Some Randoms

08/10/2012

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This made me impossibly happy.  Bless the mercy of the Lord, and bless the willingness of this man to open his heart to him.  :)

This made me incredibly sad - specifically the bit about Father attempting to take a nice stroll with his family only to be immediately accused of having a secret illegitimate family.  God bless him for forgiving so quickly.  I don't think I'd've been anywhere near as charitable.

Super excited about this!  Catholic Sistas is doing a give-away contest with all sortsa goodies.  Go there and enter now!  And if you win the wine, I expect a glass.  ;)

This made me a variety of things.  I was proud to call this guy a Christian.  His example of forgiveness is something I could stand to learn something from.  However, I also felt a twinge of anxiety as I realized that this sort of violence against Christians is on the rise.  And considering the new job I just landed, I can't help but wonder if in five or ten years, I'll be dealing with a similar rash of surprise attacks.

Which leads me to my next blog post...

Stay tuned for "My New Job."  It makes me as happy as this video John got of Vince when he was just 3.5 months old.  And yes... my chunker is still big for his age.  :)

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12 Faiths in 12 Months?

04/16/2012

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Geez, I'm on a roll today.

Just stumbled across this article summarizing one man's journey through a whirlwind taste-test of 12 different faiths. 

He and his wife suffered the trauma of miscarriage.  Wife, Heather, finds solace in the Baptist Christianity and husband, Andrew, spends a few years hating the idea of a god who could so cruelly take away the miracle of life they'd participated in creating.

When Andrew finally hits a wall where his hatred threatens to destroy him, he develops the idea for what he calls Project Conversion (complete with its own Facebook page).  He took it upon himself to follow 12 different faiths for 12 months, spending half the month learning and half the month practicing these new faiths.

In theory, this is a fairly decent idea.  He was reaching out to God in the only way he knew how - to sample the various faiths and see which one fit him the best.  I know a lot of hard-line Catholics will razz me for that (considering that faith should not conform to you, but you to the Truth), but I think it's very important for someone with no real religious background to do a bit of digging.  It's important for cradle Catholics (or cradle Buddhists, Muslims, etc) to broaden their perspectives, too. 

I'm not advocating trying to practice other religions, mind you.  I'm suggesting learning about these different theologies and cultures because, as Andrew Bowen found out, there truly is something to be gained from each. 

I've always believed the idea of God to be similar to a mountain.  God is at the top of the mountain, and our journey to Him can take us through many paths.  Some may find their way to Him through Islam.  Others may find their way to Him through non-denominational Christianity.  Others, still, might find their way to Him by virtue of their defense of all that is good in the world.  I believe Catholicism offers the straightest path to God, but I don't discount the virtues in other faiths.

I think that's what this guy was trying to get at as he made his way through the cycle of religions.

However, I wish the author of the article pointed out that it is impossible to even skim the surface of these religions - many (though not all) of which date back thousands of years.

I also take the statement "But this was no reality TV stunt" with a grain of salt.  Considering the pictures that accompanied the article, it was obvious that from the start he was looking to do something with this "Project Conversion."  Also, you don't start calling something a "Project" unless you've got an idea in mind of what you plan to accomplish.  Ha ha ha.

But that's fine.  He's now looking to write a book about his experiences, and more power to him if he cashes in.  It's a great idea that could very well have a very positive impact!

However, I still wish that you can't "immerse" yourself in any religion within the confines of one month.  There simply isn't enough time, and no mentor (no matter how brilliant) could possibly cover the nuances of the various faith sets.

Regardless, it's an interesting experiment, and I'm curious to see where it will lead.  Thought you folks might be interested, too!  :)
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Random Thought - Regrets

12/31/2011

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We've all been asked this question. 

"Is there anything you regret?"

I know I always answered in a similar way.  It seems to be the popular answer anymore.

"No.  Everything I've ever done, good, bad or ugly, has made me into the person I am today.  I am quite happy with who I am, you see, so no.  There is nothing I can truly regret."

Upon closing the chapter of 2011, I realize I have a much different opinion of myself.  As a result, the answer to that question is much, much different. 

Seeing the world through new eyes this year has helped me learn many things - many of which have been hard on the heart.  Those things which are heart-heavy, however, tend to be just the things that give our souls a good scrubbing... a swift kick in the pants to focus on the things that truly matter.

Now, having been posed that question in rapid fire succession (probably through some societal square-dance that's been passed along through the generations), I hesitate in my response.  I don't delve into the deluge of regrets that I've come to terms with and let go of.  I also don't quip away the valid (though typically thoughtless) question.  Instead, I give a slight nod and answer in as cliched a manner as possible, "Don't we all?"

I don't know which is worse, truth be told: lying to myself regarding the fact that "there's nothing I can truly regret" or allowing the question to roll away, neglecting another opportunity for growth. 

Probably the former.  Cliched as it may be, the latter rings true and side-steps further investigation. 

No matter.  Regardless of how public I choose (or don't choose) to make my realizations of regret known, I am much more equipped to accept them, learn from them, and request guidance on shunning them in the future.  In that I find peace and, quite honestly, joy.  :)

Onwards to 2012 - a year of prayer, self-reflection, and blessings.  :)
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