From a Notebook Near Me

So I was looking today through one of the many notebooks that I generally keep in my backpack, and I found something on the last page that I truly don't remember writing down. This, in and of itself, is highly unusual, because I tend to remember most everything that I write down, if even at least vaguely. This is something I have basically zero recollection of writing down, but I thought that maybe someone would appreciate it. So, on the slim chance that this may touch at least one person, here it is:

"Christ is beckoning us, saying:
'I'm going to capture your senses -- your sight, your taste, then your smell, followed by your touch and sound. Then, gently, I will tap on your heart, to be let in and to open your spirit to soar with Me above the storm, until you find rest in My Father's arms.'"

Waking Dreams

For some reason, I thought about dreams a lot yesterday (and seem to be thinking about them today, as well). I've been thinking about dreams that die and, for me, have died -- such as dreams of becoming an artist or an author or, mostly, a pilot. Yet, even though so many dreams have died and I have had to let go of them, I keep dreaming big dreams. I have huge dreams usually, it would seem, if I look at them from the perspective of reality. Yet, why should I dream anything smaller? Waking dreams, which are, of course, far more powerful than unconscious dreams, help give meaning to life and hope to man's future. Mankind would lose nigh all hope if people were to stop dreaming. We need, it seems, to know that other people dream, even if we ourselves do not. I suppose part of that is the child-like hope that dreamers have that inspires others.

For centuries, men dreamed of flying, and all who were realistic said it couldn't happen. Those realists are now gently mocked because two men who were dreamers taught mankind how to fly. So why should people not dream fantastical things? Yes, many times dreams die, and yes, sometimes reality really hurts, but we must never stop dreaming! For, truly, which would be worse: to live in a world without dreams or to suffer the broken heart of a trampled dream? I have chosen, I think, and shall continue to choose, I hope, the latter whene'er the choice must be made.

Sr. Pictures

So until Facebook decides to cooperate, I'll put a few of my sr. pictures up here for those of you who want to see them...

Tak Waba, E Waba Na Yesu

So the title, as most anyone who reads it will probably discover, is not in English. It's part of a song that I was taught last summer, and I really, really, like it. It means "there's no one, no one like Jesus." I was thinking about this song today, and how true it really is. A lot of times I don't stop to think about how amazing Christ is. A song as simple as this one really speaks to me, as a lot of simple songs do ("Amazing Grace" being my favourite song of all time for that very reason).

"There's no one, no one like Jesus." That is so incredible true! Jesus is wonderfully amazing and absolutely incredible, and there is NO ONE else like Him! Sometimes basic truths like this really just hit home to me. I suppose sometimes I get too caught up in the complexities of life to remember simple things like this.

So those are my thoughts for the day...comment on them...lemme know what you think... :)

The Final Opening Ceremony

So tonight was the opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics, which are, of course, in Beijing, China. There is a lot of debate over the different policies of China, which I am not even going to begin to discuss or attempt to wrap my mind around. One thing I truly do appreciate about the Olympics, and the opening ceremony especially, is seeing so many people from so many different nations together. Everyone in the parade is happy, and rightfully so, as many have worked their whole lives to reach the Olympics. People of almost every nation of the world gather in one stadium, and, at least for that event, there is no fighting or bickering over past or current differences.

The opening ceremony of the Olympics makes me think, at least this year, of the Final Opening Ceremony of Life, so to speak. When I say this, I am thinking of the day when all of humanity will stand before Christ. How on Earth do I make this connection? Well, yes, not everyone there will be happy, that is for sure. There will, however, be no fighting or bickering. Everyone who has ever lived will be there, before the throne of God.

Imagine the sight that it will be! Every tribe, every tongue, every nation will be gathered before the Most High God. The anticipation leading up to this has lasted far longer than the anticipation for any Olympic Games. To me, the sight of so many different people together is a beautiful thing, yet it shall not compare to the glory & magnificence & majesty of God and to the beauty of His people singing His praises in rightful harmony.

