Thworday©: POLITICS

Thworday© ("Thursday" and "The Word of the Day") will be my attempt to update my blog on a weekly basis with a brief blurb about a particular word. Thanks to Tim for the idea. :)

Today' word: POLITICS

I'm going to be honest here: I hate politics. I've always seen politicians as a bunch of liars and power-hungry snobs who act as though they have a deep concern for the good of the people, but in reality, could care less. It's always seemed to me that politicians cater to what people want to hear for a vote, and then once elected, carry out their own agenda. What's even worse is that there are a whole smorgasbord of political parties to choose from, and none of them can get along or figure out how to collaboratively work together.

In today's rugged political climate, it is necessary for each of us as individuals to have an opinion, and ultimately, for each of us to choose one "side" or the other; and why wouldn't we? We all have those issues that we are passionate about, and it is only natural for us to gravitate towards the candidate who we feel will uphold the social standards that are near and dear to each of us. However, I use the term "side" loosely because I feel it is misleading. In this presidential race, there are the Democrats, and there are the Republicans, each having their own view on how America should be run, and each doing anything and everything in their power to make the other look as pitiful and frankly, as evil as possible. Now, call me crazy...but am I the only one who thinks there's something seriously wrong with this picture?

We are all on the same side. We are all human, we are all children of the same God. Instead of spending all of our time disagreeing and directing hatred and spite towards others who don't share our same beliefs, we should be working together in community to find solutions to the problems that affect ALL of us. It shouldn't be about making the competition look bad, and it most certainly shouldn't be about competition, period. We all have the same needs, and we all share common desires...where we mostly differ is in our beliefs and the values we were raised on, but that doesn't have to be a barrier to co-existing peaceably. I still have to pick a side in this election, but no matter who wins, I know that ultimately, it's up to me to be the change I want to see.

"Momma always said..."

"...Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."

I watched Forrest Gump the other day...such a great movie. It has it all; romance, action, heartwarming themes, and most importantly, shrimp-fried-shrimp. This quote from the beginning of the film has become one of the most famous film quotes in the history of cinema. Forrest Gump's (or rather, his Momma's) candid insight into the thing called "life" has resonated with me ever since the first time I watched Forrest Gump, and continues to become more relevant in my life as I grow older. This is a quote which I've heard and said a million times before, but in breaking it down and pondering the meaning behind it, this quote has become even more profound to me, and I believe the concepts expressed within it makes it very applicable to each of our lives. 

If life is truly like a box of chocolates, then it is a wonderful gift to receive, and generally puts a smile on the recipient's face (that is, unless the recipient doesn't like chocolate, in which case they may insert whatever gift of randomly assorted treats into the metaphor...but seriously who doesn't like chocolate?!). Of course, in order to fully reap the benefits of a box of chocolates, one must accept the gift that is being given. One of the most exciting aspects of receiving a box of chocolate is the fact that one never truly does know what they're going to get; this can be good and bad. For example, I have never met anybody who legitimately enjoys every piece of chocolate contained within the box; some pieces get one bite, followed by a sour expression, and then unfortunately meet their demise in the bottom of a trash can. Other pieces are consumed excitedly, followed by an mmmmmmmmmmm..., and they make their way to where they're supposed to be; first your heart...then your stomach, until eventually there are no more chocolates left to eat...which is a sad day indeed. The chocolates that have been thrown away remain in the trash can until the dump truck comes to haul it off to the city dump lot (or maybe it gets eaten by a raccoon who's not as picky as you are). Those chocolates are then replenished in the form of another wonderful gift, and the cycle repeats. As for the chocolates that were eaten and enjoyed...keep your heart warm, and in an attempt to maintain the effectiveness of the metaphor, we'll just leave it at that. :) All joking aside, this is not just a famous movie quote which has been firmly integrated into pop culture and has no meaning whatsoever; this is in fact a brilliant metaphor pertaining to the uncertainty and fragility of life that can be applied to the way in which each of us live.

Imagine your life is a box of chocolates. graciously given to you by God. You open up that box, and you don't know what lies in store for you. Some of the chocolates are absolutely delicious, whereas some get only one bite and are discarded immediately. Each piece of chocolate gets a bite and therefore a taste, but not each piece is enjoyed. However, the very gift of a box of chocolates and the thought behind it warms the heart of whoever receives it, and it provides a renewed sense of the feeling of love; sometimes when it's needed, sometimes on special occasions, and at other times, just because.

