Fire and Brimstone

Yesterday I went to my parents Sunday school class and they are reading this really neat book called "Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture" by John Shelby Spong.

It brings a very interesting discussion in their class. While their class is talking about the contradiction of scriptures, the classes next door are utilizing them in the most fundamentalist way, well at least as fundamental as a Methodist can get I suppose.

Anyways, yesterday a woman in their class brought up that she doesn't believe that there is a hell. For me that put my belief in suspension. For the past few years I have come to this realization that I believe that no one is left out of the embrace of God. The most beautiful thing I believe about grace is that it is offered and given to everyone. Whether we accept it or not, it is freely given. So no one has to do anything, no one has to believe in any certain way, it is given to you with no commitments.

But then I started to think... wow I really believe that is a hell, or I guess I still do believe there is a hell, and it is a very real place. And how in the world does that fit in with my belief that everyone is spared from there? What then is the point of hell? Is hell a place that we experience on this earth? Is hell a place that we can choose to go to once we come to the gates of heaven, do we tell St. Peter, no I'd rather go there instead of here? Or is hell just where the 'devil' lives, is it where all sin, destruction, hopelessness, tragedy, and malice originate from? Is it a place where we could possibly go, or is it just a place where all of these terrible things we experience on earth that God could not possibly create because I believe He is a loving God, could come from?

I don't know, its something that I'm chewing on and know I will never come to answer, and I guess its not that big of an issue, but maybe it is. If this call of mine is real, I feel I need to come to some sort of conclusion on my beliefs on issues like these at some point.

I close with these words that are much more loftier and creative than my own...

“"Conversation"

God and I in space alone . . .
and nobody else in view . . .
"And where are all the people,
Oh Lord" I said,
"the earth below
and the sky overhead
and the dead that I once knew?"
"That was a dream," God smiled
and said: "The dream that seemed to
be true; there were no people
living or dead; there was no earth,
and no sky overhead,
there was only myself in you."
"Why do I feel no fear?" I asked,
"meeting you here in this way?
For I have sinned, I know full well
and is there heaven and is there hell,
and is this Judgement Day?"
"Nay, those were but dreams"
the Great God said, "dreams that have ceased to
be.
There are no such things as fear and sin;
there is no you . . . you never have been.
There is nothing at all but me."”
Ctrl_R

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Please Tell Me this is a JOKE!

Okay so I was bumming around in my office today, its a slow wednesday...

And I came across this guy's website... I thought that this has to be a joke, but the more I read the more aware of how serious this guy is...

Here's his music video...

I FREAKIN LOVE IT!!

SEASON FINALE TO GREY'S!!

Kings N Things.

Last night was a lot of fun! I went to the Kings N Things Birthday party at Elysium. I've decided that I really like to go out. Well, maybe, I've gotta be in the mood. And I'm a grandma and get tired around 10 pm, but when I've gotten enough sleep I looove to go out and dance!! So much fun!

The show was pretty cool. They 'sang' to a bunch of different songs, even one from Wicked. And they attempted to dance at a few of them. I mean I know I could teach them a few things about both of those ;). I'm a natural performer ;) HAHA!! JK

But they all had these cool names, like 'Avery Austin', 'The Lancebian', 'Pappa Wheely' 'Cherry Poppins' 'Miles Long'. And I was so freakin jealous! I want a cool stage name! I'll be thinking and I'll let you know what you can call me.

New Favorite Artist

Katy Perry

"Thinking of you" has 2 versions... live and recorded... amazing song...





I Kissed a girl... ;)

Compline With Betsy

So last night was the best part of my week. I went to a Compline Service with my good friend Betsy at St. David's Episcopal in Austin.

Amazing service.

You go into this small, very romantic sanctuary. The room is mostly dark except for the few lights spotlighting the front. Incense comes through the room and surrounds us to let us know its time to start worship. The choir comes through and lines up in an arrow pointing to the altar at the front, and they begin to sing.

The whole service is this beautiful choral homage to God. Absolutely beautiful music. If you close your eyes you feel like you are entering the gates of heaven.

I loooved it! Betsy and I were talking about it afterwards and we both commented that it was such a great service because it didn't require anything for you and it was beautiful because of its simplicity. All you had to do was sit there and be.

Refreshing.