What I Meant to Say Was

Your life flashing before your eyes.
A flash of light.
The flash of a Kodak Moment.
Flashing your cards.
A flash bomb.
Flashing a smile.
The innocent flash of cleavage.
A flash and it was gone.

Brilliant.

More Than Capable

A thirteen year old girl was raped on her way to school this week in St. Paul. Thirteen. A child. I just cannot comprehend this.

How can a person see a young girl and think that she is his for the taking? How does a person get to that point in his life? How does he become a rapist? No one grows up with the dream of, "One day I'm going to be a rapist." Little boys dream of becoming astronauts, doctors, football stars, zoologists... How do they go from that into becoming rapists?

I just... I'm at a complete loss. I mean all violence truly perplexes me. I just don't understand the criminal mind, I guess. I'm not sure I want to. The thing of it is, we may not begin life on a level playing field, but I believe that God has made us all more than capable. We're more than capable of rising above, succeeding, growing, overcoming, thriving, etc.

You know when a scientist makes an important discovery? Or...or...when an athlete wows us in an unfathomable way? And a musician, for example, composes the most beautiful music? Um, or when a person who appears to be at a disadvantage by "normal" standards ends up being completely remarkable by any standard? Do you know what I'm talking about? There's that something. And when these people are asked, "How did you do that? Where did that come from?" Many times the response is, "I don't know really. I just did it. It came to me..." That, that is the "more than capable" business I'm referring to. That is the true you coming to absolute life and it will likely take time and hard work for that birth or rebirth, but it's you. It's so you.

I truly feel that we can all accomplish great feats because God has constructed our beings to be, again, more than capable. He has set purposes for individual lives, but God has also given us free will. He has plans for us and it's up to us to carry them out. So it's in our hands what to do with our capabilities. Just as there are amazing do-gooders there are also horrifying monsters. And sometimes it's a thin line as to which side we will end up on. But it is up to us, it's our decision. We need to take responsibility for who we are. Yes, we're influenced by others, but for good or for bad we are who we are because of the actions we chose to take.

So I urge you--whoever you are and whatever "side" you are on--to choose to take action for good, to do good. The good is there in you. Release it.

"It's our choices [...] that show what we truly are,
far more than our abilities."
-J.K. Rowling-

"If you bring forth what is within you,
what you bring forth will save you."
-Gospel of Thomas-

"Each one, as a good manager of God's different gifts,
must use for the good of others the special gift
he has received from God."
-1 Peter 4:8-

Reinventing the Phone

Oh, iPhone, I've been patiently awaiting your arrival ever since the birth of your sibling, iPod! But I find it ironic that you are made to fit conveniently in my hand and yet, you still evade my grasp for alas, you are a bit pricey for my wallet at the moment. Someday. Yes, someday you will be mine...

It Was Then

Your eyes took me in
and your hand traced
the outline of my body
on its way to my hand
and your lips parted ways
in order to smile
before coming back together
to meet mine.

You, darling, fully embraced me
in that brief span of time.

And it was then,
at that very moment
that I realized
I would be alone.

Game On

Well, a few things have transpired since my last post... First of all a new year is upon us, so to that I say to you: HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR! Next I would like to mention that I am another year older. I'm twenty-three now and I hope this number is as good to me as it was to Michael Jordan, or that I'm as good to twenty-three as Mike was to it. And in sports related news, kudos to the Boise State Broncos on their underdog upset over the Okalhoma Sooners. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was crazy good and marked by crazy plays. I don't know a whole lot about football, but I do know that that game was amazing. It was seriously the stuff movies are made of and truly inspiring.

Yes, the new year is full of opportunity and a new age is unfolding before me with possibility and hope. I'm praying that I take advantage of it all and that I overcome any and all obstacles that await me. I'm praying that I fight for my dreams and purpose like Boise State did.

Life isn't a game, but you certainly can attack it like it is.