Take this one step further: what if the box of chocolates given to you by God is actually the gift of eternal life that is freely offered to us through Christ? What if it's an invitation to follow the only begotten son of God, who in His essence is the very definition of Love, and is the one, wholly true way to experience the complete fulfillment and joy this lifetime has to offer? Similar to a box of chocolates, being a follower of Christ is filled with uncertainty; there's going to be times when it absolutely warms your heart, and other times when you feel like throwing it all away. However, even though each box of chocolates contains difficult-to-swallow, almost unbearable pieces that must inevitably be tasted in order to be thrown away, never forget about the thought which went into it and the gift that it is. God loves us in a such a way which transcends the human feeling and understanding of love as we know it, and He freely gives us this gift, not only because we need it, and not only because it celebrates a special occasion; He gives it to us just because.             

Live and Love (The Joy of Easter)

Hoo boy....it's been a while!! Apologies to my many faithful readers..it's time for me to get back in the swing of things.

Last weekend marked perhaps the most important and monumental event in the entire Christian faith. In fact, without said event, Christianity as it's known would be completely discounted and probably wouldn't even exist. The event I speak of, of course, is none other than Easter, the day when Jesus Christ was gloriously resurrected from the tomb that He was condemned to just 3 days earlier. It is because of this event that Christians are able to confidently believe what is written in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The entire Christian faith is based upon this single event; after Christ rose from the dead, He left it to his most trusted followers, the apostles, to carry on His teachings and spread the good news of God's love after His human body was gone from the Earth, and it is from these men that the Earthly church was born. With each passing year, I find myself reflecting more and more upon Easter, and as I grow older, Easter has begun to take an entirely new meaning to me in my life. I'd like to share how it is beginning to affect my life and my relationship with Christ.

Now, I'm really not sure if its this way for everybody, but when I was young, Easter meant two things for me: Waking up to a basket full of gifts on the kitchen table, and chocolate. In all honesty, the ladder still plays a very integral role in my Easter experience, but... I digress. It also meant going over to my aunt and uncle's house to see family, and more importantly, hunt for Easter eggs! This is a tradition that my family still does to this very day, but sadly, the glory days of hunting for Easter eggs are over, as there are no more younglings in my family. Of course, before we went to my Uncle's house, I would get dressed up in my Sunday best and trot off to Sunday school to learn about the true meaning of Easter. Maybe it was just the way I was raised, but listening to my Sunday school teacher when I was young, and consequently the various pastors in the years that followed, speak about Jesus' resurrection seemed almost as if I was being told a fable. I mean, don't get me wrong; I did believe down to my bones that what I was being taught was the truth and that it was indeed a real event that occurred, but truth be told, it wasn't until about 4 years ago that I began to sincerely acknowledge and ponder the significance of Christs' resurrection.

If there was ever a cause for celebration, it's Easter. However, it is also the events leading up to Easter that make this celebration even more profound and significant; this fact became very clear to me during this years' Easter season. This was the first year of my life that I attempted to live out the entire Easter experience. I fasted on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, made sacrifices during Lent and adhered to them as best as I could, refrained from eating meat on Fridays, and attended church weekly. Additionally, I attended services during Holy Week, which included Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and of course, Easter Sunday. My practicing of these ancient traditions made a huge difference in my Easter experience this year, and it ultimately brought me closer to Christ. I had never fully understood the purpose of doing all of these things during the Easter season, but their significance became more clear to me this year.

Why does the church mandate fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? Well, if you've ever fasted before, you know that about mid-way throughout the day, the growls from your stomach become an ever-present reminder that you are hungry. In essence, it is a very minor form of suffering and sacrifice, and as feeble as it may be in comparison, this is just one way to remind ourselves of the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying, as well as the brutal and horrendous death that He had to endure, all for our sake. In fact, Lent and everything that comes with it (penance, abstaining from meat on Fridays, etc.) is practiced in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice for us.

After this year's Easter season, I truly believe that the only way to fully understand this is to actually adhere to the Lenten practices set forth by the church. I am so glad I did that I partook in all of these customs; I feel closer to Christ than I ever have. One way to truly get to know somebody is through shared experiences; shared experiences make it easier people to identify with one another. To illustrate this, take, for example, two men who enter a bar and sit next to one another. They are complete strangers, but through some friendly small talk over some drinks, they come to discover they are both actively serving in the military and have just returned from a tour in Afghanistan. Naturally, the conversation takes off from there. Right off the bat, these two men can identify with one another, and even though this is first time they have met, it feels as though they've known each other longer. The same principle applies to the relationship between us and Christ. By practicing these disciplines throughout the Lent season, I feel that it becomes possible to experience a very, very small piece of what Christ endured 2000 years ago for the sake of our salvation, and by identifying with Christ through these actions, we can come to know Christ in a very unique way that will only strengthen our individual relationship with Him.

