Frenzied Faith

They stumble around with their
living, breathing contradictions,
walking, talking benedictions.
They call upon ancient “words of wisdom”,
Without a thought to call their own,
Acting as a bovine entourage of drones.
They spout that tired rhetoric, “All sinners go to hell.”
And I think if they won’t be there,
That’s where I’d prefer to dwell.
They sermonize repentance,
While condemning all their peers,
I can’t help but laugh at their moronic fears.
Zealous peons to their master,
Blundering ‘round as they proclaim,
That we should all succumb and live our lives the same.

Heretic Disobedience

Disheveled rebellion
Lies in a ghastly heap
On your unsightly floor,
The consequence for
Dissent from convention
And edicts of yore.
You’ve discounted their
Creed, and counseled
Their chaotic cognizance.
Your accolade: abasement,
And aeonian assailments,
As you became entranced.
Now abandoned you abhor
Them, for silencing the
portent of progression.
Rejoice now, my darling,
You are liberated, no longer
Subject to their oppression.

Hi, me at 18

This is going to be a scary year. The scariest one yet. It's also going to change everything, and you're going to meet the best person you will ever know. Your son. Being a parent is scary. It doesn't stop being scary and it never gets easier. Don't believe the people who tell you it does. Riley will be the worlds easiest baby, and toddler. He won't be difficult to handle til he's 7. It goes downhill fast from there. But what's important is how much you're going to love him. Seriously, his face is going to set your soul on fire. You're going to write these beautiful words about him:

"Sweet perfection in a coo,

The gentle whispering of your name,

As your tenement emerges,

Frankly fresh and nitid new.

Gold laden are your smiles.

Ambrosial is your scent.

Your aroma so darling,

It brings complacence and content.

More precious than any sunrise,

More beautiful than any sunset,

The delight that I have found in you

Eternity could not compel me to forget.

Such pride I find in your creation,

'Though I barely played a part,

Merely vessel and sustainer,

For your impressive start.

You give me reason to believe, dear boy,

As I explore your face,

Any inkling of regret once felt,

Annulled without a trace.

I inspect the tiny features,

God so carefully put in place.

Your flawless elfin details,

A testament to His Grace.

Tiny hands with tiny fingers,

Little feet and little toes,

Fleeting forehead, eager eyes.

Modest mouth and narrow nose

I’ve found a reason to continue.

Nay, the reason I began,

To live and love and laugh with you

As you grow into a man.

A renewal of my faith is found,

Formerly which I suppressed.

Denial: inconceivable,

For you are clearly blessed.

My life was rain before you,

Now you’ve shot across my sky,

An everlasting rainbow,

My eternal reason why."

He's going to change everything. He's going to challenge you and make you grow. But he's going to be the sweetest, most compassionate little person. He's going to be smart, and funny. And you're gonna do a good job. Mistakes will be made, but he's going to love you anyways. Hard times are coming honey. There's going to be a lot of losses, but you're going to gain the joy of motherhood, and it's going to be the best thing in your life. It's still the best thing in mine, 10 years later.

A continuation on my post about nationalism and humanism

I was raised by devoutly Christian parents. Parents who, in everything they did, showed me how they believed Jesus would want them to live, by emulating him every chance they got. If someone, or something needed a home, that meant we were getting a new family member. Whether it be a 3-legged dog, or cat that no one else wanted, a pain in the ass horse caught in barbed wire on the side of the road, a sick puppy who no one else was going to rescue from the pound, my friends running from bad situations at home, special needs and disabled people who's families needed respite or later in my life any of my many poorly thought out boyfriends/girlfriends who had no where else to go. They taught me, in the easiest way to teach a child anything, by acting: That when someone is hungry, you feed them. When someone is naked, you clothe them. When someone is homeless, you shelter them.

While I do not believe for a moment that you have to be a Christian to have these values. I think it is a slap in the face to the religion you pretend to represent when you refuse to acknowledge what Jesus himself would do in a situation.

I'm not a Christian, but I am extremely proud to be the daughter of 2 of the best Christians I know. It is because of their life lessons that I strive to take care of those that need care, regardless of how different from me they may be. It is because of them, that every time I see someone call for us to "blow away the middle east", "shut down our borders", "turn away refugees", "kill all the Muslims", etc etc ad nauseum, it breaks my heart.

Arguably, I put the lives of my children above anything else in this world, because as a mother that is how I was genetically programmed. I know, that there are billions of other mothers on this planet who feel the same way about their children. I cannot imagine the pain of being turned away from a safe harbor with hungry, frightened and tired children in your arms or by your side. I cannot imagine feeling the winter set in, and knowing, that if something does not change soon you will watch them freeze to death. I can not imagine, the loathing, self-doubt, and horror that is running through these mother's veins as they wonder, "will anyone help us" "did we do the right thing by running" "what if we had stayed" "will we ever be safe" "will my children ever be free from nightmares" "will the bombs follow us wherever we go" "will I ever have somewhere to call home".

I don't care what religion they are, or what country they are from. There are terrified children out there who have been running for their lives only to be stopped at a fence, or a wall, or a checkpoint and told "No. Your life is not valuable enough to save. For the sins of your nation, and your religious zealots you will have to die here."

I don't understand how you can want to do anything other than pick those children up and carry them home. I blame you mom and dad. It's your fault I'm not an asshole.