grace, found {final part of sort-of-a-story}

With the pearl's light casting a spotlight around the rock field, the woman felt renewed vigor to once again resume her uncertain journey towards the mountain peak. The longing she held for familiar comforts faded as the fire of the pearl inspired her to go onward. She began to walk up the rocky slope and soon, the meadowed valley fell further below as she ascended into the forest of the mountain's belly.

Groves of evergreen trees clustered in herds like the towering skyscrapers of her childhood city. She breathed deep the mountain air. Vigorated, she began to sing. Alone she was in the empty wood, and yet alone she was not as she felt the Presence envelope her like a delicate mossy veil.

light, found {part two of sort-of-a-story}

The city woman found herself wondering and wandering as she had when she was young. Though this time there were no bustling boulevards to navigate. She was alone in a vast valley surrounded by jagged mountain peaks. With one lost pearl nestled within her clenched fist the woman took one step forward and then another. To the mountains she would go, unsure of the journey ahead as the city lights behind her grew dim.

pearl, found {part one of sort-of-a-story}

Once upon a time in a dry neon desert land there lived a young girl who wondered too much as she wandered around the crowded boulevards of her bulging city.

In the boisterous revelry for which her city was infamous for, the young girl discovered a truth that many before her had learned on their path in their cities: emptiness and lonesomeness thrive in the chaos of desperation.

As this shard of realism splintered into her mind like an unexpected houseguest, the young girl soon became heavier and heavier in heart.

Merry Laptop Christmas

And so it is Christmas!

We've had the fire going on all day, the smoky scent of firelogs frangrancing our home from one end to the other. Candles flickering as Christmas lights twinkle. It has been a magical morning with family and gifts and holiday music playing in the background.

And what did Santa bring me?

A Lenova Thinkpad laptop!  Some of you might remember my misfortune of leaving my previous laptop in the back of a taxi in Thailand in 2007.  Now I'll be able to write... and blog!... from all kinds of places, no longer leashed to my desktop in my basement writing cave. Awesomeness!

I hope your Christmas has been as enjoyable with those that you love as it has been for me and mine.

Ok. Time to hop off and go watch movies with my family. I'll see you online from a favorite cafe soon!

Name Change and Christmas Cards : I Want to Hear from You!

Ok, lots to talk about, oh my gosh, it's been too long since I last posted on here. I have a pile of book reviews to catch up on, and all kinds of ideas fluttering around my head that need to see the light of day.

But for now, for tonight, I will settle on writing about this one thing, and it is this: the name of this blog : How God Messed Up My Religion. We need to talk about it. I need to talk about it. I need to hear from you.

For nearly four years I have used this name for my blog. It began as a starting point to sort out in a public forum what great turmoil my belief system was enduring. I felt then, and continue to believe, that the shaking and rattling my internal faith underwent was Spirit-inspired. Thus, it was God who I decided was messing up my religion, or the way that I traditionally viewed my Christianity.
That was four years ago. Is God still messing up my religion? Do I have any religion left to mess up?