get into college. You know who Jesus is right? He is the Son of God, the Savior who died for our sins and can give us a new life. He is a very real person, who is the God Almighty of the universe. Everything revolves around Him alone. Yes, there are some things that are important in life: people, school, jobs, food, clothing, shelter, etc. But, God is always meant to be #1. Everything else, fashion, make-up, hair gel, shoes, electronics, computers, video games, music, etc. etc. are only mere possessions. Things that we want because it makes us feel nice, feel fun in a way. Those things can benefit us to a certain extent, but they're not meant to BE our whole life. And "fitting in" to "be part of the crowd" to be considered "cool" is not actually cool. What is cool is having your priorities straight: God #1. What is cool is your heart being in the right place. Focus on your character before your outward appearance. When you die, you won't be bringing your stereo with you, only your soul and spirit. Something to think seriously about. Love and peace <3
Lordz Of Brooklyn & Everlast - Lake Of Fire
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
As the guitar gently weeps, my Riviera streaks
Into the night like a bat outta hell
All the wishes in the well couldn't keep me from my cell
I'm feeling paranoid, I couldn't trust my clientele
The Marlboro blows, I blow the smoke through my nose
You reep what you sow and Lord I know
I took route 87, upstate New York
I'm feeling like I sinned so I must be getting soft
Got an angel on my right, the devil on my left
Conscious being on my brain for every single death
I'm seeing ghosts, I'm being haunted like the tell tale heart
I'm on the road alone, headlights in the dark
I never ever ratted, kept my mouth shut
Bad karma all around and I'm running out of luck
Next soldier wants my job, better watch my back
Or I'll be the one in the trunk getting whacked
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
[Everlast]
Flat footer on the street, rookie on the beat
Looking for the crack spot, trying to hit a jackpot
Have not, want not, gun shot, *Blough*
Dirty cop on the prowl, it's all legal
Fuck karma chameleon, Irish, Sicilian
Heritage since birth, sold my soul for what it's worth
From London to Perth, Tokyo to Paris
Caught in The Abyss like my name was Ed Harris
Trying to build this palace, heart's full of malice
My soul's corrupt, I'm about to erupt
Internal investigation's got me facing
Twenty-five to life, I'm thinking kids and wife
They cut me up, rough me up and sweat my connection
Now they got us all under witness protection
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Where do gangstas go when they die
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
Before there was a lotto his people took your numbers
Odds on the game, the point spreads over, unders
Went to private school educated by nuns
But like a pagan, lost his faith through the gods of the guns
A heist like the Briks, he iced ladies like rinks
From pocket books to the minks, thought they'd never see the clink
Slapped on the wrist, his case was dismissed
You see money talks, yo, it pays if you're rich pops
Grease the bulls just to bribe the judge
Should have scared 'em straight, should of gave 'em tough love
But that's when they hauled him from the jury to the warden
Everybody had a price but this time they can't afford 'em
Putting It In God's Hands
One major thing God has been really laying on my heart this past month and maybe longer than that, but it's really been big this past month for me like a breakthrough where I am really trying to fix this problem in my life: I can't live my life where I always have to be the strong one. That is not what God expects of me. I can't control everyone. I'm not responsible for anyone, only myself. If I let go of this immense burden and put it in God's hands, then it helps me to not feel all the pressure, stress and pain of everyone's issues and mistakes. I have had this problem since I was very young. It's more than just being a strong person and trying to be a good influence for people. It goes beyond that. It's where you feel like the whole world is riding on your shoulders. Everything is up to you. If someone makes a mistake it's your fault. If someone is messing up, it's up to you to fix them. Everything is upon you. I've been learning that is not God's will for my life. There have been times when I believe that God used me to get through to some people, but I don't believe that He expects me to live my live like that where I always have that immense responsibility and pressure from people's individual lives and choices. Once a person becomes an adult, you need to let them learn for themselves, control themselves, otherwise you will always have to baby them in a way. It makes you feel like you have to control them and it makes you upset and worry easily over them. It shouldn't be that way. It doesn't mean to not love them, not care for them. Of course we should love and care and be there for them the best we can. But, we can't control and be responsible for them. So, I think that God has really been trying to get this through to me recently and I've been feeling better since then. It's been helping me to not worry as much about others, to not feel as stressed out, a lot of the pressure if off of me and I'm glad. It's not exactly easy, especially in those moments when it "feels" like you need to step in for that other person like you've always done, but still it feels good to try and give the burden up to God, "put it in God's hands," instead of everything being upon me.