Another profound aspect of Easter that I have been reflecting upon this year more than ever is the way in which the character of God was revealed through Christ's time on the Earth. Not only that, Christ's death and resurrection provided mankind with a direct link to the Eternal Father who created this universe and all that is contained within it. This is a concept that it seems all followers of Christ, myself included, take for granted. Seriously; take a step back and think about what this means. Why would an all-holy, all-powerful God want anything to do with any of us imperfect, flawed humans that constantly fall short of His word? Three words: God is Love. This phrase, found in the latter half of 1 John 4:8, provides a perfectly adequate and meaningful explanation as to why the Father chose to send his Son as a means to have a relationship with us. God loves us, and even though none of us can ever achieve the holiness that He calls us to on our own, we are able to through Christ!

One last aspect of Easter that dawned on me this year was that of fearlessness. Because Christ died and rose again, there is no reason to be afraid. Of anything. Ever. Our fears run far and deep, but we can find courage, confidence, and peace through Christ. We need not fear even death; the moment Christ walked out of that tomb, He brought with Him the gift of eternal life to give freely to each of us. Yes, it is true that our earthly bodies do not last forever and will one day pass away. However, we will be given new, unblemished bodies when we reach Heaven and begin our everlasting life with the Father, so long as we believe Christ is who He says He is.    

It is an undeserved privilege that God would give Christ for our benefit; therefore friends, I urge you: live and love accordingly. Live because there is nothing to fear, and love because Christ loves us. 

Neither Hot nor Cold

What does it mean to live a life of faith? What does a life truly led by the Holy Spirit look like? When somebody says to you that they are a "follower of Christ", what does that mean? These are some questions that I have been pondering lately, and although I may not be able to answer any of these questions, I do have some of my own personal insights.

Being raised a Christian, I was taught from a very young age that if I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, then I would be forgiven of all of my transgressions and I would have a place secured in heaven. I have said a prayer to accept Christ into my heart more times than I can count throughout the course of my life, but for some reason, there was a very specific instance in 2nd grade that sticks out to me the most. I was attending a private school, and I remember I was sitting, coloring away at my desk (and not staying inside the lines, mind you) when I began to ask my teacher about Jesus. I don't specifically remember the questions I asked, but the conversation resulted in my teacher making an offer that I couldn't refuse: she asked if I was willing to accept Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Savior. I excitedly agreed, and I closed my eyes and began to repeat the prayer that she was dictating to me. I remember having my eyes closed so tight, and being so sincere with each and every word that was spoken. You might say that in that moment, I had childlike faith in the purest sense. It was a time far before I knew what life really was, and on that day, the 2nd grade me chose to follow Christ.

Fast forward about 12 years, almost a year after I graduated from high school. My life is one that is not committed to Christ. I am a "Christian", I'm serving in the youth group at my church, and on the surface, it appears that I am doing good things, that I am following the Lord's will for my life. However, this was not the case. I was living a lie. In the years that had passed since 2nd grade, I had drifted far away from God. I mean, sure, I attended youth group and served at the church throughout high school, and yes, I attended church weekly, but isn't that what most "Christians" do?  Isn't that what solicits the "Christian" title? During this time, I thought that this was the case. It took several years, and lots of pain, heartache, and sorrow for me to learn that I couldn't be further from the truth.

In Revelation 3:16, John writes, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" In context, this passage is written as part of a message to the seven Churches on Earth that Christ addresses in the first 3 chapters of the book of Revelation, which was revealed to John through an angel sent by Him. However, this passage has a deeper meaning that applicable to all of our lives as Christians. What does it mean to be lukewarm? According to the verse, it means to be neither "hot" nor "cold". When I read this passage, I look at it in a spiritual context. I think that when one is "cold", it means that this person has yet to hear the good news of the gospel, and has no way of attaining a relationship with Christ; for example, and forgive me if this seems feeble: a person living in a third-world country that missionaries have yet to reach. In contrast, when one is "hot", this person is living a life that is truly, fully-committed to Christ in every aspect. Anybody who has even heard about Christ has the opportunity to be "hot". So, with these two definitions in place, this is what to be lukewarm means to me: knowing Christ, but consciously choosing not to follow Him. 

So, the reality is this: We are all lukewarm to some degree. Christ set a clear example of what it means to truly live, yet we all fall short in some way. Many Christians will simply place their faith in Christ, and they'll call it good. They may be Christians, but their life is not an accurate reflection of somebody who is truly following Christ. I am not saying that simply placing your faith in Christ is wrong, in fact, on the contrary; having faith in Christ is an extremely important step towards our salvation. However, I do believe that a true life of faith is accompanied by true action. James 2:14-17 says, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed', but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." I don't think James is simply saying, "Oh, give money to the homeless person begging on the street, then you're good". No; It is so much more than that. Our every-day behavior should be a reflection of our faith which we have placed in Christ.

