We did it!

I admit that I am a bit of a dreamer.  Some would call me an idealist.  Regardless, I choose to believe in "the better part" as it were.  That being said, something struck me recently and I just can't let it go.
Where I live in NH there is a mountain called MT Kearsarge that overlooks a better part of the area.  In addition to being home to a fire-tower and the Colby-Sawyer annual "Mountain Day" destination, it is also home to a number of hiking trails.  The longest trail, titled "Lincoln Trail", travels just under ten miles up the mountain and back to the original destination of Mt. Kearsarge.  This trail first ascends the little brother to Kearsarge, called "Black Mountain".
  Now what struck me about this situation is that Black Mountain was supposed to be purchased by a contractor and turned into condos on the side of the hill.  That would have knocked out the trail and really been an eye sore for those who live in the area or travel south on Rte 89.  So the nature conservation had to raise some money to  save Black mountain.
  Well, this story ends happily and Black mountain will remain conservation land.  I am super excited and very grateful that they were able to make this conservation possible!  However, what shocked me was the money it took to get there!
1.2 million dollars.
That's correct.
1.2 MILLION DOLLARS $1,200,000
That's a lot of money, and i do not know just where the money came from or even if it is to be paid over many years or what.
But what shocked me, besides the amount, was that a community could raise over a million dollars for a piece of land, but yet we can seldom give $20 to our church or put a five in a homeless man's cup.
The title on the flyer said, "we did it"
and
I am super pumped to keep playing in the forest on Black Mountain.
But it makes me wonder.
As if it hasn't been said enough, being the wealthiest (or at least second) wealthiest country in the world how come their is still so much poverty and pain due to problems that could simply be fixed by very small financial distributions.

Should we buy a mountain or a clean water for a village?
Should we buy a mountain or give some meals?
Should we buy a mountain or a battered w omen's shelter?
Is the world really a cruel an unfair place or are we?

Even though I love Black Mountain, when given the option, I would much rather spend, or rather, distribute my "expendable" financial resource elsewhere.

listen:

Sleeping at Last "emphasis"

well said...SATELLITE

Listen: Satellite "ring the bells"

"We'll ring the bells that lead you home


Cause the only truth I've ever known

Is that nothing ever hurts us more than love

So circle up your best friends

And we'll celebrate the way it ends

At least we live tonight

At least we live tonight"-  Satellite- "ring the bells"



May tonight change your life..., for the better.
God has a dream!
and you're part of it.

the kingdom belongs to these...

"and I become a child when she moves my world"- Damien Rice
 
Yesterday was one of those days.  I have recently been reminded (it is hard when you no longer work with them) that child-like elements are some of the best parts of living and we should always allow for these feelings and care free elements to be in our lives.  Experiencing a beloved summer place with an amazing brother and allowing for all the memories and flood of emotion and change to arise made me feel as though I was simultaneously eleven again while also being well beyond my years.  Its kind of like making a movie of the clouds passing by and then fast forwarding it.  Life moves, yet what happens lingers. 
  Sebago lake Maine is and will continue to be one of my favorite places in all of new England.  Point Sebago campground, Frye Island, and Jordan Bay, all painting a beautiful portrait of so many youthful lessons and experiences.  I grew and learned so much there and when I sit down next week for thanksgiving dinner with my family I will share the same abundant excitement and bubbling enthusiasm as I shared with my friend who accompanied me and the girl at Subway who just wanted me to stop talking and order my sandwich.
  I am twenty-three years old.  I have graduated college and am slowly entering the "real world" and becoming an independent adult.  Life is moving.  Yet it is the places, like Sebago lake, that remind me what is important and what is worthwhile to spend my time on.  I encourage anyone to make it a point to visit a place of your childhood, maybe even with a friend or lover.  who knows, it might be just what you need, it may even change the current course of your life altogether.  Maybe the goal of growing older is not to move beyond our childhood, but to move "in" it.  To allow for the experiences, for better or worse, to move and mold us into the individuals we Hope to be and that we already are.




song:
Damien Rice- "dogs"

"Will you're name be recorded?"

