HP’s Good Stuff -Summer 2009

Martha Stewart has her “Good things”…Oprah has “My Favorite Things.”  For some twisted reason, I think that people might actually care about the stuff that I like.   So here is the first of many “HP’s Good Stuff” lists; local Kansas City things, places and products that make me happy, that I think you should try.  So check them out, let me know what you think, and help keep our local economy hopping.

Shatto Root Beer Milk

The bottle says "Yummy" for a reason

No, your eyes have not deceived you, that really says Root Beer Milk.   For me, this product captures the essence of summer in a beautiful glass bottle. If you love root beer floats as much as I do, you simply cannot pass up on giving this a try.   And its made by my favorite local dairy Shatto so you know the milk comes from healthy, happy Missouri cows.   In addition to the delicious ambrosia inside,  all of Shatto’s milk products come in these gorgeous glass bottles.  Good for environment, keeps milk extra cold, can be returned for $1.50 refund, and let’s face it…everything tastes better out of glass bottles!  Plus, it also makes a pretty vase for sunflowers.  For a fun family outing, you can tour the Shatto farm and dairy in Osborn, MO by making an appointment.

Kauffman Memorial Gardens

Doesn't do it justice...

Beautiful flowers, blossoming trees, babbling fountains, a friendly resident cat, and the best part is…its FREE!  Anytime you are down by the plaza, UMKC or the Nelson-Atkins, take a little time out of your day to visit this tranquil little oasis in the middle of the bustling city.  This modest vista of bliss is one of KC’s best kept secrets.  Designed and kept by the botanical geniuses of Powell Gardens,  this is PG’s closer (and freer) little sister but with all the beauty of Powell in an urban setting.  Perfect spot to read a book, take a stroll, or practice your amateur photography.  Its hard to get a bad picture in the gardens!

Andre’s Confiserie Suisse

Sometimes God gives us a little glimpse of what heaven will be like

I’ve been going to lunch at Andre’s for the world’s best cheese pie, carrot salad and fresh dinner rolls on a regular basis since I was 15 years old.  But what they are really known for is the best chocolates, pastries and confections in Kansas City.  Whether its the famous Matterhorn chocolates, a slice of Dobosh, or my favorite, the Rum Balls, there is nothing quite like a sweet treat from Andre’s.  If you plan on going for lunch, arrive early.  Seating begins at 11 and it fills up quick.

THE Meatball Sub from Avelluto’s

A few of my favorite childhood memories took place in the multicolored

Don't let its simplicity fool you

booths at Italian Delight in front of a giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs.  Well, the booths are gone, and the name has changed to Avelluto’s Italian Delight,  but one thing remains the same – great Italian fast food.  Now, the critics have been hard on Italian Delight, and many find it to be “underwhelming.”   But for me, the simplicity of their meatball sub is unbeatable.  The sauce is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy and spicy and its slathered over giant meatballs of the finest quality meat and spices.  Add on the melty and rich mozzerella and finish it up with a fresh baked sub roll.  Perfection.  Its cheap, its fast, its surprisingly good.  And though the critics are unflattering, I must not be alone in my love for this place because its always packed when I go.  You can have your New York style Italian food, or your gourmet Tuscan delicacies.  Give me Avelluto’s….

The Berry Patch

You've never really lived until you've tasted a plump, sunwarmed Missouri blueberry freshly plucked from the vine

Another cherished childhood memory is the annual June trek to The Berry Patch for blueberry picking.  While blueberry season is almost over, blackberries are just now ripening and soon after, the raspberries will be ready too.  Going to pick berries is a great family outing and a very economical way to load up on berries for the year.  Just bring the sunscreen and bugspray.   There’s plenty of fun activities for the kids, but putting them to work in the fields will keep them busy and ensure that you get plenty of berries for pies and muffins, and to load up the freezer.  And as the five-year-old me used to sing while picking, “One for the bucket, two for me, one for the bucket, three for me…”

Look out for the next installment of “HP’s Good Stuff” and let me know what you think! If you’d like to suggest a place, item, or activity for the list, email me at hk.parks.artist@hotmail.com

The Clouds are His Chariot

I had a close encounter with God this morning while watching the sunrise.  I know that if my family is reading this they are laughing because when have I ever voluntarily been conscious at Sunrise?

