be your brother's keeper.

I go to church with Caroline Cobb Smith, who writes and sings beautiful songs. I recently picked up her latest album and, this morning, have a line from her song Abel running through my mind. I've heard Caroline say at a show that Abel was written in response to a friend's request that she pen a song about genocide - a tall order, no? In so doing, she returned to the biblical story of the first murder - that of Abel by his brother, Cain - and exposes, through the medium of song, the forces behind Cain's murderous heart and our own hatred and jealousy and anger toward our brothers and sisters. It's really a powerful tribute to the unspeakable pain experienced by survivors of genocide and violence and a call to the hope that is in Jesus.

Anyway, the line that I just can't get out of my head is simply this:

Please don't fight anymore//Be your brother's keeper//We are brothers

In light of the recent violence in Russia (and Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, Colombia, etc etc), my heart longs for peace. I sing with Caroline - 'please don't fight anymore!' - and look to the day when the lion will lie with the lamb and peace will come.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
St. Francis

If you're so inclined, you can click here to listen to Abel.

the single most powerful question you can ask

Read this...

then, this:

what if?
what if I listened more?
what if I went back to school?
what if I mentored a young girl?
what if I gave away more of my income?
what if I bought a guitar and wrote some songs?
what if I went to India?
what if I wrote some every day?
what if I took an acting class?
what if I ran a half-marathon?
what if I talked with a therapist?
what if I learned how to sew?
what if I ate more raw foods?
what if I decided to stop eating meat?
what if I told my story?
what if I stopped being jealous?
what if I found a place to serve at my church?
what if I planted a garden?
what if I recycled more?
what if I got a tattoo?
what if I called an old friend?
what if I visited Texas more often?
what if I helped to plant a church?
what if I told people how I felt about them?

hmm -- good thought/writing fodder! now, your turn.

life lessons

I'm going to employ one of the simplest forms of communication - the list - to talk about life in recent days. I need simple right now. :)

so, I'm learning that:

I can wear bright colors like yellow and orange. this realization brings me great happiness.

it's okay that I've struggled with letting go of the hope of a relationship with a certain someone, but there is a time to move on - and that time is now.

we need one another. I discover who I am in the context of relationship.

I'm broken (even more so than I had previously realized!) and need a savior.

I like the taste of [some] beer. yep, ladies and gents: you read it here. :)

it's fun to experiment with fashion. I've never been one to care much about such things but am starting to have a lot of fun in being creative with what I wear.

bluegrass music makes me ridiculously happy. <3

it's very, very difficult to maintain friendships when separated by many miles. possible, yes, but difficult nonetheless.

moderation is key! - and discovering what 'moderation' is in various situations can be challenging.

it's important to persevere in moments - or days - or situations of discomfort. difficulty or awkwardness aren't so bad, really, and it's in these places that we discover the strength beneath the surface.

French film, food, and people are inspiring. who doesn't want a life filled to the brim with passion (plus fruit, cheese, bread, and wine)? ;)

and hope is just around the corner.