learning how to wait... (the Almost)

I have had the opportunity to listen as of late.  To listen instead of speak, and let me tell you, this is hard.  To everyone who knows me, I am a person who loves good conversation and to prove a point.  But, as the bible so often reminds me, this life is not about me.  I have felt very anxious and impatient as i start a new season of life.  It has been as if all the world and all the experiences, thoughts and emotions that have gone into my life, have hit a standstill; a dead end; a writer's block, an ellipses. 
But,
this is a lie.
I had the opportunity to join a few older men at Panera Bread recently after work.  My friend and mentor Benny was kind enough to buy me a salad and a coffee (no money) and allow me to "meet" with some friends in what was quickly becoming a weekly event.  During the time I spent there (a little less than an hour) I got the opportunity to learn a great deal.  These men had all been through the age and time period of my life I was currently in, not only that, but lo and behold, they had survived and were living great stories.  Everyone present spoke to my life and my heart, but it was the man across from me, Wayne, whose words really pierced my young and stubborn mind.
  After re-enforcing what I had learned all summer (that we cannot save/please/protect/teach EVERYONE we encounter) and sharing a bit of his background, he proceeded to explain the "meaning" behind his work, which has been with the Postal Service for 32 years.  But, as you might imagine, we did not talk about mail or packages.  He really got my attention when he spoke these words very firmly,
"Will you're name be remembered in the history books?"
I thought at first he was making some sort of theological or philosophical point, but he was dead serious. 
"How about you?"
Everyone around the table said no, and he promptly continued to explain that his name is recorded in Washington D.C. int he national archives as he was the post master of two towns for a good deal of those 32 years.  He told this story, not out of pride, but out of the fact that his story mattered.  His seemingly simple job was important.  Well beyond a name being recorded, he got to supervise, to watch over others.  To serve them in a multitude of ways, above and WAY beyond the standard postmaster.  He was a friend, a counselor, a mentor, a nurse, an aide, a shoulder, a friend.  He had truly made the most of his profession and used it for the will of the one who sent him.  You see, Wayne studied guidance and counseling in grad school and even had his own practice for over two years.  But it was not in an office or school where he most used his acquired skill and his heart for service, but rather in delivering mail and supervising mailmen.
  I finished my first statement by saying " this is a lie".  It's so true.  I have put so much pressure on myself to live and love and serve, serve, serve; that I have forgotten why I serve.  That I have let anxiety and worry overcome "doing".  That I have let stress de-rail my train and that I have only "felt God" when I actually let go and let the truth and beauty held within the flesh that I am shine forth.  Actually let go.
But worst of all, I have not even comprehended the blessings that have come my way over the past month.  Namely that I have a new job and a renewed chance at Love.
and for that,
I am truly sorry,
yet so overflowing with Hope.
What am I going to be?  Who can I help?  Will my name be recorded in history?

It is time to take my own advice,
It's time to "Let go and Let Love"

listen:
Sleeping at Last "Next to me"

feeling ok

Listen:
anberlin- "Down"

As a young man, I still think I can change the world.  I am fired up, here and there, about the social and political ills of the world, and am quick to rush to the side of the oppressed and open my mouth to speak about how things should be better.  But one thing they forget to tell you in the inspiring books and amazing stories of world changing people, is that when you actually are in it, when you are in the midst of a mission or a charity; almost all the luster is gone and it is just plain hard (hence the reason others have either tried and failed, or just given up completely). 
  I had to tell my Boss I got a new job and would be leaving in two weeks.  I waited the whole afternoon to tell her and the anticipation was really awful.  But as I spoke words of ending, I was greeted with even greater words of what was to come.  "Sad for us, but happy for you" and then of course, on the walk out to the parking lot, a beautiful and full double rainbow.  Any reservations, any regrets?
  I believe we are our own worst enemies.  Sure our parents, significant others, professors, and mentors can add to the dynamics and pressure of an already wild and crazy world, yet usually our worst and most intense critic is the one that stares you in the mirror.  As I smiled at the sights and sounds of the early evening, and was so thankful to have such a comforting and understanding boss, I felt like God was saying well done.  That's not to say that I did a perfect job or even that I won't be back to try again, but it was a special feeling going home that day.
  I think it was so special because, beyond the natural beauty, i came to the stark yet simple realization that this is not about me at all.  I saw a friend in the store yesterday, a humble and Wise man, and after explaining the story to him, he simply said, "I think that's what we are called to do".  Meaning the little things add up.  They matter.  So instead of focusing on what "I" can do for this place, for that situation (key word being "I"), the focus should rather be what can happen if we let go, and let Love.  What could happen if we let the presence of Hope and Truth, that which dwells in all who believe, lead the way in this dance of life?  I may not have seen the impact of "my" works and actions, but that is no matter; just being in a place and believing and Hoping in and for those people present makes everything worth it.
At the end of the day we are all lost causes, trying to walk the road home.  Can it be OK? Can we change the world? 

