Thank You from Switzerland

live the life

"I've been reading a lot about love lately. Unfortunately it has not been out of sheer enjoyment. Nonetheless, i'm still learning more and more what it means to live the good life. p.s. its hard, and its kind of suppose to be." - john murnane, philosopher

i'm inspired by this guy, and what he says.

it is hard. it will be hard. and that means that its worth it. because the good things in life often are. worth it.

it takes effort, there is struggle and the payoff may not always be what you thought it would be. but good is good.

the good life is not something to be bought, sold or won. it comes from a determination to overcome, and a willingness to surrender at the exact same time.

the determination to overcome those things in our lives which we have control over. a willingness to push through, shed the baggage that we carry, and walk tall into the life that we choose. we can sit where we are, never move, and we still have value, worth and dignity. but we won't experience good life good love.

and we must be willing to surrender our own will. because joy doesn't come by realizing our dreams. purpose doesn't come by realizing our dreams. its about the lives of people that we walk towards those dreams with. anyone can achieve a dream with enough determination. but not everyone can see their dreams fulfilled and still hold onto the ones that we love.

and it is surrendering the idea that we can't change other people. we can only change ourselves. and once we surrender that desire, we are free to love as we are called to. we can love each other through the mess and garbage that happens.

loving people is the hardest thing. and that's okay. because its worth it. what does it look like to love the people around us that are walking with us?

and hold on to hope. because that may be just as hard sometimes. it takes courage to hope. it is way easier to be cynical, jaded and angry. cynicism doesn't mean that you've got your head on better then anyone else. it means that you aren't willing to let go. it means that you aren't willing to be the change that you want to see in the world, that you'd rather point out where others aren't changing.

the future is bright, if you want it to be.

may we all hope. may we all love. may we all push for the good life.

grace and peace.

m

DTS Promotional Video

my friend Matt made this video. I helped!

hilarious

Treasure House Sale

Don Miller's DNC Benediction

click on the title for the link.
what follows is a beautiful prayer for tonight's democratic national convention.
let us all echo an amen.

"Father God,

This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.

We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.

We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.

Hep us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.

Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.

We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.

Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.

A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.

Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.

Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.

Lastly, father, unify us.

Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.

And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.

God we know that you are good.

Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.

I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.

Let Him be our example.

Amen."

peace

ann lamott & colbert. brilliant.