Reply ID: y8fk

arcadiaego: ...Yeah, it's no problem, Elizabeth. I'm glad you read it. I didn't really grow up with much religious guidance either, though I was searching and seeking at a young age. I grew up reading the Bible - which is almost impossible to understand without instruction (as evidenced by the thousands of Christian sects with conflicting + contradictory doctrines) - I guess that's the downside of growing up in a multi-cultural stew of various different paradigms through which to view and understand the world around us - a million different systems of values + beliefs - right + wrong.

Surely some philosophies must be closer to explaining things as they actually are than others. Guess the Truth gets drowned out + lost in the mix. What got me was reading the lives of some of the saints. I know I'm a long way from perfect + can't even seem to maintain my will to do the good I know I should do when I know I should do it. But if you ever get a chance, read the lives of a couple of them. Or better yet - read the Life of Mother Teresa (even though she's not officially a saint - yet) - and tell me that you don't find something absolutely beautiful about her.

But all the saints - show us the Glory of God - radiating through them, living in them. Loyalty, love, compassion, truthfulness, courage. So many of them showed so much of these supernatural qualities as to defy nature + be impossible to fake. I know, I've tried + failed repeatedly. Willpower ain't all it's cracked up to be.

But then again, that's the whole message of the Bible. We're all messed up in one way or another + can't fix ourselves or each other even if we tried. But if we turn to Him - He'll pour His very spirit into us, making us more selfless, more patient, disciplined, loving, caring, truthful... etc... He'll change us + make us grow from Glory to Glory, Virtue to Virtue if we'll let Him. He'll make us into little Hims. Perfect.

Chris Hall #1565195
Ellis Unit
2890 FM 980
Huntsville, TX 77343