Try as I might, it has always been very difficult for me to keep a normal schedule.  For some reason, God wired me to be nocturnal.  If left to my own devices, I would never wake up before 4 pm.  But in order to participate in normal human society, I do try to keep somewhat normal hours.  However, it is still very easy for me to slip into the habit of staying up all night reading, writing or painting and then finally falling asleep a short time after sunrise.  I tend to do this more often when I’m not feeling well, and last night was one of these occasions.

I had tried to go to bed around 11pm, but when my attempts became futile because of my upset tummy, I figured that if I was up, I might as well be doing something useful.  So I started painting, and got completely carried away by what I was doing. If you have ever drawn or painted or done any other sort of “Right Brained” activity, you know how easy it is to lose track of time. Before I knew it, my painting was finished and the sky outside the window was rapidly changing from a deep shade of mauve to a pastel pink.  I realized that if I went to bed now, I would only be awakened in a few minutes by Josh’s alarm clock, so I took my new Beth Moore book, Praying God’s Word, and I went out on the balcony to enjoy the nice weather and the morning birdsong.

Alright, so there were no mountains or lakes in my sunrise, but it was still pretty amazing!

As soon as I stepped outside, the sun crested over the horizon and seemed to set the clouds on fire.  Long, wispy streaks of gilded light stretched across the sky and gave an ethereal glow to every leaf on every tree, and every blade of grass.  For a moment, I just sat and watched as the scene so quickly changed, the clouds drifting and the sun slowly rising.  It seemed that even the birds had paused for a moment of quiet reverence to the dawn.  But it ended far too quickly as more substantial clouds moved in overhead, blocking the sun’s brilliant illumination.  The golden streaks faded to a heavy grey.

I looked straight up at the oppressive clouds over my head, and I realized that through small breaks in the cloud cover, not only did the clear blue sky show, but there was this brilliant white light shining through.  It hurt my eyes to look it.  And I could see that the morose grey that seemed to cover the sky like a thick blanket was merely the bottom of huge Cumulus clouds.  Hidden from my view, the tops of these billowing, fluffy clouds towered overhead, reaching higher into the sky then my tiny human perspective could even comprehend.   Thousands of tons of water were just suspended in the air above my head as if gravity was no concern, and through these window-like openings in the cloud cover, the sun reflected off the tops of the clouds, back down at me from miles up in the sky.  In that moment, I was so very aware of my smallness.

So I opened my book to the pages held by my bookmark and these are the very first words that I read:

Our lives have been sanctified by the one true God.  Heaven is His throne.  Earth is His footstool.  Awesome creatures never cease day or night singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!”  Lightning flashes from His throne.  The winds do His bidding.   The clouds are His Chariot.  The earth trembles at the sound of His voice.  When He stands to His feet, His enemies are scattered.  He is transcendent over all things.  Absolute.  Uncontested.  Omniscient.  Omnipresent.  The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  He is God and there is no other.

Talk about a “wow, catch-your-breath” moment!  Have I ever come to terms with the absolute sovereignty of our creator in a more powerful way?  I don’t think so.  In that stillness that can only come at sunrise, God had revealed to me just a mere fraction of  His nature that I had been unwilling or unable to see and comprehend before.

I have struggled so long with the concept of God as King.  Father?  I get that.  Creator?  I can relate.  But sovereign King?  I have nothing to compare that  to!  We live in a society where disrespecting our political leaders is the ultimate fashion trend.  When your man’s in office, the other side is being “childish and disrespectful.”  But the minute someone steps up to power that doesn’t align with your agenda, the gloves are off and suddenly jokes about the President being stupid are completely fair game.  And this goes back and forth between the parties every 2-4-8 years.  Is it any wonder that we have problems identifying God as our King?

I have tried to relate it with the great Kings of ancient history, but even these men have failed their people in one way or another.  Because they are just that…men.  There is nothing on this earth that can compare with what God is!  This morning,  I came face to face with “Awesome Wonder” and it made me realize how little I know.  And I had to ask God in my weary, sleep-deprived state, “Why are you showing me this now?   Is this just some cute anecdote to write about in my blog?  Or are you really try to show me something big here?”

And I think the answer that came was this (in my own words, of course) “Both.  I do want to you to really KNOW me and that means all of me.  Even the parts that seem big and scary and too hard to understand.  Because you are in Christ, that means you must learn to bow down.  This could be the start of something big.  And of course, that means you’ll write about it!  Because that’s how I made you.”

So that’s where I’m at this morning.  And now, I’m ready to go to bed.

