Beautiful

Ever had someone look at you with a heart so full of love that it shone in their eyes? Maybe it was a twinkle. A softness. A glow. Maybe they looked like they knew everything about you, and still thought you were worth it.  No need for spoken words here. You just looked at that other person and knew they loved you.  Remember if that ever happened?  Was it your mom? Your dad? One of your grandparents? Your significant other?  Maybe you did something nice for them, or did something that made them proud. Maybe you made them feel loved.  Or maybe you disappointed and hurt them, but they still couldn't help but look at you with love.  Ever had someone do that to you right after you hurt them? Look at you like they loved you?  Chances are, if it has happened to you, you might have felt  kind of ashamed of your behavior, or confused at their response.  Right?  What about you? Have you ever given the I Lov...

 A lot of people in my denomination are vegetarian; many are even vegan. Some are omnivorous, and a few are raw foodies or paleos. Our choices in diet are a result of our desire to be healthy so that we can feel better, a desire to be perceived as a good Adventist, or the desire to have clear minds and strong bodies so we can hear God more clearly and be better used by Him.   Personally, I am 99.99 % vegan, but in some rare circumstances where common sense or courtesy are my best Christian choice, I don't feel guilty to step outside of veganism. However, those situations are certainly very rare and I usually have better options than to eat animal products. But diet is not what I wanted to talk about. We all have different motivations and ideas about what we should eat and we are free to make our own choices about that; however, no matter what we choose, I think generally everyone (not just Adventists) enjoys eating meat to some extent. What am I saying? This is not about...

Half-way through a canvassing week. Worked in the downtown today, with a film crew in tow. Thinking about all the happenings of the day, remembering all the houses I drove by, all the stop signs I stopped at, all the credit card transactions I ran. Remembering the rush of admiration felt at seeing a huge, beautiful mansion of a house...wondering what my life would have been like if I had grown up in a rich subdivision... Josh climbs into the van out of the summer heat, leans back with a sigh, then jumps forward suddenly with alarm, "Yo, GMDoe!!"  (This is my newest nickname. It has something to do with my having a "rack" because my name is like "rac-kell", and only bucks have racks, but since I'm a doe, I must be genetically modified; therefore GMDoe. Josh made it up.) He has noticed that the A/C is on the low setting. I quickly turn it back up for him and he relaxes,  "I support air conditioning!"  I laugh, and wait until h...

There's a girl standing over there, in the crowd. Do you see her? She's smiling and talking to people who approach her. Her confidence and friendly attitude impress you, don't they? She's got it all together; she's mostly calm and polite but has a little spark of energy and wildness. People like her. She's popular.  You would never think that she's an island. Of all people, she's connected to everyone; got a finger on the heartbeat of those around her. She listens because she cannot shut off her ears and she feels everything because she cannot close her heart. She's there, with everyone.  But she's not really there.  She listens with a heart that cannot speak. Can't you tell? Look at her when she doesn't have to smile. She's alone.  This girl that everyone loves, the one who so easily makes friends and connects people together is a loner. She can't stand being around people. Watch her. She's about to leave, now.  She's go...