The sun is darkened by the moon, an eclipse. It is hidden away; something else temporarily takes precedence. But it doesn't stay that way. When the moon covers the sun, the sun still will shine. The sun will eventually emerge and take it's place.
But there are other things which are eclipsed. There are other things which do not take their rightful place. It is not because they do not seize the moment; they are not held rightly.
Today is a day which many Americans look forward to with watering mouths, Thanksgiving. Honestly, for the longest time, my first thoughts were pumpkin pies or dudes in dinky hats (the pilgrims). From looking at the department stores and social media sites, it's only a springboard to the Christmas season. It it eclipsed by other things which our culture has shoved in front.
At this time tomorrow, perhaps you, or most likely someone you know, will be making a mad dash into a store. For what? For what they want. For what they desire. For what they don't already have. The day after Thanksgiving...it's all about you again. The clock strikes twelve, and the thankfulness takes a back seat. But why? Why is our culture so driven by the me? Why do we let that eclipse thankfulness?
In much less than twenty-four hours, a turkey shall likely be rolling out of the oven. In fact, I can see my family's turkey sitting in brine from my perch. This bird shall sit at the centerpiece of many tables, which will be packed full of delectable delicacies ranging from pecan and pumpkin pies to the classics of mashed potatoes and creamed corn. America's leap into food coma...this is what I would daresay Thanksgiving is truly to the average American. Our supposed "thankfulness" is not hinged on what we are thankful for. It is a faux thankfulness for tantalizing our tastebuds. It's for something that will pass away once it enters and exits our body.
Within a week, all will be forgotten. We will be caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Teenagers like me will be shoved back to our schoolwork, dreaming about the next break. We'll write our Christmas lists, talk about more food, and ultimately forget about that one day...about Thanksgiving. Everything else will have eclipsed it.
Today is supposed to be about thankfulness. But we make it all about the food. Today is supposed to be about thankfulness, but we dump that as soon as it's time for the rush of Black Friday. And we don't remember it once it's the "season of getting". Why? Why can't we be happy for what we have? Why do we hold our "thankfulness" for an exact twenty-four hour stint? Why not longer? Why not all year?
This eclipse occurs because we let it. Because we make it occur. We aren't fulfilled with what we have. We are always grasping for more. Thus, it is nigh impossible to properly view Thanksgiving.
Again though, it doesn't have to happen. This eclipsing is a choice. So when you tuck into your turkey and pie, ask yourself this question. Shall this eclipse? When you line up to go shop in the dead of night, ask yourself. Shall this eclipse? When Christmas music and the "season of getting" assaults you in full swing, ask yourself this question once more. Shall this eclipse?
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Harder Than We Dreamed of
We went dancing in the minefields,
We're sailing in the storms,
This is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for....
Life is hard. Harder than we can imagine. It's just about Thanksgiving, and I can safely say that I'm burnt out. Burnt out with the heaviest load of school, sports, and extra-curricular activities that I've ever had before. And there have been times that I've felt like I'm done with this.
There have been times at four in the morning where I want to break down sobbing over a precis. There have been times where I want to just collapse in the gym during basketball conditioning. There have been times that I've wanted to just scream at the world, at the walls of work and things that seem to be trying to crush and suffocate me.
But I can keep going because of a motivation. There is something that I'm working for that's more than just a college, a place on the varsity team, a checkmark at tournament. I'm working to try to prove to myself that I'm good enough. Good enough though, for what? Why do I want to be good enough?
I've realized something. I'm insecure. I'm insecure in the same way that every human is. I worry about how I look, how I act, and what my face is to the world. I worry if I'm smart enough...kind enough...talented enough...good enough...
But I know something else. I can't keep this up. I can't just keep working to prove something. No matter how much work I put into it, proving myself just isn't worth that. I'll never prove to myself that I'm good enough. Why? Because it won't truly fulfill me.
"There is a God shaped vacuum inside of each of us." ~Blaise Pascal
We have to have something worthwhile to fulfill us. We need God to fill this emptiness inside of each of us. We need God to give us this meaning, not ourselves. Otherwise, it will be terribly hard.
But letting God fill this emptiness doesn't make it easy. We have to continuously let Him fill it, otherwise we will return to the rat race. It will be hard, harder than we dreamed of; but we make it worse if God is not the one who fulfills.