Why you need to know what “Laodicean” means

I’ve always considered myself to be a great lover of words and word origins, but I have to admit that when I first heard that Olathe student Kavya Shivashankar had won the Scripp’s National Spelling Bee with the word “Laodicean,” I didn’t immediately recognize the word and didn’t give too much thought to its meaning.  But I had the strangest feeling that I had come across this word before.

It wasn’t until Charlie Gibson gave the definition on World News tonight that I suddenly realized where I had encountered this word before.  As Mr. Gibson chuckled about how most of us would have no idea what this word meant and would probably never need to know, I grabbed my bible and turned to the third chapter of Revelation.  Sure enough,  I had written in the margins between the scribbled Greek words and historical references, “Laodicean” and the phrase “cure for lukewarmness, readmission of Christ- Morgan.”   So I got pretty excited; not only had this word triggered my passion for historical word origins, but it was about to bring me back to a sermon by Pastor Melissa Scott on Christ’s message to the Church of Laodicea…a message that I needed to hear now more than ever.

And so, armed with the knowledge I’ve learned from my studies in history and Greek, and with the guidance Pastor Scott’s message,  I’m going to attempt to write my first bible study essay.   I invite you to look at this word with me and why it is so important to the health of our spiritual lives.

La·od·i·ce·an, adj – Indifferent or lukewarm especially in matters of religion or politics.  [referring to the early Christians of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–16)]

Now if you’re anything like me, sometimes when I see a scripture reference to Revelations, my brain turns off.  Unlike the gospels or Paul’s letters, taking pieces of Revelations and trying to decipher them without context can be confusing and disheartening for someone without a Masters of Divinity.  So before we go to the passage, I liked to anchor it on something that I do understand…history.  So let’s take a trip back in time.

Laodicea, circa 90 AD

Located on the road between Hierapolis and Colossae, Laodicea was a major center of trade.

Laodicea was a bustling center of economic growth leading up to this point.  Located in what is now modern-day Turkey, it sat on the crossroads of two marjor trade routes and therefore became very wealthy through its banking and commerce.   The city also prospered from its garment industry, benefiting from the luxurious black wool produced in the surrounding Lycus Valley.  There was even a medical school in the city, and they became known for producing a widely used medicinal eye salve.  These factors contributed to the financial success of the Laodiceans, and throughout Roman times, the city was the wealthiest in the province of Phrygia.  They were doing pretty darn good for themselves.  Tacitus, a contemporaneous Roman Senator and historian, tell us that  in 60 AD, an earthquake hit the city, but the proud Laodicean officials refused any financial aid from Rome: “One of the most famous cities of Asia, Laodicea, was in the same year overthrown by an earthquake and without any relief from us recovered itself by its own resources” (Tacitus, Annals, 14:27). They relied on their own wealth and prosperity, and prided themselves on their self-sufficiency.

The city completely relied on aqueducts such as this for there precious supply of water.

But as self-reliant as they were, there was one thing that held the Laodiceans back.  The city was completely dependent on external sources for one of life’s most essential necessities — water.   Through a complex system of aqueducts, water was piped to Laodicea  from the two nearest cities: Hierapolis, to the north, was home to Hot Springs with theraputic mineral waters.  In the south, the city of Colossae (as in Colossians) enjoyed the refreshing, cool waters of the Lycus River,  a tributary of the Maeander River.  But by the time the waters of these two rivers reached the Laodiceans, it was anything but refreshing, rather it became tepid and calcified, somewhat nauseous.

“Water piped into Laodicea by aqueduct from the south was so concentrated with minerals that the Roman engineers designed vents, capped by removable stones, so the aqueduct pipes could periodically be cleared of deposits.” (John McRay, Archaeology And The New Testament, p. 248).

Christ’s Message to the Church of Laodicea

It was into this culture of self-reliance and pride in wealth that the Early Church spread across Phrygia and into Laodicea in the first century AD.   But as Christ called the Church to be a light unto the world, the Laodicean Christians fell into an all-too-common trap.  The culture of the city seeped into the culture of the church.  How could the Laodicean Christians become completely reliant on God when they were able to take care of themselves just fine.  When a Christian loses this complete dependence on God, the relationship and trust suffers.  Let’s go to the Revelations, chapter 3:

¹⁴“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

First to clarify: the word ‘Angel’ in verse one is  ( or aggelo, transliterated) in the Greek and can be more directly translated as “Messenger” and refers to the Pastor or leader of the church.   In these passages, Christ is giving a message to the Church through a vision to John.