American Meth
American Meth is more than a movie, it's a movement. Narrated by Val Kilmer this documentary explores the devastation this drug is unleashing on America, and it looks at how it dismatles an American family.
7/01/2010
Stop Worry & Start Living
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
Part One
Fundamental facts you should know about worry
1. If you want to avoid worry, do what Sir William Osler did: Live in "day-tight compartments." Don't stew about the futures. Just live each day u ntil bedtime.
2. The next time Trouble--with a Capital T--backs you up in a corner, try the magic formula of Willis H. Carrier:
1. Ask yourself, "What is the worst that can possibly happen if I can't solve my problem?
2. Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst--if necessary.
3. Then calmly try to improve upon the worst--which you have already mentally agreed to accept.
3. Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health. "Those who do not know how to fight worry die young."
Part Two
Basic techniques in analyzing worry
1. Get the facts. Remember that Dean Hawkes of Columbia University said that "half the worry in the world is caused by people trying to make decisions before they have sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision."
2. After carefully weighing all the facts, come to a decision.
3. Once a decision is carefully reached, act! Get busy carrying out your decision--and dismiss all anxiety about the outcome.
4. When you, or any of your associates, are tempted to worry about a problem, write out and answer the following questions:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the cause of the problem?
3. What are all possible solutions?
4. What is the best solution?
Part Three
How to break the worry habit before it breaks you
1. Crowd worry out of your mind by keeping busy. Plenty of action is one of the best therapies ever devised for curing "wibber gibbers."
2. Don't fuss about trifles. Don't permit little things--the mere termites of life--to ruin your happines.
3. Use the law of averages to outlaw your worries. Ask yourself: "What are the odds against this thing's happening at all?"
4. Co-operate with the inevitable. If you know a circumstance is beyond your power to change or revise, say to yourself: "It is so; it cannot be otherwise."
5. Put a "stop-less" order on your worries. Decide just how much anxiety a thing may be worth--and refuse to give it anymore.
6. Let the past bury its dead. Don't saw sawdust.
Part Four
Seven ways to cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you peace and happiness
1. Let's fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health, and hope, for "our life is what our thoughts make it."
2. Let's never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let's do as General Eisenhower does: let's never waste a minute thinking about people we don't like.
3.
1. Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. Let's remember that Jesus healed ten lepers in one day--and only one thanked Him. Why should we expect more gratitude than Jesus got?
2. Let's remember that the only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude--but to give for the joy of giving.
3. Let's remember that gratitude is a "cultivated" trait; so if we want our children to be grateful, we must train them to be grateful.
4. Count your blessings--not your troubles!
5. Let's not imitate others. Let's find ourselves and be ourselves, for "envy is ignorance" and "imitation is suicide."
6. When fate hands us a lemon, let's try to make a lemonade.
7. Let's forget our own unhappiness--by trying to create a little happiness for others. "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself."
Part Five
The perfect way to conquer worry
1. Prayer
Part Six
How to keep from worrying about criticism
1. Unjust criticism is often a disguised compliment. It often means that you have aroused jealousy and envy. Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog.
2. Do the very best you can; and then put up your old umbrella and keep the rain of criticism from running down the back of your neck.
3. Let's keep a record of the fool things we have done and criticize ourselves. Since we can't hope to be perfect, let's do what E.H. Little did: let's ask for unbiased, helpful, constructive criticism.
Part Seven
Six ways to prevent fatigue and worry and keep your energy and spirits high
1. Rest before you get tired.
2. Learn to relax at your work.
3. Learn to relax at home.
4. Apply these four good workings habits:
1. Clear your desk of all papers except those relating to the immediate problem at hand.
2. Do things in the order of their importance.
3. When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have the facts to make a decision.
4. Learn to organize, deputize, and supervise.
5. To prevent worry and fatigue, put enthusiasm into your work.
6. Remember, no one was ever killed by lack of sleep. It is worrying about insomnia that does the damage--not the insomnia.
