Orlando, evil, and the light.

As my heart aches for the victims in Orlando and grieves for the attacked world at large, I sit back and watch. I feel small and helpless. There are days that hope completely flees my body, and I find myself gripped in fear. I question the significance of my prayers and how I could ever make a difference in this world.

Then, I realize that those are the exact feelings that the enemy, those who do evil and cause terror, desire. When I give in to those feelings, I surrender my victory and admit defeat. My light burns more dimly and allows the world to grow a little darker.

If too many of us fall prey to this defeated mindset, then a multitude of lights grow dim and darkness spreads even more quickly; however, if we join together and spread love in deed and action, if we lift one another up when we are fallen, if we unite as one people and treat our fellow man as we, ourselves, would desire to be treated, then those lights that were threaten by darkness will begin to burn a little brighter and illuminate the world.

So it may be that in the face of evil, I feel small, but it's in the darkest of days, that I choose to be a light.

Prayers for Orlando and peace to my fellow man.

Don't stay under the stereotypes and labels of this world.

The quote pictured above sits on my 10 year old son's desk at home. He found it while doing a project for school and has left it there because he has a heart to fight injustice, and it inspires him.

Recently, I was reading the quote and it struck a cord in my heart as I realized that those words were needed because  people had been judged based on external features rather than internal qualities.  It aroused something so deep inside that it almost made me afraid of what I was feeling. I became angry and passionate and angry once more. In that moment, I wished that I could have stood on a mountain top and yelled to the whole world to "STOP IT!" (and that was the nice version)

But really we need to stop it! We need to stop labeling groups of people based on skin color, ethnic background, gender, and so on.

There is no group of people that are ALL the same. All women aren't, all men aren't, all African American people aren't, all Caucasian American people aren't, all Asian people aren't, all Hispanic people aren't, all baby boomers aren't, all millennials aren't, "fill in the blank".  (of course the list could could on)

In fact, the only thing that I can think that we ALL are is unique individuals who happen to be flawed in someway. And those flaws are NOT defined by some physical feature that we were birthed with.

Those flaws are defined in areas where we lack character, understanding, self control, and compassion. In areas where we choose to harm our fellow man in word or in deed. In areas where we choose to ignore people as individuals but rather live according to stereotypes. In areas where we choose not to rise above hate, but play right into its hand with division and labels.

I, for one, choose not to live under the labels of this world. I choose not to speak negatively of people groups as a whole.

I chose not to see you as the world may have labeled you. I choose instead to see you as an individual who has a story that I may not have yet.

I choose a brighter freer future for my children and their generation. I choose to be a part of the solution by helping the next generation build the type of character that will not only benefit them but their world as well.

Would you join me in removing all the stereotypical labels that are in your life? It doesn't matter if they are applied to you or others. Just remove them.

Now, let's take our flawed selves out into the world and show that we are also capable of love, forgiveness, and grace.

It's simple. Life is complicated.

I knew I needed to write this week but, I wanted it to be simple. In fact, the topic I had chosen to write about was simplicity.

And honestly, I love simplicity. I mean I really really do. I'll prove it:

I keep my pantries and closets lean and always purge old stuff before buying new stuff. Or maybe that's just because too much stuff freaks me out and makes me want to hyperventilate.

Okay, so what about this:

I prefer picture instructions, working on a smart phone, shopping online, and texting over talking on the phone. Or maybe that's because I have a lazy streak and am an introvert.

Let's go in this direction:

I like structure, lots of structure, unless I'm not feeling the structure. Then I want flexibility, lots of flexibility.

Oh and I like to give details, lots and lots of details, to build up to any point that I'm making unless I'm mad at you or am just feeling blah. Then I'd don't want to talk. I mean like nothing; no eye contact; no words; nothing.

And ... I like to talk things over, ponder deeply, and look at every single angle before moving forward unless it's eating chocolate. Then I just go for it; milk chocolate, dark chocolate, Belgium chocolate, chocolate chocolate .... ummm

Oh yeah, back to writing. Where was I? Yes, simplicity.

Those all sound pretty simple, right?

Okay, so I proved nothing to you except that I can be really complicated, but can't we all? Isn't life an ever changing, refining fire that we are continually adjusting to day by day, week by week, and year by year?

We are continually learning, growing, and adapting to who we are becoming. It's never ending.

Now, I could turn this all around and leave you with a sweet clique like: "Life is simple, all you need is love." Then send you about your day, but that's not true. Neither, life nor real love are simple. Both require work, and both require grace (two more non-simple things).

So maybe life isn't simple, but I have some good news for you. We are all in it together.

Since life is a collaboration, why don't we make it a group effort to show love and offer grace. Then when one of us messes it up (and we will), there will be another one of us awesome complicated people there to help.

Now, take your complicated self in the world and make it great!