Christ cuts right to the chase, and the language of this passage is clear.  He is pleading with them.  I don’t think the NiV version quite grasps it.  Verse 16 uses the word “spit,” but the Greek word or emesai is literally translated as “vomit.”   Christ is using a metaphor that cuts deep for the Laodiceans.  Remember the disgusting, tepid hard water that they were famous for? The one thing that their riches could not supply for them was fresh, flowing water.  So with the taste of this nauseating water still on their lips, they would read the words that Christ would vomit them out of his mouth for their own lukewarmness.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that by “hot or cold” that Christ is asking them to be either “good or bad.”  Their lukewarmness is not of laziness, or a lack of extreme.  He means that they have lost their devotion to Him.  John W. Ritenbaugh says, “Laodiceanism is nothing more than a virulent form of worldliness in which devotion to Christ deteriorates, while attention to the world—its ways, attitudes, and conduct—intensifies.”  The Laodiceans had succumbed to the culture that surrounded them, and rather than being transformed in Christ, they were content to remain in that comfortable place.  They were caught in this cycle of sinful pride, without even realizing it.  Going back to verse 14, Christ refers to himself as the “Faithful and True witness” because this is a severe contrast to what he sees in the church of Laodicea.

¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

In verse 17, the word ‘rich’ does not refer to worldly riches like the word ‘wealth’ that follows.  The Greek word being used here is or plousios which might be better translated as “spiritually rich.” John uses this very word in the previous chapter (Rev 2:9) to tell the Church of Smyrna that Christ sees their poverty, yet they are still plousios!   So here, the Laodiceans see themselves as spiritually rich, wealthy on earth and basically having it all together.  But its this pride which Christ finds so very offensive, this pride that is so intrinsically part of the city’s culture and values.  (link goes to C.S. Lewis’s “The Great Sin” which I encourage everyone to read at some point)

Verse 8, Christ returns to the culture of the Laodiceans for a poetic metaphor.  Rather than rely on their great wealth, he tells them to invest in His riches “refined by fire.” These are not the riches of the earth.  Rather than put their esteem in their famous black wool, he tells them to clothe themselves in white, to be cleansed and covered of their shame.  And finally,  remember the eye salve that was produced in Laodicea?  Let’s look at the Greek used on that last line of verse 18 for a second.

As you may know, the Greek language is a very specific language, much more so than English.  I don’t think its any coincidence that God chose for the New Testament to be given to us originally in Koine Greek, just as it is no coincidence that the Old Testament is written in the beautiful and poetic Hebrew (of which I know very little, unfortunately).  Anyhoo, Greek has several different words for many single English words which is helpful to the Biblical scholar because learning which word is used helps us to understand the scriptures better.  The word being used here is not or aleipho which would mean “to rub” as in rubbing in oils,  nor is it muro meaning “to rub or apply” referring to ointment or salve.  The word here is , or egchrison, “To annoint”.  From the root of this word we get the name “Christ.”  Christ is begging the Laodiceans to allow Him to annoint their eyes so that they can see again.   He has shown them the flaws of their ways and here he gives the only way out.  For too long they have relied on their own worldly powers, now is the time for transformation and devotion to God through Christ.

¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

And this is how the message to the Laodiceans is ended.  When we see this oft quoted verse in its context, we understand its urgency.  We can almost hear the pleading in Christ’s voice begging, “I’m here and I want to have a relationship with you, but you won’t let me IN.  Why are you so content to rely on yourselves, drinking the fetid, lukewarm waters of the world when I can give you the healing living water that flows from God?”

To the Church of Today

There are many Christian scholars that claim that the seven letters in Revelations were meant specifically for those churches, and therefore have no real meaning for the rest of us.  I hope that you will agree with me in reading this passage of scripture that Christ’s message through John is meant for all of us.  In some way, we can all relate to the Laodiceans, and if you think you can’t, than you are probably fooling yourself.  How many of us get caught up in the culture of the world around us, usually without realizing it?  How many times have you thought that you had it all together on your own?  These are the Enemy’s favorite tools against the Christian because it has been the culture of the centuries to deny that you need help outside of yourself.  It is the one thing that our human nature clings to when they rest of our flesh is going through the powerful transformation in Christ.  Who really wants to admit that they need something outside of their own power to survive?  C.S. Lewis says that the people who don’t think they have a problem with pride are the ones most likely to be controlled by it.  How many times have I let myself enter into a plastic bubble of comfort, not learning or growing, not seeking the Lord, just happy to coast through life on autopilot?  Can we see the danger in this?

