So I was working in the library and I checked in a book called the Jesus Creed. I remembered hearing Scot McKnight (the author) come and speak in chapel and I think that I don’t like his message at all, in fact, I don’t like any Christian who says that there is a single method, that when followed, can achieve greatness.  I understand his point that we should continually be focused on our purpose and on God, but then to say, and I nearly quote, “Just say this creed every morning and throughout the day, and it will change your life.”  There is no way that the Christian walk can be sustained by saying a little prayer.  But Mr. McKnight is not the only one; I would also like to point fingers at Bruce Wilkinson (author of “The Prayer of Jabez”) and many Catholics for reducing this multi-faceted relationship to a simple recitation.  Now that I am done pointing fingers at others, I do realize that I myself am guilty of the same thing. Especially on this campus.

People are always saying how pain is so difficult. It's not difficult.  Joy is difficult. True Joy, that is. Joy that comes from Christ is not easy; you have to work at it.  You don't have to work at pain, it works on you. Pain isn't forced, except when it's forced on you. Happiness is strained,a mask covering pain where joy is absent. Pain is easy.  Just sit back and let the tears flow.  Feel the tension in your chest. Loneliness overwhelms, there's no need to search for it. But joy? Joy is tough, it makes you seek, makes you plead for it,  makes you desperate for it.  I never have to look far to find pain, but to find joy, I have to find myself, find Christ inside myself, find Him around me.  Because pain is easier... it is common. Everyone feels pain.  But authentic, unspeakable joy is rare indeed. This joy can only come from Christ, because only He has enough power to sustain that energy.  It is only through pain that we can experience joy to the fullest. So when you have pain, feel it and experience, but work at joy, so that you may truly understand what it means, and the power that it can give you.  Psalm 126:5 "Those who sow in tears will reap songs of joy."

Words are dumb. They have no rhyme or reason. Well okay, they have rhyme, like fall and brawl. But no reason. For example the word ball, it doesn’t really sound like what it is, a spherical object that can occasionally be bounced or rolled. Furthermore, why would the inventors of the English language and the inventors of words added thereafter create two words that although are spelled differently and have completely different meanings SOUND exactly the same. Example ball and bawl. It’s the dumbest thing ever. Or what about the word lobotomy, lobotomy sounds like it should be related to your botomy right. WRONG. It’s the division of one or more nerves in the cerebrum. That’s dumb. I think it was all a big trick by some old language farts, I mean scholars… to make little kids cry and hate grammar, heck I hate grammar. I guess they won.