the western wild

a collection of musings on the meaning of things and some assorted miscellanea...

[motivatemycollegelife]

[s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s]

[s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s]

Friendly reminder

[thewingsofthemorning]

Okay can we, like, talk about this ? Because I was literally talking to someone about this concept earlier today.

So the concept of what it is to govern has basically been lost.  The reason we have people to govern us is for the good of the people.  Those that govern aren’t there just so they can be important, they are there to serve the needs of the people they govern.

You don’t go into politics so you can make more money for your companies and for your friends (in fact that’s against the law) or to serve the interests of yourself and people like you, you are there to make things better for everyone.  The way you make things better for everyone is to start by serving those at the bottom.  The poor, the homeless, the sick, the social outcasts, the downtrodden.  Raise them up.  Help them.  If someone is fleeing from war or persecution ? Open your doors, give them shelter, protect them.

We are too concerned with being comfortable and not concerned enough about the needs of the people around us.  We are selfish and it is hurting us all.

[s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s]

[spaceexp]

A shot of just a tiny bit of the Andromeda Galaxy, from the sharpest ever view taken by the Hubble Space Telescope

Full size image

[thewingsofthemorning]

That time when Abraham’s descendants were promised to number more than the grains of sand or the stars in the sky...

... this looks like a picture of really sparkly sand...

[dualipaqueen]

[s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s]

[thewingsofthemorning]

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

John 16v33

[the-worship-project]

[thewingsofthemorning]

What do The Beatitudes (Matthew 5v1-10) look like in today’s world?

1. Blessed are the poor – or poor in spirit – who do not trust in status or riches 2. Blessed are those who mourn – who grieve over the injustice in the world 3. Blessed are the meek – who get angry but who never get aggressive 4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – who seek justice 5. Blessed are the merciful – who are compassionate to everyone in need 6. Blessed are the pure in heart – who are whole-hearted in desire to do right 7. Blessed are the peacemakers – who work for peace in a world at war 8. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness – who suffer for just causes

Words to live by.  Words to change the world with.

via

[thewingsofthemorning]

Try to be the thing that restores others' faith in humanity. You'll fail constantly, but still try.

[thewingsofthemorning]

[yvonnegeorgina]

Jung, 1934

[fuckyeahsufjanstevens]

Well ‘Christian duty’ is a very heavy term, I don’t think I want to get near that one! But I definitely think the initial exercise was extremely dutiful, maybe a little misguided and not without ulterior motives. But it’s become something else now, it’s an annual habit that becomes a meditation. The older I get the more inclined I am to recognise the seasons - everything moves in cycles and Christmas is that one time when we become extremely aware of the cyclical nature of our lives. It’s about new life and starting over.Traditionally Christmas wasn’t really an important holiday, I think the bigger holidays are Easter, Pentecost and Lent. These things I think are more ripe with religious meaning, whereas Christmas is just – I mean it’s a very consequential event obviously, the incarnation of God – but it was just the beginning of a story, and the real narrative of Jesus is about the last two years of his life, so Christmas always seemed really overblown to me from a religious perspective.

Sufjan Stevens on whether his obsession with Christmas music is “informed by a Christian sense of duty.” (x)

Just to derail the conversation... one of the biggest problems with Christianity is that too few Christians feel a duty to be “Good People” and get on with trying to make the world a better place for everyone, and too few of them are ashamed of how badly they’re willing to treat people who don’t conform to what they believe.  And also just the planet.  I mean, don’t they believe the Earth was a gift from God but don’t care about trying to look after it and keep it beautiful.  It makes no sense.

[vintage-bohemian-deactivated201]

I wish more people cared about the earth as much as they cared about who they believed created it.

Unknown

Lets stop to talk about this for a moment.

In Genesis when God says be fruitful and multiply, subdue the earth and have dominion over it, it doesn’t mean go do what you want, it means go and be stewards or caretakers over creation.

It means go and look after it.

Why do we always get it so wrong.

[worshipgifs]

[thewingsofthemorning]

Your love brings me to my knees
 Brings me to my knees
 My King forever 
 You are all my heart desires
 Until the end of time
 My soul surrendered

Hillsong Young & Free