In this day and age, marriages often bear the brunt of this. So often, I have seen people get married. So often, I have heard of divorce. I've heard of the tears that follow. I've seen the difficulties in marriage. I'm only in high school, but I can tell that it's hard, harder than I can ever dream of. It needs to have something more than love to hold it together, and that's just what "Dancing in the Minefields" speaks about.
I was nineteen and you were twenty-one,
The year we got engaged,
Everyone said we were much to young,
But we did it anyway
How many times do we think that love can fulfill us? But how many times have we seen a marriage dissolve? How could something that is so fickle seem so worthy, so worthwhile? Will it really be as fulfilling as everyone of us thinks?
We bought our rings for forty each,
From a pawnshop down the road,
We made our vows and took the leap,
Now fifteen years ago
So much is invested. So much is risked, but again...for what? This leap...for what? The answer is again, love...but the same question arises...will this fulfill?
We went dancing in the minefields,
We're sailing in the storms,
This is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for
Love seems to make it possible to dance through the minefields, unscathed. To sail through the storms, unshaken...but it is hard...but marriage still exists, anchored on what? A promise of love...but this promise is still empty. Love is fickle. Love will blow away, like a dandelion in the wind.
Well "I do" are the most famous last words,
The beginning of the end,
But to lose your life for another, I've heard,
Is a good place to begin,
Marriage is so many people's end goals, the beginning of the end. But it's more than just love. It's exactly that, loosing your life for another. It's letting go of the love for yourself and giving it, not just partially, but fully to someone else.
Cause the only way to find your life,
Is to lay your own life down,
And I believe it's an easy price,
For the life that we have found,
But who do you give this love to? The common consensus would be your spouse. But I'll disagree. I'll disagree majorly. In a marriage, you have to lay your life down to God. That's the only way to truly find the type of marriage that is so sought after.
And we're dancing in the minefields,
We're sailing through the storms,
This is the harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for
It's still going to be hard, but it will be feasible. Love makes it possible, but love to Christ. He's the one who will have to loved before any love can even be directed to another. If that is who truly anchors your love, it will be harder than you dream. But it will be worthwhile. It will be paradoxical...but it shall be true.
So when I lose my way, find me,
And, when I lose love's chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith to the end of all my days, bind me,
When I forget my name, remind me,
This finder...it can't be a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, or any object of affection. It needs to be God.
'Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man,
So there's nothing left to fear,
So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands,
'Till the shadows disappear,
If we are His children. If we truly sacrifice our love to Him, there will be nothing left to fear. He will keep and grow your love. And then it will be possible, possible to pierce the shadows with a love that will not and cannot die.
'Cause He promised not to leave us,
And His promises are true,
So in the face of chaos,
Baby, I can dance with you,
When love is given to Him, He will gives the ability to work through the pain. It will be harder than ever dreamed. But you can sail through the storms.
So let's go dancing in minefields,
Let's go sailing in the storms,
Oh let's go dancing in the minefields,
And kicking down the doors,
Oh let's go dancing in the minefields,
And go sailing in the storms,
Oh, this is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for,
That's what the promise is for.
This love, this life, must be fueled by Christ to find any meaning. Otherwise it will be shallow. Otherwise the mines will be tripped over. Otherwise, the boats will sink. Otherwise the doors will still remain closed. This life is harder than we dreamed of. But it will be worth it. It will be paradoxically feasible...
Because of Him. So give it up and dance, dance through the minefields.
We're sailing in the storms,
This is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for....
Life is hard. Harder than we can imagine. It's just about Thanksgiving, and I can safely say that I'm burnt out. Burnt out with the heaviest load of school, sports, and extra-curricular activities that I've ever had before. And there have been times that I've felt like I'm done with this.
There have been times at four in the morning where I want to break down sobbing over a precis. There have been times where I want to just collapse in the gym during basketball conditioning. There have been times that I've wanted to just scream at the world, at the walls of work and things that seem to be trying to crush and suffocate me.
But I can keep going because of a motivation. There is something that I'm working for that's more than just a college, a place on the varsity team, a checkmark at tournament. I'm working to try to prove to myself that I'm good enough. Good enough though, for what? Why do I want to be good enough?
I've realized something. I'm insecure. I'm insecure in the same way that every human is. I worry about how I look, how I act, and what my face is to the world. I worry if I'm smart enough...kind enough...talented enough...good enough...
