Dirty Fingernails.

“Look into the eyes of the ones who are hardest for you to like, and see the One you love. For God loves good and bad people. Even God doesn't grasp for the knowledge of good and evil but sends rain to water the fields of both the just and the unjust. That's why enemy love is the only thing that Jesus says makes a person like God – perfect.” - Shane Claiborne Jesus for President

While doing a little late night reading tonight, after a fabulous day of travels and bliss, I stumbled across this idea from the mind and work of Shane Claiborne. Shane is one of my favorite authors, not just because I think he is really cool – but because he always challenges me to take a new perspective on life or certain situations.

This is what I take away from this quote:

Loving everyone, particularly your enemies brings you 1.) closer to achieving the proper reflection of the image of God, but 2.) brings you closer to God. I like that the quote says that God doesn't discriminate on the unjust, just because of their state of being... but that he fulfills their needs too.

I would never say that I am one to make a lot of enemies, but I have definitely encountered my share of people that I don't get along with. But with those experiences I've always been taught to show love, and with all of them... in the end, I have been able to make lasting bonds with those people. Looking deep into the eyes of someone you don't get along with, and seeing Jesus... sometimes is like a slap in the face, but to your soul... makes a world of difference when it comes to showing them love.

I just needed to share this quote. That's all.

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up

In last year I've adapted the idea that life is a series of rises and falls, my one time roommate calls it the pit. She describes it as – sometimes you are on one side, its a little bit of flowers and a little bit of weeds, but things are decent... however, you know you are about to take a journey. Then you have a sometimes slow sometimes rapid decline into your pit... the pit is miserable, it's when you are just absolutely helpless and all wrapped up in the thorns – to me, it's like trying to run when you are holding your breathe. Then there is the incline, which is a lot of work... this is like after you have held your breathe for a long time that initial intake of panic – but for the most put the incline is when things start looking up. And then, lastly, there is the other side... the other side is glorious, to me... it's like watching a sun rise or set, its that powerful moment when you realize that the same God that made this event made you.

Right now... I'm so very much in my pit. Regardless of my efforts, regardless of out stretched hand... no one is lifting me out. I keep waiting and waiting, and crying out and crying out for God to pick me up... and nothing. I've pulled all my resources... I've got nothing left.

Silence is GOLDEN

After the most random series of events, I find myself sitting here questioning silence.

I was watching this video, a miniature little sermon about silence... The man on the video used the story of Elijah the Prophet hearing the voice of God – not in extravagant events, but in silence. He further explains the the Hebrew word that is translating in our English Bible is a word that would literally translate to mean no noise. Then the video proceeded... however, it was no longer a man talking – but simple white words on a simple black screen. The words were questions... like – are you afraid of silence? Are you ever in complete silence? Are you afraid of God's voice? Or what He might say?

After watching the video... the question came to my mind: is silence the absence of noise, or is it the ability to find stillness even in chaos?

And honestly I don't know... I think the right answer is the lack of noise, right? I mean the literal definition of Silence is “the absence of noise.” But couldn't silence also be finding peace, serenity – stillness – in noise?

I think God wants us to do both... both be in complete silence, and find Him even in craziness.

But I don't know... maybe my simple mind is over-complicating this, I'm human – I do that. Often.