For Everything There is a Season........

So my heart breaks for this little girl.

Tortured during what her mother called "disciplining sessions" this little girl, dubbed Baby Grace by police as they tried to identify her, lived up to her name, as reports say that she said "I love you" to her mum as her mum beat her.

What is this? Why?

It's like God handed the world this little angel and those who were meant to take care of her snuffed her little life out.

I'm reminded of a scripture, I only recently read, it says :

"Good people pass away, the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come."

- Isaiah 57:1 (NLT)

On that note, my friend Lea died last week. On what we call "Welfare Wednesday" (where people recieve their welfare checks for the month, always on a wednesday) she overdosed and died. Its a strange thing when you start knowing the people who pass away. She was what I call an old faithful, she seemed to have survived down here for so long I never really considered she would die of an overdose. But she was great and a lot of us loved her, she will be very much missed.

I find peace in the fact that I serve a merciful and graceful God. That after lives of hurt and pain, that these lives will rest in peace, in the presence of our most lovely God.

Peace-out

J

A Paradox Day

Today is somewhat of a Paradox for me. One of sadness and despair the other of joy and hope.

I opened the newspaper today to read this:

HAMAS VOWS TO REARM



I will start with a quote from my brother, from a comment he left on my past post :

"Each person who dies takes with them the mystery of their life and all they have experienced and all they have to offer. And for no good reason. Every time there is a war, part of our collective humanity dies." - Troy Pittaway

Reflecting on the carnage that has already occured in this war torn area of the world my heart sinks at the reality that before the bodies of the already 1300+ that have died so far are even buried, retailiation is being whispered, no, shouted across the world. The reality that many more innocents will die in the days to come is a sober thought to have at the beginning of the day.

But, before I could become engulfed in my thoughts, my co-worker came in an reminded me that today is the inauguration of Barak Obama, the 44th President of the USA. So we tuned into a live feed and watched history unfold before us. It was amazing.



I had to laugh at myself though. To be someone who was so aggressive towards the USA, now finding myself glued to the ceremony, hanging on every word President Obama said was somwhat comical.

I found as I watched this man take his vow and speak of his country that my heart for this world was filled with hope that something better is on its way, for the world. I wonder if he knows that he is not just a leader and inspiration to americans but to the world as a whole that has been waiting for a G8 leader who can hope and dream of the impossible and be willing to walk it out.

So thus, my day has been a paradox of emotions. Our worlds state is quite an interesting one. I am eager to see what the future holds for us all.

J-Out

When will it end?

So I am not here to voice sides of this issue because I simply just don't know enough and in war is there ever really a side?

So I am trying to follow what is going on in Gaza at the moment and the more I read, the more upset and unsettled I am. Of course the brutality of war is a horrible thing but I just keep getting this question flashing across my head : When will this end? All this fighting, what is it all achieveing, in the long run?

Check this picture out, and ask, what is this achieving in the long run? Where will this lead?




The cost of this war is people, individual people, on both sides, who have stories, families, lives.
This breaks my heart.

Cheers
J-Out

Our Part?

I was reading Psalm 9 today, this stood out to me and certain questions in my heart followed...

For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

-Psalm 9:12 (NLT)

What part do we play in this? Are we to sit back and watch God reply to the cries of those who suffer or are we to hear the cries also and follow the example of Christ?

I was walking to work today and I will be the first to admit that I'm a little sinner who doesn't go to church, I swear a bit and laugh at inapproporiate (but funny) things. But as I was walking I found my frustration begin to rise as I thought about the things in this world which we must force ourselves to acknowledge. Just because I feel that we sit and say, aww thats so sad, then we move on....but isn't it our responsibility as we see the suffering of others to reply with action not just cheap and empty sympathy? Are we His hands and feet? If not, if its not on us to reply to the widow, orphaned, oppressed and broken then what? Whats our purpose...don't tell me the prosperity doctrines got it right and its all about us and no one else!!!

Just wondering when we will stand up and do something as a body of Christ...anything really would be great.

Thats all for today
J - out

It's been a while......is anyone out there?

Due to my brothers beginning of a blog I have been inspired to continue updating my own blog. We'll see how long that lasts.

I was reading last night and I came upon this proverb and was moved as I read it. So I want to put it out there for others to ponder.

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.

Proverbs 2:2-3 (NLT)

The things that stick out for me at this moment are the fact that we need to tune our ears to wisdom, which implies an intention on our behalf and to concentrate on understanding, another intentional act. Also to cry out for insight. To cry out, to me that means to be in some form of anguish or desperation, to cry out.

Thats all my thoughts for now.
J - out!

The Cost

I pray Lord that you send us out with courageous consecration, let us go knowing that there will be casualties and although you have sent us out, there is no guarantee of our return. Let this not stop us Jesus!!!!!!! Let us be all that you have called us to be, that you have said we are.

Awake Daughter of Zion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The time of slumber is over and gone, a new day is dawning and we MUST be ready......Jesus is coming!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH JESUS IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AWAKE...........AWAKE....................AAAAAAAAWWWWAAAAAKKKEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Lord, let it be so

Lord Have Mercy

What one generation tolerates, the next will embrace. – John Wesley

What do we tolerate? What do we see and simply from apathy....laziness.....fear choose to not fight for or against..with love of course. What do we tolerate from friends around us who also bear the name of Christ but choose to embrace the world at the same time? What do we want for the bride...how long do we want to wait for Jesus to return? So I ask again...what do we tolerate?

What do we tolerate from ourselves?

How pure is too pure? How Holy is too Holy? How much Jesus is too much Jesus?