But I know something else. I can't keep this up. I can't just keep working to prove something. No matter how much work I put into it, proving myself just isn't worth that. I'll never prove to myself that I'm good enough. Why? Because it won't truly fulfill me.
"There is a God shaped vacuum inside of each of us." ~Blaise Pascal
We have to have something worthwhile to fulfill us. We need God to fill this emptiness inside of each of us. We need God to give us this meaning, not ourselves. Otherwise, it will be terribly hard.
But letting God fill this emptiness doesn't make it easy. We have to continuously let Him fill it, otherwise we will return to the rat race. It will be hard, harder than we dreamed of; but we make it worse if God is not the one who fulfills.
In this day and age, marriages often bear the brunt of this. So often, I have seen people get married. So often, I have heard of divorce. I've heard of the tears that follow. I've seen the difficulties in marriage. I'm only in high school, but I can tell that it's hard, harder than I can ever dream of. It needs to have something more than love to hold it together, and that's just what "Dancing in the Minefields" speaks about.
I was nineteen and you were twenty-one,
The year we got engaged,
Everyone said we were much to young,
But we did it anyway
How many times do we think that love can fulfill us? But how many times have we seen a marriage dissolve? How could something that is so fickle seem so worthy, so worthwhile? Will it really be as fulfilling as everyone of us thinks?
We bought our rings for forty each,
From a pawnshop down the road,
We made our vows and took the leap,
Now fifteen years ago
So much is invested. So much is risked, but again...for what? This leap...for what? The answer is again, love...but the same question arises...will this fulfill?
We went dancing in the minefields,
We're sailing in the storms,
This is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for
Love seems to make it possible to dance through the minefields, unscathed. To sail through the storms, unshaken...but it is hard...but marriage still exists, anchored on what? A promise of love...but this promise is still empty. Love is fickle. Love will blow away, like a dandelion in the wind.
Well "I do" are the most famous last words,
The beginning of the end,
But to lose your life for another, I've heard,
Is a good place to begin,
Marriage is so many people's end goals, the beginning of the end. But it's more than just love. It's exactly that, loosing your life for another. It's letting go of the love for yourself and giving it, not just partially, but fully to someone else.
Cause the only way to find your life,
Is to lay your own life down,
And I believe it's an easy price,
For the life that we have found,
But who do you give this love to? The common consensus would be your spouse. But I'll disagree. I'll disagree majorly. In a marriage, you have to lay your life down to God. That's the only way to truly find the type of marriage that is so sought after.
And we're dancing in the minefields,
We're sailing through the storms,
This is the harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for
It's still going to be hard, but it will be feasible. Love makes it possible, but love to Christ. He's the one who will have to loved before any love can even be directed to another. If that is who truly anchors your love, it will be harder than you dream. But it will be worthwhile. It will be paradoxical...but it shall be true.
So when I lose my way, find me,
And, when I lose love's chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith to the end of all my days, bind me,
When I forget my name, remind me,
This finder...it can't be a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, or any object of affection. It needs to be God.
'Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man,
So there's nothing left to fear,
So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands,
'Till the shadows disappear,
If we are His children. If we truly sacrifice our love to Him, there will be nothing left to fear. He will keep and grow your love. And then it will be possible, possible to pierce the shadows with a love that will not and cannot die.
'Cause He promised not to leave us,
And His promises are true,
So in the face of chaos,
Baby, I can dance with you,
When love is given to Him, He will gives the ability to work through the pain. It will be harder than ever dreamed. But you can sail through the storms.
So let's go dancing in minefields,
Let's go sailing in the storms,
Oh let's go dancing in the minefields,
And kicking down the doors,
Oh let's go dancing in the minefields,
And go sailing in the storms,
Oh, this is harder than we dreamed,
But I believe that's what the promise is for,
That's what the promise is for.
This love, this life, must be fueled by Christ to find any meaning. Otherwise it will be shallow. Otherwise the mines will be tripped over. Otherwise, the boats will sink. Otherwise the doors will still remain closed. This life is harder than we dreamed of. But it will be worth it. It will be paradoxically feasible...
Because of Him. So give it up and dance, dance through the minefields.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Beauty From Ashes- 2012 Elections
Wow. I have not written anything in awhile.
