fear

don't.

allow it no foothold.

let it be neither your motivation nor your inhibition.

pray to defeat your flesh that is so quick to tremble.

pray to know and believe and feel your savior's might.

fear him, instead.

that's another kind of fear, though -

a good one,  a better one:

the beginning of wisdom.

so,

fear him,

and be no scared little boy.

You know, the traditional wedding vows are actually pretty solid.

thoughts on pruning, change, and the like

"He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more."
-John 15:2

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
-Romans 12:2

"Oh, oh, things are gonna change now, for the better..."
-Anberlin, "Dismantle.Repair"

"Alles kann besser werden."
Everything can be better.
-Xavier Naidoo, "Alles kann besser werden"

"Sometimes it's so hard to tell
what to keep and what to kill,
what of this makes us who we are
all that we love the most,
all that we cannot let go,
how much change can we survive?"
-Sara Groves, "Rewrite This Tragedy"

"I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
-Galations 2:20

"I know I've lost my conscience,
I know I've lost all shame,
but I must do the right thing,
I must do myself a favor and get real,
get right with the Lord."

-Sufjan Stevens, "Get Real Get Right"

"Beautiful changes I feel sometimes
in the middle of the late morning dishes
when You say I might do anything at all."
-The Innocence Mission, "Walking Around"

"Learn this lesson well, my friend:
there's a time to rejoice and lament.
Every season will find an end.
All will fade and be made new again."
-Josh Garrels, "Rejoice and Lament"

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
-John 7:37-38

right rite wright write
wrongs.

memoirs of a spring un-break

i went to some friends' house right after work

dressed in full work garb.

they were in their car, about to drive away.

"get in!  we're going to harris teeter!"

ironic.  not the one i work at, though, thankfully.

we got groceries.  i bagged them, much to the confusion of the cashier.

"do we have a new worker?" - harris teeter employee named "coffee."

we returned to my friends' house, cooked a meal,

and watched a jane austen movie.

i actually paid attention and understood it, surprisingly.

---

i went to some friends' house.

we made pizza from scratch,

save the pre-made crust.

tasty, it was.

it was also quieter in that estate than i had ever experienced.

but, it was nice.

---

i went with a friend to an outlet

of the largest retailer in the world.

we walked in with the purpose

of getting blank CDs, chicken, milk, eggs, and syrup.

check.

on the way out, he realized he did not have his keys.

we retraced our steps.  unsuccessful for a while.

i finally found them in the knives section.

relief.

---

i went to my community group, tortillas in hand.

burritos were made.

a celebration for many good things that

have happened, are happening, will soon happen.

after a bit, i became the only single person in the room.

and the youngest, by a couple years.

all acquaintances.  wonderful ones, but acquaintances nonetheless.

it shouldn't have mattered.  it didn't matter.

but i couldn't seem to shake the uncomfortable, anxious feeling, so i left.

that's something i hope to get past.

---

praise the lord in silly, unusual situations. praise him in the shaky steps, and the deafening silences.  praise him no matter who you're with, and when you're with nobody at all.  praise him.

My Schweizer Offiziersmesser

oh, how it comes in handy.

thanks again, switzerland.