How To Win Friends & Influence People
SelfGrowth.com founder David Riklan analyzes the principals of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People."
Part One
Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
Part Two
Six ways to make people like you
1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.
Part Three
Win people to your way of thinking
1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.
Part Four
Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment
A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:
1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.
Part One
Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.
Part Two
Six ways to make people like you
1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.
Part Three
Win people to your way of thinking
1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
4. Begin in a friendly way.
5. Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
9. Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
11. Dramatize your ideas.
12. Throw down a challenge.
Part Four
Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment
A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:
1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
5. Let the other person save face.
6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.
7 Habits Of Higly Effective People
David Riklan explains the principals of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
Nice mnemonic presentation of 7 Covey Principles of Success
1-Be proactive (think and get going)
2-Begin with end in mind (big picture end game)
3-Put first things first (prioritize, say no to interruptions)
4-Think win-win (try to help everyone you engage with)
5-Seek first to understand then to be understood
6-Synergize (1 plus 1 = 3 once you use all principles)
7-Sharpen the saw (take time now to sharpen tool to save time in long run).
CEO of Apple Takes A Stand
Steve Jobs Takes a Stand – AMEN!
Every once in a while you come across a profound statement made by a prominent leader that makes you realize that there are still great people in the world today. Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple put his entire reputation on the line by taking a very bold stand regarding the issue of pornography and the decision to block all sites from any of his products. In a world filled with people who would criticize this move and label him a narrow-minded, free speech control freak, I would like to go on the record publicly as saying, “You have got my loyalty and respect!” Here are some thoughts taken from
Jobs has made it clear that he wants to keep pornography off Apple products as much as possible. Obviously Apple can’t control everything its users do, but it can make porn scarcer on its products, and it has done just that.
A British newspaper, The Guardian,reports, “So insistent is Apple [on this policy], many magazine publishers developing ‘apps’ for the new iPad . . . have had to self-censor.”
As you might expect, this has triggered a frenzy among some critics. Ryan Tate, a writer for the Gawker website, sniped at Jobs about suppressing his customers’ “freedom,” prompting Jobs to respond, “Yep, freedom from programs that steal your private data. Freedom from programs that trash your battery. Freedom from porn. Yep, freedom.”
When Tate replied that he didn’t want “freedom from porn,” Jobs answered, “You might care more about porn when you have kids.” In a correspondence with a consumer, Jobs went even further, speaking of his company’s “moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone.”
How refreshing it is to see someone who actually gets it—that yes, there are those of us who prefer to be free from the storm of smut that assaults us from every television, computer, and phone screen. The supply of pornographic material is so overwhelming that access to it is certainly not an issue of “freedom” anymore, if it ever was.
Jobs has pointed out that people who want to see porn on their phones, and who want easier access to it on their computers, can easily get all they want if they buy other companies’ products. But as he said in a press conference, “That’s a place we don’t want to go—so we’re not going to go there.”
What Jobs seems to understand, and what his critics seem to be ignoring, is that there’s so much more to pornography than just issues of economics or free speech. It shouldn’t even need to be explained, but apparently for some people it does: Pornography is an ugly, poisonous, degrading business for everyone involved, whether they’re making it, using it, or selling it.
As my colleague Kim Moreland recently mentioned on our blog, The Point, new studies are demonstrating yet again just how dangerous and addictive it can be. It tears at the fabric of marriages and families and of society itself. Its use is connected from everything to higher divorce rates to human trafficking to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Aside from the occasional reference to protecting kids (which is enough), Steve Jobs didn’t go thoroughly into the reasons for his policy. But for whatever reason, he truly is demonstrating corporate responsibility, the kind that we desperately need more businesses to show in this sex-obsessed society.
May he continue to stand by his principles, and may his tribe increase.
Every once in a while you come across a profound statement made by a prominent leader that makes you realize that there are still great people in the world today. Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple put his entire reputation on the line by taking a very bold stand regarding the issue of pornography and the decision to block all sites from any of his products. In a world filled with people who would criticize this move and label him a narrow-minded, free speech control freak, I would like to go on the record publicly as saying, “You have got my loyalty and respect!” Here are some thoughts taken from
Jobs has made it clear that he wants to keep pornography off Apple products as much as possible. Obviously Apple can’t control everything its users do, but it can make porn scarcer on its products, and it has done just that.
