Likes

Can an argument be made that this is the most insecure generation in history?  I mean really.  Most of the business world has crowned Mark Zuckerburg one of the most brilliant business minds ever.  But if we all just calm down for a little bit, can't we say that Zukerburg brought out the worst in all of us?  Think about it...unless you have a business or are compelled to push your religious agenda (or support others who align with your religious agenda), why do you really participate in social media?  Why do you tell relative strangers that you got an "A" in math class as a 32 year-old community college student?  Why do you turn that fortune cookie into a self-quotable?  Why do you show the barely-done chicken, with the can vegetables, and the box macaroni and cheese with pride?  If we're honest with ourselves, isn't it all for attention?  Isn't it just to collect "likes"?

Kingdom Sucka Award

I remember some of my middle school classmates being like...what's a dress code?  If it was hot, who cares what the Code of Conduct says?  It's getting worn...today.   They'd make it to like second period before getting sent home to change...but they also knew you remembered them Used Jeans shorts (in my middle school, shorts were prohibited) that you've never seen before and will not be seeing again.  One time a friend of mine was on his way home and said something like "I ain't gonna change on the way to school, girls do that.  I'll just get kicked out."  I thought he was too real.

Violence Begets Violence

No matter how desensitized our society is, it's one thing for a person to tell you about something as violent as a shooting, but it's another thing for you to see the shooting on video.  And even further, it's a totally different feeling to see the shooting first hand.  Yesterday I believe, was a situation where we in America saw some violence that we previously just heard about...and it appeared to be too much to stomach.  So much so, that the Baltimore Ravens allowed their wallets to lead them to make the acceptable decision for public taste.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it was completely the correct one.

Learning to Smile...and Meaning It

Coming home after a hard, third-consecutive 12-hour work day only to open the mail and see the notice that the foreclosure of your home is already in motion.  The ability to absorb impatient, rude, and assaultive customers was stretched to the limit today.  And only a drop of tolerance was left after dealing with an insensitive supervisor, only concerned with lofty financial goals....and now this.  It hurts...deep.  And so then begins the fight to not allow the negative and destructive thoughts to seep into the mind; even though they may already be festering in the subconscious.  At a time like this, for a person who serves and prays and tithes and gives offerings, the last thing to do is appear faithless.  But to boldly declare Isaiah 54:17 would be more like a formality....as it feels like every weapon that's attacking is working at its full capacity.

Starting From the Top

Suffering sells.  It's the hottest commodity that will ever be.  I'm reminded of a notion I've heard when discussing the [alleged] war on drugs where one said "you have to get rid of pain first to get rid of drugs...and getting rid of pain permanently is impossible."  That statement is what keeps organizations like Narcotics Anonymous and most (if not all) churches in business....selling this formula...the reality of pain must be maximized, addressed, and profitable for the pained and, most importantly, the practicing healer.  This is not to say that groups create pain to draw people into noticing their product, but it is to say that there are falsehoods about alleviating and dealing with pain that are sometimes promoted.  And one thing that is promoted a great deal is the perception of a start.