A Peace To Think About.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they
will be called sons of God. -Matthew 5:9

*When God said 'blessed are the peacemakers"
he raised his expectation for humanity.

*I am called to be a peacemaker.
Not just any kind of peace. His kind.

* If I have any chance at being a peacemaker,
I have to know peace when I see it.
Not just when I don't see it.


Turner, Matthew Paul Relearning Jesus pg. 17-26

Pinwheel.

The hum of the machines strangles the silence while the strange clock glows a red 00:32;
as if it's counting down rather than up.
He sits to my left,
next to the machine with the lines that give me away;
they stretch and sway with my breath.
In one hand rests his head.
Eyes heavy.
Face pale.
His other is holding mine,
enduring the pressure I apply every few minutes.
My right arm is stretched out
avoiding any contact that might remind me what's currently leaking into my veins.
When I remember, I become oddly aware of the drips behind me where I cannot look.
I take a deep breath.
He looks at me with eyes of helplessness.
I try and mimic the expression I see in my head,
but I am sure I come across just as scared as I really am.
Footsteps close in on the cold, blank room.
The curtain that separates us from the world shivers,
but doesn't open.
The footsteps fade.
I want to go home.

Good Morning

Someone sat two tables down, facing my direction. I didn't look up to see who it was at first. Chances of it being someone I know were slim to none; firstly, because it's early and my friends aren't morning people. Secondly, I don't know too many people who live on the side of campus I was currently on. I continued looking out the window at these strange fish-statues (I think they were supposed to spit water into a pond. Ironic.) when the reflection of that person caught my eye. His head was bowed and his hands were folded. His breakfast lay untouched in front of him. He stayed like this for a short while before sitting up and going on about his morning. He was praying. My heart gave a little jerk as I realized the reason I woke up so early.

It was 7:30 am and I was wide awake. No good reason, either (I thought). I fell asleep only 4 hours prior so I lay there for quite some time trying to make myself tired again-like every other college student who didn't have classes until 9:30. After a good half an hour, I gave up, sighed, and hopped up to get ready. I usually eat a pop-tart for breakfast in my first hour class, but I had time, so I biked to Woodworth and had some biscuits and gravy (which were amazing, I must say!). That's when I figured it out.

The thought didn't cross my mind to pray. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time I prayed before a meal, especially alone. Sadly, I couldn't remember the last time I prayed, period. This kid took less than a minute of his day to say a few sentences. For all I know, he could have said "Good morning." and that's it. But he talked to him nonetheless.

I felt bad. God had to use food to bribe me, just so I could be reminded that He's still there. Darnit! It's so hard to keep up on everything- I don't mean to put Him last. I once heard someone say "He wants to be number one on a list of one."

My list needs some adjustments.



I am working on a project, right now, with an indefinite date of completion. Whenever I see someone doing an act of kindness, or a simple act of faith, when they don't think anyone's watching, I write their story on a small square paper. I then fold it into a paper crane, keeping the story inside. I don't know who's crane is whose, nor will I remember everyone in the end-when I have 1,000. But it serves as a reminder that there are amazing people everywhere. It takes a few seconds to catch someone doing something good, but the affect lasts for such a long time.