I cannot undress my heart in light.
Darkness, shelter darkness, find
a cave to hide this heart of mine.
I cannot speak in honesty nor write.
Rain, shelter rain, find
a storm to drown this voice of mine.
I cannot cure my spirit’s endless plight.
Death, shelter death, find
a space to match this void of mine.
I cannot survive in life tonight.
Oh Jesus, sweet Jesus, find
a way to save me one more time.
I can praise God under the sun,
under the hell this earth’s become,
and I can hope beyond the grave,
that I will live where restoration reigns,
and while I’m weak, I still will boast,
of the Lord I serve from my post.
With the strength provided from His well,
that overflows my earthly shell,
I will live, and breathe, and think and love,
Forever for my King above!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Excerpts from Thomas Kempis "Imitatio Christi"
"Whoever desires to understand and take delight in the words of Christ must strive to conform his whole life to him."
"And this is supreme wisdom—to despise the world, and draw daily nearer the kingdom of heaven."
"It is vanity to love things that so swiftly pass away, and not to hasten onwards to that place where everlasting joy abides."
"Keep constantly in mind the saying, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” Strive to withdraw your heart from the love of visible things, and direct your affections to things invisible. For those who follow only their natural inclinations defile their conscience, and lose the grace of God."
"Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion."
"How good a conscience would he keep if a man never sought after passing pleasures nor became preoccupied with worldly affairs!"
"The desires of the senses call you to roam abroad, but when their hour is spent, what do you bring back but a burdened conscience and a distracted heart? A cheerful going out often brings a sad homecoming, and a merry evening brings a sorry morning. For every bodily pleasure brings joy at first, but at length it bites and destroys."
"It is often better and safer not to have many comforts in this life, especially those of the body. Yet, if we seldom or never feel God’s comfort, the fault is our own; for we neither seek contrition of heart, nor entirely forego all vain and outward consolations."
"Consider yourself unworthy of God’s comfort, but rather deserving of much suffering. When a man is perfectly contrite, this present world becomes grievous and bitter to him. A good man always finds cause for grief and tears; for whether he considers himself or his neighbors, he knows that no man lives without trouble in this life. And the more strictly he examines himself, the more cause he finds for sorrow. Our sins and vices are grounds for rightful sorrow and contrition of heart; for they have so strong a hold on us that we are seldom able to contemplate heavenly things."
"For to eat and drink, to wake and sleep, to rest and labor, and to be subject to all the necessities of nature is a great trouble and affliction to the devout man, who would rather be released and set free from all sin." (This is especially intriguing to me, if you ever bring it up in conversation with me, I would be game)
"The inner life of man is greatly hindered in this life by the needs of the body. Thus, the prophet devoutly prays that he may be set free from them, saying, “Lord, deliver me from my necessities!”"
"You will never overcome your vices, unless you discipline yourself severely."
"Learn now to die to the world, that you may begin to live with Christ."
"And this is supreme wisdom—to despise the world, and draw daily nearer the kingdom of heaven."
"It is vanity to love things that so swiftly pass away, and not to hasten onwards to that place where everlasting joy abides."
"Keep constantly in mind the saying, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” Strive to withdraw your heart from the love of visible things, and direct your affections to things invisible. For those who follow only their natural inclinations defile their conscience, and lose the grace of God."
"Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion."
"How good a conscience would he keep if a man never sought after passing pleasures nor became preoccupied with worldly affairs!"
"The desires of the senses call you to roam abroad, but when their hour is spent, what do you bring back but a burdened conscience and a distracted heart? A cheerful going out often brings a sad homecoming, and a merry evening brings a sorry morning. For every bodily pleasure brings joy at first, but at length it bites and destroys."
"It is often better and safer not to have many comforts in this life, especially those of the body. Yet, if we seldom or never feel God’s comfort, the fault is our own; for we neither seek contrition of heart, nor entirely forego all vain and outward consolations."
"Consider yourself unworthy of God’s comfort, but rather deserving of much suffering. When a man is perfectly contrite, this present world becomes grievous and bitter to him. A good man always finds cause for grief and tears; for whether he considers himself or his neighbors, he knows that no man lives without trouble in this life. And the more strictly he examines himself, the more cause he finds for sorrow. Our sins and vices are grounds for rightful sorrow and contrition of heart; for they have so strong a hold on us that we are seldom able to contemplate heavenly things."
"For to eat and drink, to wake and sleep, to rest and labor, and to be subject to all the necessities of nature is a great trouble and affliction to the devout man, who would rather be released and set free from all sin." (This is especially intriguing to me, if you ever bring it up in conversation with me, I would be game)
"The inner life of man is greatly hindered in this life by the needs of the body. Thus, the prophet devoutly prays that he may be set free from them, saying, “Lord, deliver me from my necessities!”"
"You will never overcome your vices, unless you discipline yourself severely."
"Learn now to die to the world, that you may begin to live with Christ."
what I learned in school
If you combine Stalin's rule by terror methods with the UN's ideas of human rights, things would get done!
Let the line above sink in a little bit. For example, Human Rights began to win in the Holocaust only when Nazi's were overcome by the slaughter put on them by the Allies. Slavery in the south ended when the North declared war and oppressors started dying in war. In order for some oppressed people to gain rights, someone has to make the oppressors the victims. In my opinion, Humanitarian Intervention fails because it is not a just system. The oppressed can hardly be uplifted without punishing the oppressor.
This is not an argument for violence necessarily. It's an argument to show the world is not "just."
Let the line above sink in a little bit. For example, Human Rights began to win in the Holocaust only when Nazi's were overcome by the slaughter put on them by the Allies. Slavery in the south ended when the North declared war and oppressors started dying in war. In order for some oppressed people to gain rights, someone has to make the oppressors the victims. In my opinion, Humanitarian Intervention fails because it is not a just system. The oppressed can hardly be uplifted without punishing the oppressor.
This is not an argument for violence necessarily. It's an argument to show the world is not "just."
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