Readings Mark 10-11

Really, nothing to interesting. Maybe because I'm so tired that I can't think. But oh well, forcing things is not th way to do it either.

Meteor Shower - Once every 33 years.

Man I was so excited for this. Wrestling with whether I really wanted to see this once every 33 years phenomenon, I finally bit my lip and decided to go ahead with it. I'm now at work with eyeballs that look like speckled jawbreakers and that feel as dry as the Sahara desert. Oh yea, my mental reflexes are about as sharp as a spoon. But anyway, the night went a little something like this...

In preparation for setting my skull and my spine at a 90 degree angle for the next few hours, we took logs made of what felt like titanium and moved them closer to the lawn chairs where people comfortably found their spots. Oh yea, Mike dropped that titanium log on my foot. It's now looking like a Backstreet boy album released year ago mixed with Star Jones' foot - or a pigs fat foot. In the blistering cold we waited and the promised shower was really just a sprinkle...or maybe trickle...ok, just droplets. Frozen to the bone, people quickly left and in the end, only a few of us were left.

The whole ordeal was nothing to shout about or even worth mentioning. But what was left even in the frozen breeze and bitterness of beer was friendship. Sincere friendship with nothing attached is something special, something to be cherished. They say you should make a wish when you see a shooting star, but I've realized if I didn't have these friends it'd be something I'd wish for. And I guess where I'm getting at was that the meteor shower was nothing special, but because of it I've realized how blessed I am for having all of my friends. I don't take any of you for granted and I pray I never do. Let me know if you need me, I'll be there. My boys you know how much I love you guys. My girls it's the same. As vulgar and carefree as I may seem, I think about you guys a lot during the day. Wondering if you've found jobs, if you're keeping up with school work, if your relationships' are going well and if you're just happy. And although I don't extend my concern enough through a electronic "hello," I'm here for you any time. Just say the word.

And of course, this wouldn't happen without the help of my Glorious Friend. We cool right ;)? Right. Thanks for looking out for me. I'm promising to extend that to my friends too ok?

And these are the wordsunspoken. Half of you guys won't even read it...maybe these things will forever remain unspoken ;).

Readings Mark 8-9

Wow some strong stuff. End whichever part of you that causes you to sin. I don't know about you, I'm definitely incapable of doing that. Should we take it literally? My whole being causes me to sin. What do I do about that?

Another cool note is when Jesus tells Peter to stfu because he is following the wishes of men and not God. Clearly Peter's concern was an ethically righteous one. But then again clearly God cares none for preset notions of societal values. He does his own thing and expects us to follow it. Sometimes we'd be expected to do things His way that make no sense to us. That's fine. But those who take words to the extreme do extreme things. How far do we take it? Bombings in the name of God? Crusades that raped and pillaged villages in the name of God. Mass suicides in the name of God. But alas it should be realized: those cruelties are done in the name of A god - not our God. It is done by men twisting God's word into words of men.

"“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Anyyyyyyyyyyyyyway, this update's for the one I missed yesterday. Will update later today after work for today's reading.

Readings Mark 6-7

Holy crap I am dead tired. Anyway, the thing that stuck out here was that nothing vile comes from outside of man, all that is dirty comes inside out. How true and deep. My farts are vile. Possibly biochem warfare level stuff.

Refine the insides so that only flowers come from within. Much like me thinking girls' farts must smell like flowers. Well, only the pretty ones. HA, I actually thought that at a point in time. Who's with me?

Giving to the homeless

We went and gave stuff to homeless people today...and I was bitter. Deep down I knew it wasn't enough. It was all a sham, a sham wow. We did it to pat ourselves on the back. Massage our egos. Cuddle our faith. Oh we're such nice human beings, taking 2 hrs out of our lives to see the homeless people. Those crazy, dirty, gross people. I saw it in our eyes. It was in my eyes. Listen to them ramble their heart out with tears in their eyes. Yearning for companionship that they don't have. Yet we had to cut them short. "Hey listen, it was great talking to you. But we HAVE to leave." Oh really? HAVE to leave. Right. They're cutting close to our 2 hr time line. Better cut them loose and boogie. Don't need 3 hrs to massage my ego, 2 hrs is enough. As we turn our backs I look at the man's eyes. As much as it was full of confusion, alcohol, and any other possible drug available, I saw a world of hurt. An understanding of insincerity...and worst of all, an acceptance of it as human nature. When a good deed is carried out half way...it just seems fake.

We gave blankets, some food, a backpack and whatever other thing. Who cares. They're still on the streets, they'll still be hungry, they'll still die. We say a prayer...and leave. Have faith in the prayer you say. I hope they do. Because I don't. Not in the prayer, but in us as people to follow through the opportunities God gives us to actually do something about it. We just don't. We only have 2 hrs to spare, remember? How bitter I was about making no real difference. As a business student that prides myself for efficiency, effectiveness, and strategy to get out of bad situations, I felt so powerless. That anger fuels me. One day. One day I will become SO powerful and influential. I will be so rich and recognized. I will start a movement and get these people off the streets. For justice I will. Throw me pain and anguish, I will destroy it.

At the end of the day, a James Cha with sparkling eyes and a bright smile caught my attention.

He wanted to genuinely hear these people's retarded drunken rambles. He got offended at a person that said nothing but thanks. A glimpse of hope into what caring really is. A shimmer of light to see someone who wasn't massaging his ego. He wanted to hear THEIR story. ONE person's story. Then it hit me. It's my fault. It's not pointless. I was being a fool. I looked at the homeless like a number. A problem, an equation, an "it." James had it right all along. Each individual is a person. A person is not a problem, number or equation. Tonight we didn't solve a problem or an equation. But we did give blankets to 20+ people so they'd stay warm. We did hear their stories and gave them some companionship. When it comes to lives, numbers can't be the measurement. For each life made better is an accomplishment. Each act of kindness brings a bit of inspiration. Each bit of inspiration ignites an ember of hope. Let us keep the ember alive. It's what we're called to do.

Readings Mark 4-5

Today's readings were applicable. Sower with seeds thorns, rocks, and soil. Yea, that parable. What I got from it was all we can really do is spread God's word. The grounds are predetermined to be rocks, thorns, and soil. Let us do our end to show God glory and let Him do His end to paint His own glory. And that's that. We can't control what type of ground we sow seeds on because we honestly won't know. All we can do is know REALLY well what brand our seeds are and leave the rest. It's the act of sowing that is needed of us. God does the reaping.

Another thing was Jesus telling the howling wind to settle down and stfu, with faith of course. I've realized that it's applicable to humans. If we can all have a little faith in each other and realize that people aren't all douche bags then they will do what we ask granted we do so in faith. Very simple, in business no one wants to buy something for $1 if they can get it for 75c. But if we have faith in the other end and ask them to spend a little more money because we need it on our end, something really can be worked out. Makes no sense in numbers, but funny thing is, when you ask in faith it really does happen. Bible > business school on that account.

So let us be less scared of each other and the unknown. Have a little faith. Dare to ask the taboo things, dare to ask the stupid questions, dare to ask for forgiveness. Because when you do it in faith chances are the sincerity will result in what you wanted to begin with.

Readings Mark 1-3

Mostly just Sunday school stories...but what stuck out was:

Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit."

:O:O:O:O:O??????????????? What do you guys think? Grace doesn't forgive all? My mind is blown right now. PEWPEW