Can we go together?

stay close: Light IS a place

As many of you know I have a favorite band.  That favorite band just put out an album.  It has thirteen songs and is their fifth full length album.  It is their first on a Major record label and many would expect the "best yet".  Well, I have not stopped listening since it was released and have delved into the meaning and lyrics of each song.  Yet, this album is not my favorite and is maybe the most different from all the previous records that have culminated into the sound, whether acoustic or full fledged rock, that fans have come to expect from anberlin. 
  That's not to say that I don't love the new album, I do.  Yet it is definately different.  Personally, I really love the sound, but i think the lyrics could be a little more complex, a little more meaningful.  Then again, sometimes simple words make the most impact (see: "I have a dream" or "come home").  Truth be told, anberlin is my favorite band.  And even though this new album may not be my favorite of theirs, if I truly love the band I have to really give this record a chance.  I think giving things a chance this day and age, hearing them out so to speak, even our favorite things, can be seen as a burden or even uneccessary all together.  Now this notion is not limited to music.
  So many people are quick to write off a new record, or a new song for that matter.  Sometimes people hate the change, other times they go with the simple, "well, I just liked the old stuff better."  Our relationships can be like that too.  Not just romantic, but friends and family too.  With the rate at which life changes, with the way people's status's change so quickly, it is easy to write them off or forget them altogether.  But that is not the right choice.
  Granted, people change; tastes in music change; life leads us down different roads, some for better, some for worse.  But we have to give it a try.  Our lives and the people in them are so important, so significant.  We can't just give it the ghost because we feel a bit different, we can't let our friend (or out favorite band) go because they are suddenly too popular, we can't let Love pass us by because we're scared of what "could happen"-
  Real commitment and pursuit of true connection is really lacking in our culture, even in our world at large.  It is up to the next generation to bring it back.  To look beyond the latest and greatest and seek truth and consistency; to be dedicated.  There is something to be said about a loyal fan.  There is even more to be said of a true friend; about a steadfast lover.
  We would be well served and even better pursued by such hearts.
That's the kind of fan i'd want to have,
That's the kind of community I am blessed to be in,
That's the kind of place that is Light many times over.


Listen:
Corey Asbury- "everything you do"

Love is found in the returning

Let your heart be ignited

Living: Pain, Salvation & Love

"Backing away from the problem of pain you never had a home
You've been misguided, you're hiding in shadows for so very long
Don't you believe that you've been deceived?

Pain is a struggle.  Pain hurts and we all experience it.  Some experience it more then others.  At the risk of being called a sadist, I rather like pain.  Let me explain...

Recently I have gotten frustrated at the amount of pain I have heard about.  My heart is heavy for my friends.  Maybe there is always this much pain, maybe I just know more people and care about more situations these days.  But regardless, that doesn't stop me from wanting to run out into the street and start screaming, at God and his angels, the stars and the trees, "Enough.  What is this all about, Stop, just stop"  No more bleeding, no more sadness.

Where is the purpose in all this?  If God is good, how come I feel so broken?

