JWs

At my job there is a man who is a Jehovah's Witness. I spend two hours with him every day during the changeover from day shift to night shift. He has begun his mission with me and others at work to save us from eternal damnation. Because of his proselytizing I have done a little research into the JW organization. I believe that the word "cult" accurately describes it. They are certainly well meaning people, but they have no tolerance for discussion with sound rebuttals to their belief system. He gave me some literature which I read and I found rebuttals for all the inconsistencies. I made a list of websites that answered the false claims of his literature and asked him if he wanted to look at them. He said ther was no reason for him to get involved with "apostates". So it's OK for me, who he knows is a practicing Catholic, to read his literature which refutes the basic tenets of my faith, but he has no time to read or think about anything that might contradict his faith. That tells me that his faith is based on sand and would be easily washed away by the truth. I plan on telling him that I no longer want to hear his proselytizing. There really is place for it in the workplace.

running away

So my LJ friend Brandy has run away. All those who care about her are worried or sad or angry or guilty or depressed or fearful or all of the above. My wife (L) was a runaway at that age too. Her parents were divorced and hated each other. Her mother made her feel like she was in a prison. She made L feel like she was stupid, like she could not be trusted. She put L away in a home for persons in need of supervision (PINS). L ran away from there too. She still bears psychic scars from that period in her life.L grew up to be strong, a loving mother and wife. One of the advantages of growing older is that you gain perspective. Bad situations that you once thought would never end and would destroy you, end and don't destroy you. Things that you thought you had to have right then or else you couldn't make it another day, come later at a time that you have no control over and you make it another day and you find out that the wait is worth it.So Brandy and family and friends, this too will pass. Just remember that every action has consequences, most unintended. Many of those consequences bring pain to others delaying the time for the storm to pass. Focus on reducing the pain that you cause others. Deep down that's what we all want. We hurt others because we have been hurt and want to show how it feels, in an effort to STOP THE HURTING.And to those involved who profess a belief in God, PRAY. Ask and you shall receive. Dear God, please bring resolution to Brandy's runaway situation and to all who are running away either physically or emotionally. Please help all involved to see the wisdom in sheathing their weapons and bringing an end to the hurting. Let your love bind all wounds and bring peace to this family and its circle of friends.

What do you want?

Here, in no particular order, is what I want:to be a saintto be able to laugh while becoming a saintto feel God's love especially when I'm hiding from himeternal life with God in heavento write a classic, timeless hit songto create the guitar solo that moved the worldforgiveness from my wifethe love that my wife and I had when we got marriedgrandchildren to hold and smother with loveto be able to run like I could when I was seventeento open the eyes of the hearts of my CCD studentsan end to child abusean end to waran end to hungeran end to diseasean end to self hatredan end to injusticean end to intolerancean end to addictionsa way to cope with the effects of guiltmore intimate friendsto get lost in the songto have people with me when I get lost in the songCatholics to smile moreto be able to see the big picture...God's willto be able to understand the role of pain in the big pictureto accept the role of pain in the big pictureGod's forgivenessto accept God's forgivenessto feel joy on Easter morningto see my parents againto be authenticto be as handsome as I think I amfor everyone who reads this to tell me what they want

stream of consciousness

My favorite picture, taken on a camping trip in NY state. Yes friends there is beauty in New York!

real reality

So how did you feel when you found out that your daughter had been kidnapped, brutally beaten to death and then had her body mutilated? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

(Breaks down sobbing)

Judges?

"That was the most amateurish, insincere attempt at a display of real emotion that I have ever seen!"

"Hold on! I think she was very sincere. Just look at those tears. Here honey take this tissue."

"I'm bored. Next"

This scene came to my mind as I watched Matt Lauer on NBC interview the family of a girl who has been missing for a few days now. I suppose the family is hoping that the national exposure will lead to the finding of their daughter. It makes me squirm however, to watch them, feeling like I am in the Roman coliseum watching the gladiators facing the hungry lions. The one good thing that probably comes out of it is that many more people will be praying for her safe return than if they had not agreed to let themselves be interviewed. But it just confirms once again the schizophrenic nature of our media culture. If this had happened to my next door neighbor, I would be over at their house holding hands, praying, sharing the pain. Since it is apparently only pixels on a screen and images in my mind, I can feel OK not letting myself become emotionally involved. It is powerful training. Nothing is sacred, nothing is shocking, nothing and no one can touch me, I can touch nothing and no one. Safe within my little shell. Life is. beautiful

message to Diane

http://www2.bc.edu/~anderso/sr/ft.htmlhttp://www2.bc.edu/~anderso/sr/sr.htmlI fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears I hid from Him, and under running laughter. Up vistaed hopes I sped; And shot, precipitated, Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears, From those strong Feet that followed, followed after. But with unhurrying chase, And unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, They beat - and a Voice beat More instant than the Feet - "All things betray thee, who betrayest Me." I pleaded, outlaw-wise, By many a hearted casement, curtained red, Trellised with intertwining charities; (For, though I knew His love Who followèd, Yet I was sore adread Lest, having Him, I must have naught beside.) But, if one little casement parted wide, The gust of His approach would clash it to. Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue. Across the margent of the world I fled, And troubled the gold gateways of the stars, Smiting for shelter on their clangèd bars; Fretted to dulcet jars And silvern chatter the pale ports o' the moon. I said to Dawn: Be sudden - to Eve: Be soon; With thy young skiey blossoms heap me over From this tremendous Lover - Float thy vague veil about me, lest He see! I tempted all His servitors, but to find My own betrayal in their constancy, In faith to Him their fickleness to me, Their traitorous trueness, and their loyal deceit. To all swift things for swiftness did I sue; Clung to the whistling mane of every wind. But whether they swept, smoothly fleet, The long savannahs of the blue; Or whether, Thunder-driven, They clanged His chariot 'thwart a heaven, Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o' their feet: - Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue. Still with unhurrying chase, And unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, Came on the following Feet, And a Voice above their beat - "Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me." Now of that long pursuit Comes on at had the bruit; That Voice is round me like a bursting sea: "And is thy earth so marred, Shattered in shard on shard? Lo, all things fly thee, for thou fliest Me! Strange, piteous, futile thing! Wherfore should any set thee love apart? Seeing none but I make much of naught" (He said), "And human love needs human meriting: How hast thou merited - Of all man's clotted clay, the dingiest clot? Alack, thou knowest not How little worthy of any love thou art! Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee, Save Me, save only Me? All which I took from thee I did but take, Not for thy harms, But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms. All which thy child's mistake Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home: Rise, clasp My hand, and come."Halts by me that footfall: Is my gloom, after all, Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly? "Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, I am He Whom thou seekest! Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me."