my careless contagion

Happy Thanksgiving! It's my favorite holiday. My gift to y'all is this post! I couldn't resist writing about this song. It's been making the rounds. In case you haven't heard it in a while, go ahead and take a listen. It's Your Love by The Outfield, released in 1985. What compelled me to write was the icky feeling one gets when one reads the lyrics, if one is wont to read the lyrics. (That was a weird sentence. I think I'll do it again.) And one must always read the lyrics with 80s songs because there is always wanton weirdness. This one is straight-up gross. Go ahead and check out the lyrics.  Lyrics: Josie's on a vacation far away Come around and talk it over So many things that I want to say You know I like my girls a little bit older I just want to use your love tonight I don't want to lose your love tonight I ain't got many friends left to talk to Nowhere to run when I'm in trouble You know I'd do anything for you Stay the night but ...

Lately it was impressed upon me the power of the tongue. I started reading a book about blessings and curses, and another book I'm reading has a lengthy section about it, as well. And then there was another book before that which said much the same. Can you tell I'm a little dense? Herein are a few notes on the power of the tongue.  The power of the tongue is amazing. In it is life and death. But how often do we treat it that way? I feel tremendously uplifted or downgraded depending on who I talk to. How I talk to myself (which is what this blog was) is also incredibly important. How many times did I say untrue things about myself? I am deserving of love. I made mistakes but we all do. Someone still loves us. Just because I screwed up doesn't mean no one will ever love me. I will never be perfect as long as I live on this planet, but being loved is about the most perfect feeling there is. I believe love is in my future.  Luke 6:28 says to bless those who curse us and pray f...

Anytime, anywhere I don't care I want to see you hear you, feel you I waited for you do you think I'm going to say no? the girl I love wants to see me I'm there Dear, we are so close we are so near this is something wonderful God will bless us all we need to do is step out in faith Leave fear behind walk with me toward a new beginning It's not just love I have for you I have love for those you love dear, they are always in my prayers I feel we pushed aside something of great worth something God will bless it's so clear all we need to do is walk forward take my hand we can begin anytime, anywhere Today, tomorrow, the next it doesn't matter my love for you remains strong through so many storms and nights my heart still cries out for you my mind still pores over you I know you feel something and that something is deeper  than either of us realize It waits for us to nourish it and it will spring forth  bringing forth fruit and blessings to all those around us I conf...

For her I would traverse the world to find and bring her happiness, if happiness was found only so far away. For her I would slay endless foes or whatever it is that would impinge upon her health, wealth, and welfare, or that of those most dear to her. I would stand in the gap day and night for her and those she loves. Indeed, I have.  For her I would grapple with any problem, no matter the complexity and pain to myself. I would take it apart and make that situation work, bleed the venom out of it, make it harmless and a cute memory, and send it packing.  For her I would give what she wants, no matter the cost. Does it mean I lose something? Does it mean I spend my time in wonder and lack? Does it mean someone else wins and I lose? I can't lose when she is happy and content. I can't lose when she wakes or sleeps in peace. What more can I give her is a question I constantly ask. My love is always the answer. I give her my love every day in one way or another, though she may nev...

God can do anything with anything. He can turn the worst situation around on a dime. I've been praying for Cindy and her family for nearly six years now. My prayers for her and her family are too many to list, but I pray warfare prayers over her, her children, extended family, home, church, property, possessions, kids' school, workplace, finances, relationships, etc. And, I pray a special prayer for her children, prayers of protection, healing for relationships (mother and children, father and children, etc.), pray against rejection, as it is common when there is a divorce.  It was almost six years ago Cindy kicked her ex out of her house and forged ahead in life alone, raising her children almost entirely by herself. (I feel she did the lion's share before that, as well.)  Because of her past, I prayed diligently God would bless her mightily and also put the right man in her life. I still do. I don't pray she would be with me specifically, as I don't know God's...

You're right.  We've been here before.  A roadtrip to McCook, Nebraska, pivotal scene of much that went wrong for me. There was a fork in the road, and I took the wrong turn, then proceeded to make more wrong turns. There was a lot that went on here that was good, too. ( Something about living in Nebraska are the sunsets/sunrises. They are among the best.) I grew a lot. Saw what I could do and what I was bad at.  I did the best I could with what I had at the time. What I would have done differently is stayed closer to God, which would have changed some decisions. What was striking about the scene was how closely it echoes life today. Same themes. Feels like I'm taking the test over.  What I remember was the loneliness/aloneness and how I tried to cope. What worked then still works now. What didn't work then still doesn't. I don't think I am meant to live alone, which is how I still feel, even though I am a "loner" by nature. Attempts to thwart loneline...

I wrote a post by this title three years ago. (Also, a movie by the same name exists.) My mind goes back to certain places where I think maybe if I had made a different choice, things would have turned out differently. I can feel bad about that the rest of my life if I want to. I don't. It's clear God used this incredible weakness and affinity for a woman to bring me back to Him. (I never wanted something so much in my life. The only thing stronger than that feeling is the urge to give her what she wants. It goes without saying my love for the Lord is greater.) You can say I got carried away, but, no, I loved her. I did things that were wrong in my chasing of her and paid a dear price. God took care of that. I made mistakes and was punished and made a commitment to stay on the straight and narrow. I've been doing okay. Always room for improvement.  Did I chase her wrong? Nothing is wrong with chasing a woman. Infringing upon her space and disrespecting her is wrong. If she ...

If you haven’t seen the movie Pure Country, then this is just a song. If you haven’t read anything else here, this is just a guy's short blog post. If you have done either of those, this is for you.  *** Sometimes loving someone means giving them something they need, regardless of what one wants or the cost to self. Someone precious to me showed me what that looks like. I miss her, though I understand, and seek to do for her what she does for others.  Thank you for reading. And God bless. New blog:  a-better-hope.blogspot.com And my other blog, None Dare Call It Treason.

So, welcome back. I'm working on another post about a girl I chased for years. Some things I need to talk about first. Life is primarily about chasing two things: food and procreation. I didn't want to eat her and procreation was out of the question since we're both too old. What was it that drew me to her so long? What draws me still? Was it some basic, caveman urge to have her to myself? Was it a spiritual bond that seemed to go only one way? What tied me to her on a level I couldn't reach? Was it simple love? Or a deep admiration? An unwillingness to let go of something of great value? Maybe all of it. Maybe something else. But I will try to explain later.  What I need to talk about first is the art of chasing a female, which I'm admittedly not good at. Even if I was, I don't think it would have mattered. I honestly thought she wanted to move forward with me for a minute. Not sure what happened. Or if I imagined it. She didn't remember my birthday this ye...