Every human experiences pain.  It manifests itself in a multitude of ways, physical, mental, spiritual and all of those elements pain has at its disposal.  I have experienced a lot of pain the last few years.  But I have overcome much of it.  Yet I don't want to have to go through the pain, at least of those experiences, again.  But I may.  For pain is inevitable, like the sunrise or the new year.  Pain is inevitable, even mandatory to the human experience, but suffering and hopelessness are NOT.

CS Lewis wrote a book called "The problem of Pain".  I have been meaning to read it, but for the purpose of this story, pretend I have.  Lewis goes about proposing the views on pain and supposes a solution in his unique theological, yet scholarly way. 

The existence of suffering in a world created by a good and almighty God—“the problem of pain”—is a fundamental theological dilemma, and perhaps the most serious objection to the Christian religion.- Jacek Bacz

As Lewis notes, pain is a problem.  Yet there is another book I have been meaning to read titled "purpose for the pain", by Renee Yohe.  Renee is the inspiration and story behind To Write Love on Her Arms.  Both these titles and books utilize non-fiction to speak on an inherently universal element in all of humanity, yet one speaks of Pain as a problem, the other as being purposeful or rather having a purpose, some would say purpose driven.
I now lean towards pain on purpose.  I cannot say that all pain will have a happy ending.  But I will say that pain has meaning, always; and that this meaning is of great depth, sometimes we never understand.
But that feeling, even feeling pain, is feeling.  Feelings are a gift, they help us navigate this world.  And feeling something, is better then feeling nothin.  What if this feeling had a purpose, and what if this purpose had a title, and what if somehow your story was building to a climax, and maybe God still has control, and if he doesn't do anything, so far as you can tell, maybe he's putting someone in your life to help you fix things, maybe He already did...
and maybe he wants us to realize we're in this together, that pain is as universal as the stars, and the desire to love and be loved, painful as it may be,
There could be a purpose to this all of this,
and it could be waiting over the next mountain, or the next, or the next,
and your feet, heart, and your eyes, must keep looking to the sky,
step by step, toward the light up ahead,
painful as it may be,



This is the correlation of salvation and love

(Don't drop your arms)
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in"--

listening:
Anberlin- Unwinding Cable Car, the

http://www.auswaertigesamt.de/diplo/de/Europa/DeutschlandInEuropa/BilateraleBeziehungen/Polen/Bilder/090227-auschwitz,templateId=large__blob.jpg

BEGINNINGS- Sanctuary in a Lions mouth

REVERSE!
Why the blog and what's it all about? And how come correspondence is such a long word?

Well, I want to write, as the sub title mentions about everyday miracles and important lessons I learn in my life adn maybe, just maybe they are helpful to others, if even one other person. Believe it or not, lessons learned in New Hampshire are actually applicable to life outside of living free and looking at mountains. Ok, so Correpondence comes from a phrase that has meant a lot to me the last few years. Your could also write heart, or spark, or feeling. The correspondence is that moment where your heart feels alive, it could be a spring rain shower, a smile of an old friend, the voice of God, a sunrise, a song- whatever. Point is it moves you, and it sustains you. This is the movement of the heart that we all so desperately desire, and, need.
The word Daring simply comes from the fact that so few actually take the chance at letting this feeling move them and help them live and discover that a heart alive, is a heart right. SO what does this feel like?
You'll know when you get there. Trust me. There is nothing else like it. In the words of Jon Foreman, "there ain't no durg, no drug to make me well"-Maybe the drug is the heart, and maybe it takes feeding, nurturing, affection, creativity, and even words to move- Maybe its been ransomed, but yet still feels trapped.

Anyway, this is about our hearts. recapturing them, feeling them, making them move. Its not easy; its actually petrifying. Yet it is worth it. And somehow your body, your soul want to head towards this correspondence, this light.
I believe it is found in all things, but especially in simple conversations where tow people share whats going on and encourage one another. It starts at the ground level. It starts with you, and me. It's a courageous heart, its a bold proposition, its a true feeling, it is a Daring Correspondence and its there for the taking. Are you willing to Move? Chances are I am just as scared as you, but, I am Hoping beyond Hope this is true-

We are ALL alive, but how many of us are really living?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-QThgztMUw