A British newspaper, The Guardian,reports, “So insistent is Apple [on this policy], many magazine publishers developing ‘apps’ for the new iPad . . . have had to self-censor.”
As you might expect, this has triggered a frenzy among some critics. Ryan Tate, a writer for the Gawker website, sniped at Jobs about suppressing his customers’ “freedom,” prompting Jobs to respond, “Yep, freedom from programs that steal your private data. Freedom from programs that trash your battery. Freedom from porn. Yep, freedom.”
When Tate replied that he didn’t want “freedom from porn,” Jobs answered, “You might care more about porn when you have kids.” In a correspondence with a consumer, Jobs went even further, speaking of his company’s “moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone.”
How refreshing it is to see someone who actually gets it—that yes, there are those of us who prefer to be free from the storm of smut that assaults us from every television, computer, and phone screen. The supply of pornographic material is so overwhelming that access to it is certainly not an issue of “freedom” anymore, if it ever was.
Jobs has pointed out that people who want to see porn on their phones, and who want easier access to it on their computers, can easily get all they want if they buy other companies’ products. But as he said in a press conference, “That’s a place we don’t want to go—so we’re not going to go there.”
What Jobs seems to understand, and what his critics seem to be ignoring, is that there’s so much more to pornography than just issues of economics or free speech. It shouldn’t even need to be explained, but apparently for some people it does: Pornography is an ugly, poisonous, degrading business for everyone involved, whether they’re making it, using it, or selling it.
As my colleague Kim Moreland recently mentioned on our blog, The Point, new studies are demonstrating yet again just how dangerous and addictive it can be. It tears at the fabric of marriages and families and of society itself. Its use is connected from everything to higher divorce rates to human trafficking to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Aside from the occasional reference to protecting kids (which is enough), Steve Jobs didn’t go thoroughly into the reasons for his policy. But for whatever reason, he truly is demonstrating corporate responsibility, the kind that we desperately need more businesses to show in this sex-obsessed society.
May he continue to stand by his principles, and may his tribe increase.
6/30/2010
Working To Make Your Dreams Come True
There is a legend of an artist who had found the sec ret of a wonderful 'red' which no other artist could imitate. The secret of his 'color' died with him. But after his death an old wound was discovered over his heart. This revealed the source of the matchless hue in his pictures. The lesson of the legend is . . .
no great achievement can be made,
no lofty attainment can be reached,
nothing of much value to the world can be done
--except at the cost of heart's blood!
~ J. R. Miller
I've met many people who are full of great ideas and plans and visions of what they will accomplish one day. Few of these people, however, actually see their dreams come true. Not because they aren't good dreams, but because their dreams are dreamt by dreamers and not doers. Many teenagers today are given so much, so easily, with so little required of them, that we are raising a generation of sluggards and failures. Work is hard and hard work is good. Good, hard work results in progress of the mind, body, and soul. The beautiful and rare things of life cost the most. As my wife has told me on more than one occasion, "Nothing good is cheap!" Jesus sweat great drops of blood for his bride. He drank the dregs of the cup of His Father's wrath for the glory that awaited Him. He chose to do the hard things because that's what it takes to win the prize. ~ Kirk Cameron
no great achievement can be made,
no lofty attainment can be reached,
nothing of much value to the world can be done
--except at the cost of heart's blood!
~ J. R. Miller
I've met many people who are full of great ideas and plans and visions of what they will accomplish one day. Few of these people, however, actually see their dreams come true. Not because they aren't good dreams, but because their dreams are dreamt by dreamers and not doers. Many teenagers today are given so much, so easily, with so little required of them, that we are raising a generation of sluggards and failures. Work is hard and hard work is good. Good, hard work results in progress of the mind, body, and soul. The beautiful and rare things of life cost the most. As my wife has told me on more than one occasion, "Nothing good is cheap!" Jesus sweat great drops of blood for his bride. He drank the dregs of the cup of His Father's wrath for the glory that awaited Him. He chose to do the hard things because that's what it takes to win the prize. ~ Kirk Cameron
Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun
Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.
