Mercy Me

an image from the video I am working on right now -

more great graphic work by Liam.

God Bless America

The words of Jesus, found in Matthew 5:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


Know what you sing about today.

Hope Manifesto

Two weeks ago, on House, M.D., everybody’s favorite doctor was treating a soap opera actor with an unknown, rare, and deadly illness (go figure). The sick soap star was spending hours in the hospital bed reflecting on his life and choices thus far and vowing to be different if he survives, whatever it is, that is ravaging his weak body. As the dying man looked at the physician, eagerly waiting to hear his prognosis after the latest round of tests, our lovable Dr. House stared him in the face and said, “Hope is for sissies.”

I have a close friend who is suffering right now. His wife just left him, and the world looks very different than it did six months ago. Every time we talk, we cry, and I so deeply feel his pain. So, why do I ask him every couple of days, “How are you?” Do I want him to feel more pain? Am I rubbing salt in his wounds? No, I simply know that stories change, that my friend may have new insights and feelings since yesterday, that people reverse decisions, that God uses time to heal, and that the facts aren’t always the facts. I have hope.

Hope is not for the jaded, self-sufficient, reality bound, just-suck-it-up types - although it is still available to them. No, hope is more for dying soap opera actors with no way out, but who plan for a better future anyway. It is for men who are eating dinner alone because their families are gone, but persist in loving their absent wives anyway.

Hope is for people who helplessly look at the enormous problems in the world, but go cut their elderly neighbor’s lawn anyway. Hope is for people who fret about the end of the planet, but plant the sapling anyway. Hope is for people who watch the evening news in disbelief, but yield in traffic to let someone else get ahead anyway. Hope is for sissies.

Consider Jesus’ first followers after the crucifixion. Huddled together, afraid and desperate, paranoid and disheartened, yet they went to the tomb to care for His body anyway. They found unexpected, world-changing, resurrecting hope.

Hey, Rick. Hope is for sissies, my friend. Keep doing the right thing, anyway. Easter is on its way.


So, will Dr. House ever learn a thing or two about compassion and vulnerability and respect and openness? Will his terrible bedside manner ever improve?

Oh, I hope not.