I stood next to my five year old, who stood on a chair, scrubbing the night's spaghetti pan because she wanted to. It barely fit in the sink, her sleeves were soaked to her shoulders, and I'm pretty sure she used at-least triple the amount of soap required. She splashed and laughed and asked me to help her dump the water and dry it; so I did. She continued to wash (and did and pretty damn good job honestly) while I dried and put things away. I stood there and watched her, amazed at her willingness to help and amazed at my patience in letting her.
In one of their new songs, Mumford & Sons, talked about children of darkness. The phrase caught my attention and reminded me of where I spent most of my life. A child in darkness. Today, my life is better than I ever imagined it could be. A deep, guttural peace vibrates within me. I do not fear the things that once ruled my life - addiction, myself, other people, insecurities, and so many other things that have filled the 15 plus journals I have scribbled over the years. It has not been without work, willingness, a little humiliation, and some sheer grace. There is always hope. Everyday I see someone who struggles with being stuck, fearful, stagnant, sick, or depressed. Every time, I see something they could start doing right now to change their experience, to begin that shift into a better life if only they were open to it, if only they were willing to do whatever it takes.
If you are that struggling person reading this and truly want to change your life, find that willingness to do whatever it takes and run with that shit. Read books, make new friends, face your darkness, go to that meeting or that support group, be 100% honest with someone about what you're going through right now, start journaling. Do something, anything, new right now. If you don't like your life, you have the power to change it. It will not happen overnight, and it may suck a little along the way, but I promise you, it's worth it. Your life is worth it. The life waiting for you is worth it.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Dear Franklin Graham
I don't know who you are. Your article on Faith Family America said something about you being a preacher, so I'll assume that's true.
You are quoted as saying that you were "afraid for our children and grandchildren." I have been afraid, too. Ironically, as I read this article, I was just finishing up a blog about how it was not politics or religion that was separating us, but fear. Good ol' fashioned fear. The same fear that your religion has used to run itself for hundreds of years.
Where is your faith? I believe God, the all-knowing, all-loving, omnipresent being, that beautifully orchestrates all things according to his will is over-seeing this and is in control. In my fear blog, I started off with talking about the utter physical upheaval of disgust I felt as D.T. was elected by the majority to be my president. I had to let it go, and I had to have faith.
Here's the thing about people like you and people like me. We both feel passionately about our country, our future generations, and family. Again, I'm assuming based only on your article, that you and I can agree on this. The difference is, I don't post blogs or articles about why everyone is wrong who doesn't believe what I believe. My experience has shown me that there is no gay agenda, but rest assured, there is a Christian one.
For years, fear has been used mistakenly by people as a means of control. Jesus taught love, plain and simple. I struggle to understand why this has become such a difficult concept to comprehend. It's hard, I know, to feel out of control. The tactics of fear have worked for quite some time offering you and yours the illusion of control; I understand why you are afraid. Progressive movements such as the abolition of slavery, women's right to vote, and gay marriage all give people freedom of choice, thus, reducing the control of your fear-based doctrine.
I truly believe in my heart of hearts, the time has come, again, to teach about love. Fear has run it's course. It's ineffective, and it breads violence and division. United we stand, divided we fall. Things are changing. Those morals you speak of that built the "Biblical foundation of our laws" were created when slavery was legal, when it was acceptable to strip native people of their own land, to rape women, and beat children. Can you argue this is what Jesus would have wanted? What God would have wanted?
I absolutely will be praying for our country. I will be doing so in love and with faith that things are just as they should be, that God is in control, and we are moving in the direction that he would have us go.
It's easy to forget sometimes that we are not God, and we don't always know what God's will is for us, or anyone else for that matter. It's easy to think that someone else, other than ourselves, is the one mistaking evil for good, and good for evil.
You are quoted as saying that you were "afraid for our children and grandchildren." I have been afraid, too. Ironically, as I read this article, I was just finishing up a blog about how it was not politics or religion that was separating us, but fear. Good ol' fashioned fear. The same fear that your religion has used to run itself for hundreds of years.
Where is your faith? I believe God, the all-knowing, all-loving, omnipresent being, that beautifully orchestrates all things according to his will is over-seeing this and is in control. In my fear blog, I started off with talking about the utter physical upheaval of disgust I felt as D.T. was elected by the majority to be my president. I had to let it go, and I had to have faith.
Here's the thing about people like you and people like me. We both feel passionately about our country, our future generations, and family. Again, I'm assuming based only on your article, that you and I can agree on this. The difference is, I don't post blogs or articles about why everyone is wrong who doesn't believe what I believe. My experience has shown me that there is no gay agenda, but rest assured, there is a Christian one.
For years, fear has been used mistakenly by people as a means of control. Jesus taught love, plain and simple. I struggle to understand why this has become such a difficult concept to comprehend. It's hard, I know, to feel out of control. The tactics of fear have worked for quite some time offering you and yours the illusion of control; I understand why you are afraid. Progressive movements such as the abolition of slavery, women's right to vote, and gay marriage all give people freedom of choice, thus, reducing the control of your fear-based doctrine.
I truly believe in my heart of hearts, the time has come, again, to teach about love. Fear has run it's course. It's ineffective, and it breads violence and division. United we stand, divided we fall. Things are changing. Those morals you speak of that built the "Biblical foundation of our laws" were created when slavery was legal, when it was acceptable to strip native people of their own land, to rape women, and beat children. Can you argue this is what Jesus would have wanted? What God would have wanted?
I absolutely will be praying for our country. I will be doing so in love and with faith that things are just as they should be, that God is in control, and we are moving in the direction that he would have us go.
It's easy to forget sometimes that we are not God, and we don't always know what God's will is for us, or anyone else for that matter. It's easy to think that someone else, other than ourselves, is the one mistaking evil for good, and good for evil.
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