But there is hope!  Even to the Laodiceans, the only church in Revelation that Christ had nothing good to say about, He offers His hope.  Because it is those whom He loves that He rebukes and disciplines. In becoming a disciple of Christ, we are agreeing to this internal inspection of Christ…this complete and final transformation that brings us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven.   So I leave you with this quotation which the scribbles in my bible referenced…

The only cure for lukewarmness is the re-admission of the excluded Christ. Apostasy must be confronted with His fidelity, looseness with conviction born of His authority, poverty with the fact of His wealth, frost with the mighty fire of His enthusiasm, and death with the life divine that is in His gift. There is no other cure for the loneliness of heaven, for the malady of the world, for the lukewarmness of the Church than the re-admitted Christ.  -Dr. G. Campbell Morgan

My Wilderness

“There is no art without risk. There is no Christian art without risk. Reading a book is an experience. Looking at a painting is an experience. There is no experience without risk.” -Anne Rice

For some reason, which I haven’t yet pinpointed, when I read those words for the first time tonight, I had a severe emotional reaction.  It was one of those raw, visceral experiences–tears, anger and despair.  The sort of feeling that wells up deep in your abdomen before flash boiling out of control.  A feeling that comes without any warning, and goes just as quickly, leaving you numb, shaken, and a little bit broken open.

Its in these moments you wonder whether God is calling you to a deeper introspection or if its just some knee-jerk reaction that you shouldn’t read too much into.  Do you sit and analyze what you’re going through, when what you really want to do is crawl into a fetal position, nurse your wounds and let the walls build up stronger and thicker than before?

I've always been able to relate to Spock. Is that weird?

For most of my life, I’ve lived bouncing between two extremes.  There’s the raw, open, emotional side of me that will make everything too personal, pour out her life story to any poor soul that will listen, take every chance or risk for happiness, and make decisions based solely on how she feels “in the moment.”  And then, there’s the “Vulcan” side.  The Vulcan Heather has emotions, acknowledges their existence, notes any consequences and files the experience away for later evaluation.  Its the side of me that places a protective barrier between myself and everything that happens to me or those I love.  So while one side is the wild stallion who recklessly kicks and bucks its way through the fragile glass house that is life, the other side is a blatant coping mechanism of denial (no doubt a product of my OCD) allowing me to safely coast through the daily grind on autopilot, never growing, never hurting, and never doing anything that might upset someone or disrupt conventional thinking.  And sadly, the knowledge that I need balance between these two extremes comes much easier than the actual balance.

Am I over analyzing this?  Probably.  But I know that lately, the Vulcan side of me has been pretty much running the show.  It goes on for months and when I finally snap out of it, I realize that I’ve been going through life as though watching someone else live.  I haven’t really been experiencing things, I definitely haven’t been taking any risks, and what’s left is this jaded empty feeling that the past 6 months have been utterly and entirely wasted.  So then I see that I’ve had the nerve to go in prayer to the Lordlately and demand, “Where is the fruit of my talents?  Why has the well of inspiration seemed to dry up?  Where are the ideas and the passion?  Why won’t you answer me?”

Is it a coincedence that the surface of Vulcan is a barren, dry desert? I think not.

And now, in a desperate and vulnerable state, I realize that He’s been holding his arms out to me, full of the creative waters that flows freely from him and here I am, like a fool facing the other direction and walking away into the wilderness.  A wilderness that I’ve created for myself with the willing aid of the Enemy.  He loves to lure us, one tiny step at a time, into a such states of mind…breeding grounds for apathy.  We can be lost without even realizing it.  And the longer that we look inside ourselves for the way, the deeper we wander into the wilderness of confusion.

So have I snapped out of it? Was tonight’s emotional overload God’s way of stepping in and yelling “Wake up!” to the driver who’s fallen asleep behind the wheel?  C.S. Lewis says that “… if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road.”  I don’t know if I’m on the right road, yet.  But I’ve made the about-turn.   I’m ready to feel again…I’m ready to try and experience things again.  I’m ready to turn to God and ask Him to restore balance in my mind and heart.

And I believe that He will.

Brain Soup

Television turns your brains to soup.  Soup for aliens.  Its true because Dennis Leary told me so.  On TV.  And he should know, as Dennis Leary is an alien.  I come to you, my friends, to confess that the majority of my grey matter has been mashed, strained, seasoned, simmered down to a broth and is ready to serve to the extraterrestrial of your choice.  Is it too late?

