A caution to Christians

Sin that's left unattended grows and spreads like a poisonous weed.

If you hold onto your pride, if you blame other people, if you try to hide it, if you make excuses and try to rationalize it, if you harbor it, if you deny its existence and don't admit you have a problem, if you work around it and don't deal with the issues, if you abandon your commitments, if you don't confess your faults, and if you don't kill the sin 100%, then it will get worse and worse.

The longer sin thrives, the easier it becomes for you to commit more sin. The more you make excuses, or cover it up, or deny it, the easier it will be to do those things in the future. Eventually you will twist and contort yourself into a monster. You will be prideful and drive your friends away. You will become hard like stone and nobody will be able to help you change for the better. You will blame everyone else for your problems. Issues will never get resolved. You will break people's hearts. Your kids will learn from your actions and your sin will spread into their lives as they begin to act just like you. Harboring sin will destroy their lives, and that sin in their lives will destroy your grand-children's lives, unless the Lord intervenes.

In the end it will always bite you back. "Your sins will find you out." Nobody wants to be friends with a prideful person. Nobody likes fake people who pretend to have perfectly happy lives. Nobody wants a friend who blames them. Nobody wants a friend who always makes excuses and justifies his/her mistakes. Nobody wants to be around a person who never apologizes or asks for forgiveness. Nobody wants to be with a person who won't follow through with his/her commitments.

Always strive to kill the sin in your lives. Take on the embarrassment, let go of your pride, stop making excuses, admit to your faults, and change who you are. People will love you and respect you. Your children will learn to do right and their children will learn to do right.

And remember--the longer you wait, the easier it will be to keep putting it off.....and the more it will poison you and everyone around you.

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"Saving Planet Zor'rok"

I used to really be into "the future" of technology when touch screens were new, keyboards became smooth and silent, and everything started going digital.

However, my opinions have changed over the last year or so. There are some technological advancements I would hate to go back on, mostly ease-of-use (but still customizable) things, such as gmail. And gmail. In fact, I'm not wishing technology would go back in time necessarily, I've just learned that I prefer some things to be less digital and more physical than I used to.

I applaud Wacom tablets and software like Painter and Photoshop, and in many cases they can save a person much pain and suffering. But digital painting will never be the same as the tactile feeling of a pencil in your hand, smudging charcoal around, or seeing each physical brushstroke slowly evolve into an image on a canvas. And digital software can't replace the feeling of scribbling down doodles, ideas, or phrases onto sticky notes or paper scraps, and pinning them to your wall.

I really admire the advances in cellphone and slate technology, but I really would prefer to clack away on a keyboard and click the buttons on a mouse than to poke and swish around a touchscreen. I've daydreamed about owning a kindle, but I never have because I want my books lined up in a shelf where they won't get deleted. I want to see their illustrated covers when I pick them up. I want to let people borrow them if need be. (Though I do wish physical books could have a good search feature.)

I love having all my music organized in a media player so I can access any genre, song, or band at any time, but I still buy CDs because I like the physical presence. I like artwork, I like their names lined up in my shelf, and again I like saying, "Have you heard this? It's awesome. Here, take it with you, go listen to it."

I enjoy technology. I'd just like to appreciate the tactile and tangible things in life and give them the credit they deserve.

"The Whaler" by Thrice

My lover's arms,
they beg me to stay.
But I know the storms,
they will sweep me away.

My daughter's eyes,
they are two tiny seas,
whose water will rise
and then run down her cheeks.

"Father where do you go,
so far out upon the sea,
when are you coming home to me?"
"Darling why do you leave,
as the north wind begins to blow?
Will you be coming home to me?"

The boat and the blade,
they are all that I know;
the sea calls my name,
and so I must go.

And while they still sleep,
I slip out through the door;
but how can I leave,
with my anchors ashore?

"Father where do you go?
It's farther than I can see,
when are you coming home to me?"
"Darling why do you leave,
as the north wind begins to blow?
Will you be coming home to me?"

It's not uncommon for people to dislike Christianity because of the way they've seen alleged Christians behave. While this is understandable, it's also foolish and misguided.

If you want to know what Christianity is you should read the four gospels and get to what Christ was like. Then you'll have a legitimate appreciation or dislike of Christianity.

If you base your view of Christianity on people who call themselves Christians but act like wretched people, that's as silly as saying you hate Christianity because of the way Muslims or Buddhists act. Because if people don't look like, act like, represent, or even want to be like Christ, then how are those people Christians? They can call themselves that all they want but if you don't see Christlike behavior in their lives then you are wrong in forming an opinion of Christianity based off of those people.

Look at Christ instead.

Billy Talent
"White Sparrows"

Today I walked down our old street
Past the diner where we'd meet
Now I dine alone in our old seats
The cold wind blows right through my bones
And I feel like I'm getting old
But I wish I was getting old with you
I held your hand when we took shelter from the rain
She laughed as we picked out our children's names

White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray

Her clothes hang in the closet still
The phone sits on the windowsill
And every time it rings it gives me chills
My heart just stopped when I was told
Doctor, doctor, on the phone
Said my love was never coming home
I hold your casket gently walking to the grave
Dark clouds eclipse the sun won't shine again

White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray

They gave her one more day
To say the words I couldn't say
I'm crying in pain, crying in pain

And I'm not looking for answers
No, I'm not looking for answers
But dear God, why did you choose her?

White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray

They gave her one more day
To say the words I couldn't say
I'm crying in pain (crying in pain)
Crying in pain
Our love will remain
I'm crying in pain