Like spandex

Resiliency. Merriam-Webster defines resiliency as "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress; an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change."

I have always been so very intrigued by the resiliency of humans. Our ability to adapt and conform to new environments is incredible. When confronted with abnormal and even devastating situations an innate behavior kicks in that causes us to slow down, take a look around, and change, if even just slightly, to incorporate this situation into our stride as we move on.

However, I cannot say that all humans demonstrate an equal quality of flexibility; varying degrees are seen in the many different ways and also in the extent to which we accomodate such changes. There are some who crack emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually when faced with stressors that, for these individuals, is truly devastating. The level of their ability to function within society becomes severely diminished.

My biggest question is whether the issue of the varying degrees of the outcomes of the use of coping skills is a result of actual differences in the capability that we have to be resilient or a result of personal choice.  Do we choose our degree of resiliency?  Or is it predetermined?

Jennifer Knapp

I would like to know why we think of ourselves as "mini-gods" who have the ability to pass judgement on others. What makes us so righteous that we believe we are above sin?
I would like to know how many of Ms. Knapp's (former) followers encouraged her in her daily walk with the Lord. How many of us prayed for her as she was surely attacked on a daily basis for standing out and ministering to us for so many years? I know I never did. I never really considered the temptations and struggles that Christian leaders and role models face day in and day out.
Shame on me. Shame on us for sitting on thrones carved from stones of false righteousness as we point our sticky, judgemental fingers at those who do not meet our standards.
She is a woman of God and she is struggling in her sin just as every one of us struggle in our sin every day.
May we see that we are all created equal; no one man above another.
May we never fail to lend a hand when we see a tempted man struggling.
May we never turn blind eyes to the misfortunes of others.
May we speak only words based on love and encouragement.
May we make earnest our prayers that she come back to the complete love of God where she belongs.
May we all remember the wholeness of God's love and stand firm against our sins.


HOLD ME NOW
Jennifer Knapp

"From glass alabaster she poured out the depths of her soul
Oh, foot of Christ would You wait if her harlotry's known?
Falls a tear to darken the dirt of humblest offerings to forgive the hurt
She is strong enough to stand in Your love
I can hear her say...

I am weak, I am poor
I'm broken, Lord, but I'm Yours
Hold me now, hold me now

Let he without sin cast the first stone if you will
To say that my bride isn't worth half the blood that I've spilled
Point your finger and laugh if you choose to say my beloved is borrowed and used
She is strong enough to stand in my love
I can hear her say...

I am weak, I am poor
I'm broken, Lord, but I'm Yours
Hold me now, hold me now"

Something more...

I would like to know from where it is that we derive our personal worth. Is it from the clothes we wear? The cars we drive? The houses in which we reside? Hairstyles? Makeup? Shoes? Who are we and what are we doing?

Why is it that we pour so much time, money, and effort into accumulating petty items? I'm not condemning the ownership of any of materials; I don't believe it is wrong or shameful to be in posession of these, I would just like to know why we base so much of our own personal worth and time on such trivial items. Why are these items so important to us? Why do they become the center focus of our lives? I can't help but wonder, are so very captivated by this stuff that we are totally missing our potential to do truly great things?

I'm tired of playing stupid, meaningless roles in society. I want to mean something to somebody. I want to make changes that mean something. I want to share that feeling of love, the feeling of being the recipient of actions that originate from the goodness of one's heart, to those who have never experienced it.

I want my personal worth, my raison d'être, to come from helping others achieve a life that is filled with experiences based on helping them to pass on joy and goodwill to the rest of the world.

I just want to be a little bit more than I am.

"Remove From Friends"

I would like to know where the intense desire one has to inform one's entire social network of one's every action comes from. "Walking the dog", "getting the mail", "on the phone with _____", "going to the grocery store", "crazy drivers" (via mobile device), etc. Whatever happened to keeping petty, pointless information to ourselves? I understand that some things, while seemingly insignificant to others, may be very important to you. However, I do not need nor want to be on the receiving end of a play-by-play of your daily activities.

I understand if you had a tough day. But when you complain about your tough, busy day every single day, I really don't care to hear it anymore. What's important to you has, over time, become very unimportant to me. I'm sorry, but you've completely desensitized me to your complaints and I have no empathy nor sympathy towards you.

Having said all of that, if you suddenly find yourself short 100 social networking buddies, perhaps it's time to reconsider the overwhelming amount of trivial information that you choose share with EVERYONE.

Lost book?

My mom paraphrased something from a book last year and now I'm paraphrasing her paraphrase. "There comes a time in your life when you will finally tire of being continuously beaten. You will stand up for yourself and bring the beatings to an end. Enough is enough, and when you have learned this, there is no more to be learned."
I think she mentioned that there was a monk in the book. I would love to know the name of the book. Let me know if you are familiar with this piece. :)

Hell

Walking through hell is, most certainly, an uncertain and very dangerous journey that we often take in life. Show me a man who has not turned away from his struggles and I will show you a man who truly knows how to live. When we find ourselves in hard times we cannot turn around and just go back. We may choose to wander hopelessly in our own personal hell but we must acknowledge that we will never reach the exit unless we walk straight through the hottest flames for they will strengthen us for the remainder of our journey.

New Year!

Looking back on 2009, I see a year filled with sadness, heartbreak, trials, and devastation. But, more than pain, I see a year filled with new experiences, hope, love, and great accomplishments. Looking forward to the new year, I see a year filled with all of the same emotions as the previous year. If we do not experience sadness, joy will seem dull. If we never fail, we will never appreciate the bliss of success.
I always have the general resolutions each year: eat healthier, exercise more, and always seek to learn. This year, I only made one resolution: try a real relationship. I did not resolve to stay away from short-term flings. Only to try a real relationship at some point before the year comes to a end.
To faith, to friends, to loyalty, to courage, to joy, to hope, to love, to new experiences, to you, and to me, to yours and to mine. Cheers!

"It's the thought that counts."

A phrase we often hear or say to bring comfort when our actions seem to have fallen short of the goal toward which we were striving. But what are thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and feelings in the absence of action? Shouldn't we instead say "It's the effort that counts"?

Thoughts are nothing until an attempt is made to bring that idea, a strange formation of the human mind, into reality. Once that attempt is made, thought gains worth and demands recognition as having "counted for something."

Do not allow your thoughts to be futile and meaningless, but instead venture to make them known through your actions.

Sick

A young girl sits, arms gently crossed with her face tilted upward showing bemused visage. Her fingertips move lightly across her pale skin, playing out a melody only she can hear.

Blind eyes turn toward the danger of her beauty. Overlooked are the ugly truths of the soul as pleasantries and entertainment are longed for.

Corrupt sickness rots her body outward from the core. Debilitating, crippling, confining. The screams released do nothing to quiet the flames so she catches her breath to quell the noise.

Death's hands fold and patiently wait as her mouth moves silently and her mind screams without sounding alarm. Her face a portrait of feigned indifference; strong beauty that gives no inclination to the putrid flesh that lies beneath.

At Liberty

For the first time in 8 years, I have found myself between jobs. In the market. Without a job. Jobless. Unemployed. And I think I like it.

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Ah, and so the call for independence requires me to find a job and pay my own bills.