We've known each other since we're nine or ten.
Together we climbed hills or trees.
Learned of love and ABC's,
skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.
Goodbye my friend, it's hard to die,
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Pretty girls are everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the hills that we climbed
were just seasons out of time.
Goodbye, Papa, please pray for me,
I was the black sheep of the family.
You tried to teach me right from wrong.
Too much wine and too much song,
wonder how I get along.
Goodbye, Papa, it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
Little children everywhere.
When you see them I'll be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the wine and the song,
like the seasons, all have gone.
Goodbye, Michelle, my little one.
You gave me love and helped me find the sun.
And every time that I was down
you would always come around
and get my feet back on the ground.
Goodbye, Michelle, it's hard to die
when all the bird are singing in the sky,
Now that the spring is in the air.
With the flowers ev'rywhere.
I whish that we could both be there.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun.
But the stars we could reach
were just starfishs on the beach
(Repeat Chorus)
6/29/2010
I Choose To Be A Christian
I met a man the other day
He looked and me and said
I've seen your kind so many times before
You can't do this, You can't do that
Your bound by rules and restrictions
What a dreary life you Christians must observe
I said: "Hey I can chew & dip, snort & cuss, party all night until the sun comes up but there's better things in life I'd rather do...
I choose to be a Christian
I choose to be like him
Ain't noboby makin' me do it
Ain't nobody holdin' a gun to my head
This is how I want to live
You decide for you and I'll decide for me
the choice is mine this what I choose to be
Don't you look at me with your sympathy
To think that I've been cheated
By not doing all of those things you call fun
well sometime when you're heading down to that funky side of town
with that choice that i've made will be liftin' me out of here
(Chorus Repeat)
(I don't own the lyrics.)
He looked and me and said
I've seen your kind so many times before
You can't do this, You can't do that
Your bound by rules and restrictions
What a dreary life you Christians must observe
I said: "Hey I can chew & dip, snort & cuss, party all night until the sun comes up but there's better things in life I'd rather do...
I choose to be a Christian
I choose to be like him
Ain't noboby makin' me do it
Ain't nobody holdin' a gun to my head
This is how I want to live
You decide for you and I'll decide for me
the choice is mine this what I choose to be
Don't you look at me with your sympathy
To think that I've been cheated
By not doing all of those things you call fun
well sometime when you're heading down to that funky side of town
with that choice that i've made will be liftin' me out of here
(Chorus Repeat)
(I don't own the lyrics.)
6/28/2010
truth in politics, where's the equality?
ok i'm getting really tired of this now, why is it when democrats make federal laws it's "wrong" and "unconstitutional" and "takes away from state's rights," but when republicans make federal laws suddenly all of those things that democrats are condemned for are either ignored or even applauded, that is hypocrisy and a double-standard, where is equality? where is truth? it's goes the same way with democrats, why is it when republicans make federal laws it's just so "wrong" and "unfair" and "imposing" and against the "people's wishes"; total baloney, what a joke if i ever heard one, get real; you're pulling the same thing that republicans pull on you when they're not the majority; the truth is that everyone picks and pulls at everyone else as long as they themselves are the minority, but as soon as they become the majority suddenly there is silence, hmm, hypocrisy at its worse; i'm not a member of any political party, i don't care about parties, i care about truth and what's right, that's all i care about
Troubles
I'm so messed up because I've had to go through a mess my whole life. I can't even explain everything that has happened to me in my life or I could write you a book. But, I am so sick and tired of having to deal with everyone. I always have to be an adult from the time I was very young. A person can only take so much, especially a child. When I was 16 it finally became all too much and I completely broke down. I wanted to just die, but I couldn't. I developed bipolar disorder, panic/anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. It made me breakdown and revert to feeling emotionally like a little child. I needed protection, comfort, guidance. I couldn't handle life. I couldn't live in society. I was all alone, trapped in my house for 5 years. I had lost faith in God. Eventually I turned back to Him and I was given faith to believe and to overcome a lot of my struggles. I began to get stronger. I overcame depression and anxiety pretty much. I was a very different person in terms of that. Then a few years went by, but I'm still stuck in this doldrum life where I feel like I still wasn't ready to break away in my own life apart from my family. I felt like why should I have to, doesn't matter. Well, it doesn't matter that much. And I can live independently from them, I just didn't see any point because I liked it and it saved money. I didn't have much in the way of a job, couldn't hardly make money, so that is just how it was. I figured I would go back to school. I had gotten my GED already, had job experience eventually. I wanted to go to college like I had planned several years before as a teenager. At this point I'm in my early 20's. I decided to go back to school. I was going to maybe move to