If this image means something to you, your brain just might be soup too.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few months, you’ve probably seen those Hulu commercials.  And if you have been living in a cave, don’t worry, you’re not missing much.  They’ve had several now.  The first was premiered during the $uper Bowl and starred Alec Baldwin.   There was one with Seth McFarlene from Family Guy. I have to admit that at first, I thought the commercials were strange but cute.  Then like most commercials, they slipped into my unnoticed subconscious. But for some reason, this most recent Hulu ad with Dennis Leary had a profound effect on me.  In a daze, I stared at the glowing screen as the harsh reality hit me with each enunciated consonnant that he spat at me.  Yes, Dennis, my brain is soup.

I wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is turn on the TV.  We don’t have cable, so I’ve got about 13 channels to choose from.  Most of the time, there’s nothing on that I have any interest in, so I settle for the “least annoying.”  Then I start working on my calligraphy or art, and the TV remains on.  I mean, it REMAINS on.  Usually until I leave the house, or go to bed, it stays on, whether or not I’m actually watching it.   It is the forever open window to the mediocrity of our media-driven culture in our apartment.  The glowing altar to apathy that sits as the focal point of our living room.

It wasn’t always like that though.  When Josh and I first got married, we didn’t watch TV for an entire year.  We didn’t even hook up the antenna. It was bliss.  I didn’t miss it.  I have an infinite amount of time to devote to things I wanted to do.  Josh and I had regular date-nights, movie-nights and seemed to spend more time just talking.  Of course, all that ended one night when the tornado sirens were sounding, the sky was that particular shade of “Kansas Green” and I needed Bryan Busby to tell me that everything was going to be okay.  Once the antenna was hooked up and the option of TVwas available again, I convinced myself that a little bit of TV wouldn’t hurt.  But it didn’t take long before that vicious cycle of turning on the TV and leaving it on in the background all day long began to take over.

TV was a big part of my childhood.  We lived in a small apartment and if the TV was on in the living room, there wasn’t really any way to escape it.  I guess part of my attraction to it was that when the TV is not on, the silence is really unnerving to me.  Sure, I could put on music…but I don’t work very well to music.  Unlike the television, music demands my 100% attention.  When I listen to music, its like I have to participate in the experience actively, whether that means singing or playing along, getting up and headbanging, or just giving it all of my attention.  The TV, on the other hand, just sits in the corner and babbles on, seeping into my mind as I halfway pay attention, not bothering to censor out the crap and the lies,  not bothering to care all that much.

Its made me numb.  And I’m ready to reclaim my soupy mush of neurons as a workable, meaningful brain.  But I know its going to be difficult.  I don’t really know if I’m meant to quit cold-turkey again, or just reserve my TV time to shows that I really care about.  I like Nova and Nature, Masterpeice Theatre.  House’s season is over. I’m not sure where to start, really.  I do know that I need to keep a better filter on all of the mindless jibberjabber that is entering my brain.

So it starts today.  Soup’s off the menu, my friends.

A New Path

So this is my first post on my new blog.  I spent a lot more time tonight thinking about what to write about than I actually spent writing.  I was thinking that I could start things off with a bang, tackling some monsterously controversial issue.  Like perhaps this whole debaukle of a situation with Miss California.  Or the economy.  Or water boarding.  But I thought about it, and I don’t want start things out on that kind of note.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably end up talking about those things and other current events, but I don’t want that to be the main focus of this blog.

Let me tell you what you can expect from me in the future. Yes, there will be heated discussions on political and social issues from a Christian perspective when I feel that God is calling me to write about that.  But for the most part, I want this blog to be encouraging.  I want readers to come to this blog expecting to learn a new thing, discuss the greatness of God,  or have a just have a good laugh about something.  I’ll do book reviews.  I’ll talk about what’s going on in my life.  I’ve always wanted to write bible studies, so I might end up trying some of that out here, too.  I want to be open with all of you about my shortcomings, and my neurotic mind.

I’m no theologian.  I’m not a professional writer.  And to be perfectly honest, I don’t really know if I have anything to say that’s worth keeping a blog for.  But I do know that God has placed a desire in my heart to write, and I believe he’s calling me to start here, to start small.  And I have to trust that if I’m following His will, He will bring people here to read and to learn.  And maybe to teach me, as well.

So today, I’ll leave you with this quote from C.S. Lewis, and hope that in this blog, above all, you can find truth.   -HKP-

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.”