The Final Opening Ceremony -- to me, that's an apt way to describe what it may be like, though, there surely will be heartbreak there after when He judges (but, do they not judge in the Olympics, as well?). Perhaps my imagination just gets carried away, but really, think about it -- all of the people of the world, not matter what life they had lived, bowing the knee to Christ one day, in acknowledment that He is Lord. That will be a beautiful thing.

The Effect of a Life

So, instead of doing what I have the past two times I've actually posted and put up a bit of an old journal entry of mine, I've decided to try to be original and actually write what I'm attempting to contemplate at this moment -- and, the title of the post is actually relavant to the post itself (shocking, I know...well, at least it will be relavant once I stop rambling on and on and get to my point).

I've been thinking lately, and just now as I am writing this up, about the effect that one life can have. Truly, the impact that one person's life can have is, at least in my mind, absolutely incredible. I don't know how much I can say about this, though I suppose I could give examples of those who have influenced me a lot (I doubt that most of them know who they are).

Somehow, though, despite how much different people affect us, how much they shape who we are and who we become, we don't always seem to appreciate them, or what they do in our lives. I suppose I'm speaking of myself -- I don't seem to show enough appreciation to those who pour so much into my life, and recent events have caused me to stop and think about how much different people mean to me.

So, I would like to say that a lot of people to impact my life on a daily basis, and some a lot more often than that. One person can make a huge impact on lives around them (even though they don't always know it), and I am beginning to really understand this. My point in all of this is simple: we ought to appreciate more those in our lives who invest in us, and we ought not wait to show them (or even simply tell them) how much they mean to us.

A Completely Random and Totally Unrelated Title That Has Absolutely Nothing To Do With The Blog At Hand

So I've been thinking (at which words all who know me ought to run and hide), despite the various dangers of thinking, about why God made people. It's a rather large topic to think on, I know. Yet it's a questiong that most everyone thinks about at some point in time in their life, and I'm not exception. It's a topic that has been the basis of many songs, movies, poems, and books. I haven't been thinking about it in that great of depth, but I decided to get my scattered thoughts written down to see if I could possibly begin to understand.

I think that one of the reasons -- in fact, the main reason -- that God made man was so that man could glorify and worship God. Man's main purpose in life is, if naught else, to glorify his Creator. In all that people do, their aim ought to be bringing glory to God. Everyday, all day, people should worship God -- live a life of praise before His throne, as it were (I realize that this doesn't happen all the time, but I'm talking about what should happen.) God made man to glorify Himself. Why, though? The answerr is relatively simple -- He made man so He Himself could be glorified because He deserves it. While this would seem horridly proud and self-centred were it said of anyone other than God, He is perfect and magnificent and more than worthy of man's praise, so it is simply the truth that He deserves it, not a vain and conceited boast.

Another reason that God created people was, I think, for relationship. God is a relational God. How do I know this? History, the Bible, and my own personal experience point wildly to the fact that God wants to relate with people. He is constantly and consistantly involved both in history as a whole as well as individual lives. He didn't make the world, set it spinning, put a man on it, and then go incommunicado -- He got to know man! He walked in the Garden of Eden, forming a relationship what would help to set the course of all of history! He communicates with man through His Word -- and through other means as well.

God is a relational God, and man is made in His image. Thusly, man is also a relational creature. Man was made in a way so that he needs to connect, both with other people and with his Creator. God made man to desire at the most basic level what God desires, as well: love and friendship.

Also, I personally think (though I don't know that I could find a lot of Biblical evidence to support this particular point...but, shh! don't tell) that God wanted someone to laugh with. I strongly believe that God has an incredible sense of humour. The Bible doesn't say it, but creation certainly does. For one thing, everyone has some kind of sense of humour (no matter what type or how small). If everyone has a sense of humour and we were all made in the image of God -- well, that's something of a stretch, but I think He knows how to laugh. Honestly, I believe God made man to laugh with Him -- how else does one expliain the existance of an animal like the duck-billed platapus?

So, on that note, I come to this conclusion: God made man to glorify Himself, to have someone to have a relationship with, and to have someone to laugh with.