Japan with my brother. We would start a life there. I don't know everything, but we had some plans. But, then I met this guy on the Internet/Facebook. My life changed a lot after that. The main problem is that he was from a different country, lived in a different country thousands of miles away. So, already there was that difficulty. But, we found that we really got on with each other and it very quickly turned into love. We are both young. At first everything seemed great, then I started to see a side to him coming out, a very bad side. It was fear and anger. I started to realize that he had a lot of baggage from the past as well, but he obviously had a lot of struggles psychologically as well. It became very hard after that. Sometimes he was nice, other times he was angry, frustrated. He often took it out on me, but breaking up with me or arguing with me, calling me bad names. It really started to mess with me. I would always forgive him and because I loved him and believed he loved me, and because I believed in being loyal, I always stayed with him. I thought, maybe he's just scared of commitment. Maybe he's just in a way testing me, see if I will stand by him. Etc. Etc. All these different things I started to think. As time went on, in a way he seemed like he was getting a bit better over time, but he never really changed. He broke up with me a million times and always had the same issues. I did things for him that I never thought I would do. I started to change. I became much more emotional, upset, stressed a lot of the time. The way he was with me really really messed with me. I started to think that I was relapsing into being bipolar again or the anxiety attacks. Not sure the difference really. But, I was getting so hurt and betrayed so often that I just couldn't bare it. I would find myself wondering, why am I with this guy. Why do I let myself keep going through this abuse, this insanity? It was because I truly loved him and because I believed that he truly loved me, and just needed help and support. And because the thought of losing him seemed to hurt me more than being with him. So, I always stayed with him. I would always talk to him, tell him how wrong he was, that he needed to change, that I can't take this, I can't keep going through this. He would apologize, he would talk like he's willing to change. He would maybe get better for a little while, but he would always end up going back to the same old thing, "same old same old." One of the crazy things about it is that he would always somehow make himself out to be the victim of it all. He would always somehow find a way to blame me. He would always just see my reaction to his misbehavior. He never got it that the reason why I was so upset isn't because I'm just like it, but because of how he treated me. It's like he didn't want to come to terms with that. He just always wanted to blame me instead of changing his bad ways. He always wanted me to accept his misbehavior and "be understanding, supportive" of him. Like, as if I never was. He always found a way to insult me. Nothing I did was ever good enough, loving enough, strong enough, smart enough. I was always a failure in his eyes. But, I knew that it wasn't really me that had the problems. Yes, I could have handled some things better, yes I could have reacted differently at times. But, the main problem was him, not me. But, nothing ever changed with him. Always always the same thing over and over again. Whatever disorder, things he's been through in his life doesn't give him the right to mistreat me. It makes it more understandable because of those things, but never in the right. I just couldn't take it anymore. I always loved him, always stood by him through thick and thin. But, he wouldn't stop hurting me. I couldn't live in that anymore. It broke my heart too many times I cannot count anymore. It makes me sad and so disappointed that it would come to that. Things could have been great, could have been happy. But, he had too many issues and he kept pushing me away. But, I know that no matter what I've been through in my life, God has always been there for me. I don't know why or understand everything that's happened to me in my life. When did God make things happen, when was is that something happened because of my actions? I don't know everything. But, I have learnt already enough in my life that no matter what happens I am blessed. I have learnt that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and wiser, as long as you get through it and overcome. And that no matter what happens, God is always there, even when it doesn't seem like it. And He he listens and cares about you, even when it doesn't seem like it. It is also my belief that those who are hit the hardest in life that maybe it's because the devil knows that there is something great in them, they have a lot of potential for good in this life, and the devil wants to stop it. I don't know if that's true in every case. I know some people of God, strong believers and followers that seem to have fairly easy-going lives which I don't understand. But, there are others strong in the Lord as well that can have very difficult lives, but somehow manage to get through it and it makes them stronger and wiser because of it. I don't understand these two different kind of lives with people that all are strong believers and followers of God, but that's what it seems like to me. I don't understand everything, but I keep trusting in God and keep believing that everything I've gone through and will go through has a very special purpose. I feel as though I'm destined for great and special things. Maybe I won't even see it in this lifetime, maybe I won't truly see the results of it until I die and go to Heaven. I don't really know. But, that is my belief and my hope.
