Only a sling and a stone

Oh, what I would do to have
the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
.
But the giant's calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
you'll never win."
.
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
and the voice of truth says "This is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

-Voice of Truth, Casting Crowns

Have fun picking a fight with the giants.

-A nervous owl (and me) in Lake Gardens

Happy New Year!

Waste

“Vanity, definitely my favorite sin”- John Milton/Lucifer, The Devil’s Advocate.

Humanity is full of paradoxes. We speak of maturity, wisdom and character but at the heart of humanity lies an indisputable element, preserved through the ages. One that has fueled wars, broken families up, torn relationships apart and shattered and shredded hearts: vanity.

Isn’t it funny, how being ‘different’ has become so fashionable and romanticized among ourselves, that one is pressured to have a certain style of his own to stand out and be noticed? Isn’t it funny how ‘standing out’, has become a physical quality- that a person who ‘stands out’ needs to wear a certain type of clothing, have a certain type of hairstyle, speak in a certain way and possess certain items, when ironically that puts that person among a majority of blinded youth who think the same way?

How then does a person ‘stand out’? Where does one draw the line between being himself and being another person he isn’t? I do believe it’s simple. You draw the line where the most basic human function is, love.

I believe love was designed to be ‘wasted’ on others. The very fact that love is kept to one’s self, fed by selfish desires, stuffed with personal wants makes it no wonder why humanity needs more grace than it ever needed. It is for this reason the love of a friend for another is manifested outwardly, through a pat on the back, a smile, a hug, a gift, a message of hope. Love isn’t love when it’s kept to yourself.

So what happened to chivalry? And honor? What happened to all that needs to be protected: the principles we have been taught, the discernment between good and sinful, the ability to love beyond ourselves, the capacity to think for others? What happened to love?

For “greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

That, in my humble opinion, would be the difference between the Christmas the world sells and the Christmas that should be rightfully celebrated. You see, one is full of vanity, and the other, full of love.

.

____________________________________________________

On a sidenote, I found this brilliant one on Youtube called "George Lucas in love". For the Starwars geeks ;P

Learning to love like Christ

Winter's chills, Spring's joy, Summer's blaze, Fall's gloom. The sun may not show up and the leaves may fall. But whatever hits you, love persists like the tree that stands firmly, almost stubbornly, through every season.


"...Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
- the Bible


And once again, Christmas draws near!