Then again, I guess today would be as good as any other day to be writing again. We all know what happened last night. Whether you're American, or from a different country, you must have heard the news.
The presidential elections are over. Barack Obama is still the president.
When my friends and I heard the news last night, we were actually just coming back from a GOP party in Colorado, where we had been campaigning for Romney since Friday.
Hours had been invested calling voters. We ran throughout thousands of random neighborhoods, trying to get the word out to vote in this critical swing state. We spent time doing something because we believed that 200+ teenagers who believed in a cause could drastically change the direction our country was going. We believed that even though we were under-aged, we could still make a difference. We could still affect the world that we would inherit in the coming years.
But guess what happened. You saw from the sentence up above. Barack Obama is still president. Our work was in vain. And honestly, the next four years will be a daunting, scary mess.
Obamacare is still in place. I don't know about you, but I've read enough of it to be quite wary of it. At the same time, I will admit I do tend to take the conservative point of view, leading me to vehemently disagree with a number of his policy-decisions. The United States has slowly been slipping down a hill in many different spheres of life. If the models I've been seeing play out, life as we know it will slip right through our fingers. And most of us won't realize that till it's gone.
When the news reached my friends and I, there was a moment of silence. Ohio went blue. And there went the elections. Obama had reached the needed 270 electoral votes. One of my friends wondered if our future, or at least the one that we each dreamed of, was now gone...
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." ~Ronald Reagan
From our dismayed faces and responses to the news, I would dare say that we felt like our freedom just evaporated.
But in the ashes, something can still rise. Beauty from ashes. Gladness from mourning. Praises dispelling all despair... What would rise from this?
Out of the silence in the van came prayers instead. We don't know what God is doing. We don't know why He allowed Obama to stay in office. But then again, we can't see everything, only the puzzle piece. He sees the full picture, though. And who is better to hold our fate, our unknown future, than a known God?
I'd like to quote Governor Romney on this one, "I believe in America." But really, America is just a nation; it will fall some day. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. The Sovereign Lord directs them all....
I love America, but I don't have to believe in it. It isn't exactly stable. But there is One who is, One who sees the full picture, the road behind the bend. So guess what?
I believe in God.
Then again, I guess today would be as good as any other day to be writing again. We all know what happened last night. Whether you're American, or from a different country, you must have heard the news.
The presidential elections are over. Barack Obama is still the president.
When my friends and I heard the news last night, we were actually just coming back from a GOP party in Colorado, where we had been campaigning for Romney since Friday.
Hours had been invested calling voters. We ran throughout thousands of random neighborhoods, trying to get the word out to vote in this critical swing state. We spent time doing something because we believed that 200+ teenagers who believed in a cause could drastically change the direction our country was going. We believed that even though we were under-aged, we could still make a difference. We could still affect the world that we would inherit in the coming years.
But guess what happened. You saw from the sentence up above. Barack Obama is still president. Our work was in vain. And honestly, the next four years will be a daunting, scary mess.
Obamacare is still in place. I don't know about you, but I've read enough of it to be quite wary of it. At the same time, I will admit I do tend to take the conservative point of view, leading me to vehemently disagree with a number of his policy-decisions. The United States has slowly been slipping down a hill in many different spheres of life. If the models I've been seeing play out, life as we know it will slip right through our fingers. And most of us won't realize that till it's gone.
When the news reached my friends and I, there was a moment of silence. Ohio went blue. And there went the elections. Obama had reached the needed 270 electoral votes. One of my friends wondered if our future, or at least the one that we each dreamed of, was now gone...
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." ~Ronald Reagan
From our dismayed faces and responses to the news, I would dare say that we felt like our freedom just evaporated.
But in the ashes, something can still rise. Beauty from ashes. Gladness from mourning. Praises dispelling all despair... What would rise from this?
Out of the silence in the van came prayers instead. We don't know what God is doing. We don't know why He allowed Obama to stay in office. But then again, we can't see everything, only the puzzle piece. He sees the full picture, though. And who is better to hold our fate, our unknown future, than a known God?
I'd like to quote Governor Romney on this one, "I believe in America." But really, America is just a nation; it will fall some day. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. The Sovereign Lord directs them all....
I love America, but I don't have to believe in it. It isn't exactly stable. But there is One who is, One who sees the full picture, the road behind the bend. So guess what?
I believe in God.
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