Simple Clay Pots

We are described as clay pots, simple, maybe even oddly shaped or cracked clay pots. And in those clay pots is placed the most valuable treasure in all the world. It isn't placed in a well guarded vault, or in some tightly locked chest and buried under a thousand feet of dirt. And on top of that, this treasure is also the power of God. . . . . . . . the power of God. . . . . .the Power of God! IN CLAY POTS! It seems ridiculous. Absurd. Ludicrous. But that is the way for others to experience this treasure.

My mind is blown once again.

Sacredness of the Kiss

Last night I sat down to study and on the Television were some Will Farrel SNL skits. In one skit him and Chris Kattan kiss, (a rather long and messy one). My random brain began to think about 'a kiss' and what it means. It seems that our culture is beginning to lose the sacredness of a kiss. While the skit was purely for laugh I realized that to a lot of westerners, a kiss is now just a kiss, almost like a brown paper bag is just a brown paper bag. When I lived in Central Asia, men and women that were friends greeted each other with a kiss. It is a sign of affection, and as awkward as it sounds, there was a specialness that the kiss brought. It showed trust and endearment. I feel that when we just give the kiss away, like our culture has saturated us with, it loses most meaning and might as well be a handshake. There will be meaning in my kiss.

All that to say, I like kissing and I'm probably not going to kiss you.......unless. . . .

LoVe?

The war in Iraq has me wrestling with my faith and my response. The Christians in Iraq are saying they do not want America fighting and bombing them. They say they live by another law, the law of blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are those who love their brother and their enemy. How can bombs and guns be the agent of justice that God has chosen. Didn't Jesus baffle all of us by conquering with the utmost sacrifice of love. Yet in life, are there things that we must stand up for and fight for. If a man comes to your door to kill you and your family, what action should be taken? Even if I stop fighting, others will continue to. Does that mean I must fight? Where is love? How does love fit into this? I no longer see my loyalty to my country of utmost importance. (Continue reading before you scream treason). I value the life of an Iraqi man as much as I value an American man. My brother is Rashid in Central Asia, Bill down the street, and Wong in the east. They are my family, because of spiritual ties. And my family is my first loyalty. My country is composed of my neighbors, and who is my neighbor.

My favorite quote

Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world, when in fact it is the only thing that ever has.

~I forget so we'll just call them anonymous

"You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy named Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God, I can tell you that you have to sell everything you have and give it to the poor, because Jesus said that to one guy too..." ---Rich Mullins

Feeling important....?

If we were to transport our most powerful telescope to our nearest neighboring star, Alpha Centauri, and look back this way. We wouldn't even be able to see earth, not even a speck.--Philip Keller

Reminds me that God is god and I am man, and there is a big difference.

Sometimes contemplating life is like watching a parade that just consists of one large marching band. Except every time they walk past you they turn the corner, change their clothes and come back around again, and again and again.

Before man. Buried underneath like a deep mystery. Before the dawn of time. Unknown to most and invented by no one. The

truth. Mysterious and shadowy to human knowledge. Only uncovered by few, yet written in unchangeable stone iwth blood

that lasts forever. Here in what seems like darkness is actually flooded with light, the secrets to life. So easy to find and

understand when you are looking for them. Yet completely counter to all that man has substituted in their place. One would

think that if uncovered and revealed they would be heralded and cherished. Not So! Man has been 'without' them for so long,

they've written their own secrets. Almost complete opposites. This treasure does not fit the mold and is thrown out like trast.

Love...the most powerful force on the earth. Love can not be beaten. When you kill love, it rises again to continue to love. It never stops. When power is on the rise, love is in the shadows, faithfully serving.

Martin Luther King Jr. said "If you beat us, we will love you! If you jail us, we will love you! If you kill us, we will die loving you!"

He who thinks that he is finished is finished.

Lazurus

What would you do to threaten Lazurus after he was raised from the dead?

"I'm gonna kill you..?"

I'm sure he would have just laughed at you.

How do you frighten someone who has already been there and knows the one who is going to let him out?

To Lazurus death is dead.



--Ravi Z.

Happy Halloween!