6/19/2010
Spare Change
Hollywood Connect Thursday E-mail - June 17, 2010
I’m happy to announce that we’ve got a pretty big change coming to Hollywood Connect in just a few weeks. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you what is about to happen, but… okay, fine, just a hint or two: it’s something good and it’s been in the works for over a year now. We’re pretty excited about it. The countdown starts now.
How’s that for building suspense?
We all have different reactions to change in our lives. Some people, especially you early adopters out there, are enthusiastic about it. For others, however, change represents a departure from the comfortable and thus is to be studiously avoided. But if we really stop and think about it, we have to change in order to grow in any way – artistically, emotionally, relationally, physically, and more. After all, you can’t simultaneously change and remain the same. It would be like trying to go on a long sea voyage with one foot planted firmly on the dock.
Ultimately, change is inevitable (except from vending machines, as a much wiser man than me once observed). Even if you don’t happen to change, change will happen to you, whether you like it or not. That is to say, when you don’t make change for the better in your life with intent and purpose, change will occur by default anyway, and absent the intervening grace of God, with all the pressures of heat and time, such involuntary change will typically point downward.
As such, I don’t think we should change just for the sake of change, because not all change moves us forward. Change is only good when it is purposefully pointed in the right direction.
Even if you aren’t able to change your circumstances at the moment, you can still change yourself and the way you react to your circumstances. Give it some thought: what is the change happening in your life pointed towards? In many ways, that is up to you, both as an artist and as a human being. Life doesn’t have to stay the way it is. There is always room to grow.
You’ll be seeing some of that growth with Hollywood Connect in the next month or so, so keep an eye out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
© 2010. All rights reserved.
You should also follow us on: Twitter: @Shun_Lee
@HwoodConnect
Facebook: Hollywood Connect
I’m happy to announce that we’ve got a pretty big change coming to Hollywood Connect in just a few weeks. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you what is about to happen, but… okay, fine, just a hint or two: it’s something good and it’s been in the works for over a year now. We’re pretty excited about it. The countdown starts now.
How’s that for building suspense?
We all have different reactions to change in our lives. Some people, especially you early adopters out there, are enthusiastic about it. For others, however, change represents a departure from the comfortable and thus is to be studiously avoided. But if we really stop and think about it, we have to change in order to grow in any way – artistically, emotionally, relationally, physically, and more. After all, you can’t simultaneously change and remain the same. It would be like trying to go on a long sea voyage with one foot planted firmly on the dock.
Ultimately, change is inevitable (except from vending machines, as a much wiser man than me once observed). Even if you don’t happen to change, change will happen to you, whether you like it or not. That is to say, when you don’t make change for the better in your life with intent and purpose, change will occur by default anyway, and absent the intervening grace of God, with all the pressures of heat and time, such involuntary change will typically point downward.
As such, I don’t think we should change just for the sake of change, because not all change moves us forward. Change is only good when it is purposefully pointed in the right direction.
Even if you aren’t able to change your circumstances at the moment, you can still change yourself and the way you react to your circumstances. Give it some thought: what is the change happening in your life pointed towards? In many ways, that is up to you, both as an artist and as a human being. Life doesn’t have to stay the way it is. There is always room to grow.
You’ll be seeing some of that growth with Hollywood Connect in the next month or so, so keep an eye out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
All my best,
Shun Lee
Director
Hollywood Connect
© 2010. All rights reserved.
You should also follow us on: Twitter: @Shun_Lee
@HwoodConnect
Facebook: Hollywood Connect
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)