Atomic Anguish

Very rarely do I ever read an article that focuses on human deformities. I feel it's an exhibition of someone's struggle in life; their own pain and suffering exploited for the "rest of us." As I am not physically deformed (no one can deny thought that what lies within is never perfect), taking notice and interest in articles such as the aforementioned are something I refuse to do. It's not a matter of denial and it's not a matter of not having the stomach for it; it's the matter of respect, it's my way of saying, "They (the afflicted persons) may not be like me, but they're human; they deserve any respect I can give them." It's the same as children with Down Syndrome and those who are blind; they do not want to be treated any differently.

This article caught my attention and led me to review it for one reason and one reason only: there is blame to lay and someone to fault. The ramifications for the actions in Kazakhstan are just the same as Chernobyl, nuclear fallout in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the pollution infested rivers and lakes which in turn cause cancer and birth defects all over the world (I almost included the young blind man Christ heals in John 9:1-8 as he too could have blamed someone else (his parents) for his lack of sight; maybe I still will. The only reason for leaving him out of the above stemmed from Christ saying, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned..." I also did not include atrocities such as Darfur and the like as the children and adults who remain alive yet brutally disfigured were not born as such. Burn victims such as Yousiff were also born (forgive me for such a terribly incorrect term) "normal" and while the former and latter know exactly where to place the blame, at some point they had a fighting chance at life. Please forgive me for my callousness. )

I wanted to ignore this article on CNN as it was front and (leftish) center on the page. Who wants to be sucked into reading an article for it's "ooo" and "eww" factor"? If I'm going to read something, I want to read it because it's important, because if I do not read it I'll be an irresponsible and ignorant citizen of this world. Which is why after reading the tag-line, I gave myself permission to read more. Fury filled my veins and grief seared my heart. The children, like the others mentioned earlier, and the adults had no idea they were being blatantly destroyed by their government. Their government fully abused them with every intention to do so; they chose a place where the casualties could be dispensable and replaceable and no one would know until long after their "trial runs." Would that I had the fortitude to write what I really think of them, rhymes with "dastards."

Three things run through my mind right now. "God o' God, must they suffer?" "They (the government and the authorities in charge) should suffer as the people have, they must pay." And then, "I know forgiveness is supposed to be there. But how, how does one forgive after that? Not just a portion of their lives have been damaged or disrupted but their entire lives. From beginning to end." I am made aware of how easy it is for me to forgive, of how casually I can give it; how can they forgive? How can they get past an entire life filled with misery, how can the heart even separate itself from the physical damage to begin to mend? The two, in these cases, seem indivisible. To me there is no hope. And where there is no hope life ceases. Where life ceases to be, so does the importance of living. And therein is where I see no Jesus. I see no great plan where "the work of God might be displayed in (their) life."* Deep within I know He is there, deep within I know He cares, I know He is present in their suffering and their wounds are just as equally felt by Him. My soul within knows it but I can't see it. I. Can't. See. This must be where a deeper faith in Him and His love for this world takes the place of my physical vision. I do not sit on the sidelines now but I do have to trust that He is just as in charge and in control of their suffering as He is of my own non-suffering. This knowledge does not decrease the lust for vengeance; I still want to inflict pain and suffering. Just a work in progress I am.

*John 9:3. I do realize Jesus was speaking as this was for all to see Him as the light of the world.

Abbott and Costello

This is the comedy I was raised on. Beats rude and crude comedy any day.

Pirating Princess

Take that Blackbeard! Apparently this chick knew her stuff! Can't believed she survived to be a grandmother!

Sweetly Broken

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

~Sweetly Broken, by Jeremy Riddle (emphasis mine- nota bene: non-emphasized words are as moving as the ones in bold)

Here is Jeremy Riddle singing it, from YouTube. Now as much as I hate sappy Christian videos as they really make me groan in agony, this one wasn't bad. The kids at this church did a fine job and outside of the "Passion of the Christ" clips (which for the most part weren't a melodromatic groan inducer) and the ending clip, it was a proper good piece.

Lunch Break Epiphany

Epiphanies come in all shapes and sizes; some mind-set shattering (the jolt that comes with touching an electric fence) and some as a second-long fragment of a thought. Today's epiphany lasted a mere 2.5 seconds (or so it would seem) and until I sit down and let it slowly wind around within my mind and develop into something with more substance (although it is substance enough as is), it is as follows (and thanks must be sent in J.K. Rowling's direction as it is so due-- highlighted words are the original flashes of thought):

This is a maddening world, this fallen world with no security and no guarantees, always death. Oh my, to be placed under protection from God's wrath by the covering of an innocent man's blood. God has not changed; He did send Christ however. Oh that I might never wander out from underneath this umbrella of safety. What better place to be than in the shelter of the house whose door has been painted with the blood of a Lamb. A more close-call rescue I will never know.

Title Unknown

With every morn my life afresh must break
The crust of self, gathered about me fresh;
That thy wind-spirit may rush in and shake
The darkness out of me, and rend the mesh
The spider-devils spin out of the flesh –
Eager to net the soul before it wake,
That it may slumberous lie, and listen to the snake.

George MacDonald