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Showing posts from August, 2017

Because a kitchen sink to you is not a kitchen sink to me

Okay, friend Are you searching for purpose Then write something yeah it might be worthless Then paint something and it might be wordless Twenty One Pilots "Kitchen Sink" Absolutely love this song by one of my favorite bands.  It's not available for purchase, but you should look it up on YouTube. I'll wait . . . You know what, it's so good just go ahead & put it on repeat & then come back here. You're welcome. As a writer & a painter I really dig the lines above. You know what the most important thing a writer can do?  Write. You know the most important thing a painter can do?  Paint. Notice I didn't say write the most amazing novel the world has ever seen, or paint the greatest masterpiece of all time.  Simply write or simply paint.  One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever received was to write everyday & don't expect that everything you put on paper is going to be worth keeping. The s

I will tell you what I can

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. - John 1:5 When the world is in turmoil, which is always even if it seems less bearable on some days than others, all I really know to do is to point people to truth.  When things are dark, the best thing anyone can do is to bring light to the situation.  I don't know of any better source of light to offer than Jesus, after all He has already defeated the darkness. "Well you can't just throw Bible verses at someone's pain and go about your merry way."  I know that.  I also know that I have greater power to walk in compassion (literally suffering with) with those directly in my sphere of influence.  And you bet I'm going to point them to Jesus.  Because here's the reality, I can't heal their pain.  I can listen; I can be a friend; I can buy them coffee; but the only one who can begin to lift the burden of the injustices that everyone will face in this world to some degree or a

Feed the white wolf

Have you heard the tale of the two wolves?  One wolf represents hope, one despair.  One good, one evil.  One light, one dark.  Look it up if you haven't, there's a few different versions from various sources, but the outcome is always the same.  The wolf that wins is the wolf you feed. I love this tale.  And while I fully champion feeding the white wolf, it's not quite that simple is it? The wolf of despair is satisfied with scraps.  He will devour any bit of crumb that you drop in his general direction.  And even if the wolf of hope keeps him somewhat in check, the wolf of despair shows up in ruts, in doldrums, in drudgery.  The wolf of despair is satisfied with stagnation. The wolf of hope on the other hand, she is bright and shiny and she requires more care to thrive.  She isn't satisfied with scraps.  Her brightness is easily dulled if she isn't tended to.  She can be hard to see in the ruts.  She demands daily attention and isn't content to lurk in th