9/29/11

Of Love

Love is a thing that is so confounding that it has been an endless inspiration for artists and thinkers.  I think of all the poems that have been written and vow NEVER to write a poem about love.  I would have to be VERY inspired before I ever would attempt it.  I have, however, enjoyed reading what others have to say about love. 

“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I suppose that anything less than this is not love, but I have to wonder if maybe I would seek a peek every once in a while because I loved to see that "he" was looking the same direction.  This is also true in other types of relationships and friendships.  In a high school assignment, I remember writing that friendship requires a sharing of similar values and life goals--not of the specific kind.

“It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. ”
― Agatha Christie, An Autobiography
This first makes me laugh, but I think I agree.  It is a curious thought.  Perhaps those moments make you realize that you truly love that person for who they are.

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
 Sometimes, for hurting and insecure girls especially, this is sadly true.

“Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.”
― Anaïs Nin
 ahh...so it is our duty to keep it a live.
“Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
 I find this male perspective very intriguing.  Is it true?  Perhaps.

“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.”
― Plato
Here is one that is so puzzling, I like it.  "Those who wish to sing always find a song."  What does that mean?

“I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
 Perhaps this is true for many women. Do we create the character before we know the person?

“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”
― Robert Frost

9/24/11

Whom the King Delighteth to Honour

Esther 6:3,4,6  And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.  And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him...So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour?...
The end of Mordecai's story was victory, and the end of Haman was destruction.  Haman had evil planned for Mordecai, and it looked as if he had the power to accomplish it.  The king--the one with the real power--turned everything around.  Haman came to the court to get permission to hang Mordecai, but he left with an order to honor the Jew he hated so much.  What a delightful story that makes!  The evil prince plots to hang Queen Esther's cousin, but everything goes wrong.   He is humiliated and has to run through the streets honoring Mordecai--the one he hates.

Satan wishes to destroy us all.  He has plans and schemes, and his gallows for our souls are seen rising in the distance.  Does that sound discouraging?  The story, however, has been told, and we know that the soul that is hid in Christ has the assurance of victory.  All the evil plans of the Devil will be turned into a victory for God's children, and the devil will be defeated once again.  God has all power, therefore, we are safe from the threats of the devil.

The devil's most evil scheme--the crucifixion of Jesus Christ--was his greatest defeat.  When Jesus rose from the grave, sin was forever under His feet.  We now have the power through Jesus Christ to resist temptation, claim the victory for each day, and watch as evil is turned for our good!

9/17/11

Fixing Photos

One of my favorite past times is photo editing.  I enjoy transforming a picture from "meh" to "wow".  I mostly work with free programs and websites.  Here are some of my favorites.

Picnik!

I have not purchased the premium version, but I have fun with layering different effect to get a unique, artistic look.  I just wish that they would develop a way to save a series of edits as custom filter so that I could give a group of photos a unified look.

Rollip!

 This site makes it easy to get a uniform look, but creativity is limited.  You can only apply one filter for one photo, however, the outcome is pretty neat.  It is very quick and extremely simple.
(from the site's public album)
A Japanese site that will age you pics.  It allows for no creativity or choice, but again, the effect is pretty neat.


Picassa
Download this for basic edits and effects.  It's nice for touch-ups or fixes.
Download this if you can't afford Photo Shop.  It's not as tech-y, but it has similar tools.  Use layers and filters to fix you photo.

Perfect Peace

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."  Isaiah 26:3

I extremely enjoy privately studying subjects out of the Sunday school book (Bible Lessons for Adults and Young People).  I like to sit down with an old issue and read the truths it has to offer.  The topic for May 1, 2011 was "The Peace of God".  I was blessed with the thoughts and wrote some notes in my Journal.

The peace that God gives us is perfect.  It passes all our understanding and is not like the false peace that the world offers.

How can we have peace? (1) We must stay our mind on God.  (2) We must trust in God.  (3) We must be righteous.  (4) Instead of being anxious or fearful, we must earnestly pray with humility and thanksgiving and bring all our needs and requests to God.  (5) We must love his law.

What is the effect of peace?  (1) quietness (2) lasting assurance (3) rest (4) a heart that is not troubled or afraid (5) the keeping of your heart and mind (6) nothing will offend or vex you

9/16/11

Turn Aside and Inquire

Today, I listened to a message by Sis. Angela Gellenbeck titled "The Burning Bush".  It was very good, and I took a little break from my housework to jot some notes down.
Exo 3:3,4  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.  And he said, Here am I.
  • "God puts burning bushes in our way every day, and he is waiting for our response.  If we will turn aside from our business and the things that we are so busy doing, and investigate and seek, God will speak to us personally.  He is waiting for us to turn aside."
  • A burning bush may be something in life that we don't understand. We may wonder why we have to go through a trial or why someone else is afflicted.  Those are burning bushes.  God is waiting for us to ask him about them so that he can talk to us.
  • God is a Consuming Fire. How then are we not consumed?  He is Judgement.  How then do we still live?  It is because he is also Mercy.  If it were not for his mercy, we would be consumed.
  • God wants to reveal things to us.  Some people have to get hit over the head to see anything.  With some people God wouldn't dare do that because all he has to do is look at them and they go and weep bitterly.
  • Turn your thoughts to Him in the morning.  Let your first waking thoughts be holy meditation.
(listen to the message here)