This is something that will constantly be a work in progress in all of our lives. Believe me, I know how easy it is to be caught up in worldly sin and be blinded to the Lord's will for our life. Falling into sin is much easier than following the narrow path. But God is so good, and He is not trying to withhold anything from us; it's quite the opposite. He has nothing but overwhelming joy and peace intended for us; we just have to allow Him to lead our lives. James 2:26 states, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." So, let your deeds be a reflection of Christ's presence in your life, and allow the joy and peace that is found in Him and Him alone to fill your heart and change your being.


P.S. Francis Chan wrote an entire chapter about "lukewarm Christianity" in his book, Crazy Love. Check it out.

Straight From Heaven

Howdy, faithful readers!! 80 views within the first week!! To you who are reading this, I thank you. :) And to the 3 members that I definitely, absolutely, positively have no idea who you are, your support means a ton to me!! ;) Seriously, thank you. I have become enthralled with the idea of blogging; I'm trying very hard to be more conscientious of observations, insights, and happenings in my day to day life that I can write about. It's still a work in progress, but I hope to one day be able to see something totally random, such as a dog taking a doosky by a tree, and turn it into pure philosophical gold...oh boy, the gears are already turning....but I suppose I'll save that for another time.

I must admit that I had a difficult time coming up with a subject to write about in this second post, but then I remembered that while discussing this whole blog idea with my brother and his wife during a recent visit to Boston, they had a request for me to write about something, or rather someone special, so I will fulfill their wishes. You see that adorable little munchkin in the picture above? That is Marie-Claire, my beautiful little angel of a niece, and she is a very special little girl. When my brother and his wife told me they were pregnant, I entertained the thought of being an uncle, and I became very excited! I'm not sure why, but I felt very proud of the fact that I was going to be an uncle; I was enthusiastic at the prospect of being someone that this little boy or girl could look up to, someone that could be there for him or her when times were tough, someone that could positively impact his or her life. Little did I know that this little girl would have an even greater impact on me and my life.

Bear with me for a second, it's story time. I went to Las Vegas with my mom, aunt, and cousin this past February, and I'll never forget that trip. No, not because what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, but because of what happened after Vegas. We met my grandparents at a local Denny's after we had arrived back home to grab some breakfast for dinner (the best!). While I was stuffing my face with pancakes, my mom received a phone call. The shock in her voice and self-dismissal from the table was enough to indicate that something was wrong. It was my brother. He informed us that Marie-Claire was not growing properly inside my sister-in-law's womb, and they were to be sent down to University of Colorado Hospital in Denver to remain on bed rest until the docs determined Marie-Claire needed to be delivered, in which case they would perform an emergency C-Section.

I'll spare you all of the details, but long-story short, Marie-Claire was born on March 23, 2011, more than a month before her due date, weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs, 12 oz. She was placed in the care of the NICU, which for those not familiar with medical lingo, stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and she remained there for more than a month. I remember the first time I met her. [For humorous purposes, and because I have no idea what any of that stuff was for, I'm going to pretend that all of the medical equipment was actually long-lost props from an episode of Star Trek]. There she was, all bundled up in her little space pod, sleeping peacefully in her cryo-stasis. I had to thoroughly sanitize my hands before I could touch her, and I had to touch her through specialized arm holes on the side of her space-pod. She was hooked up to some high-tech, futuristic contraption that beeped and had lasers shooting out of it (ok, not really), and all of the tubes and wires attached to her body made her look like a little baby Borg. On another note, I will be amused if anybody gets these references, I'm not even sure I get them. But I digress. She was so teeny-tiny. Her foot was about as big as my thumbnail. Seriously. It was so surreal to me. She was so little, yet she was living, breathing, alive. And she was beautiful. I know she's only my niece and not even my own child, but I instantly fell in love with her.

Babies that are born prematurely have many health challenges and risks to deal with. As if that mountain wasn't already treacherous enough to try and climb, a few weeks after she was born, little Marie-Claire, my brother, and his wife were faced with another peak to overcome. Marie-Claire was diagnosed with a neuro-developmental disorder known as Williams Syndrome. Kids with William's Syndrome are known to have cardiac problems along with a slew of other physical, cognitive, and developmental problems. However, William's Syndrome does have it's own special traits that make it a very unique kind of disorder. People with William's are very sociable and have no social inhibitions whatsoever, which makes them very kind and caring. On top of that, people with William's are known to be more more musically adept than the average person, and there is a higher percentage of people with William's who have perfect pitch than found in those without William's Syndrome.

As wonderful as the latter qualities may be, the sad reality of Marie-Claire's diagnosis is that she may have severe health problems as she grows older, and she will more than likely have to be cared for by us for the duration of her life. My brother and his wife were very upset when they were dealt this hand, and with good reason; who wouldn't be? This is not the life anybody would have envisioned for their daughter. Why would God allow this? My brother and his wife are very faithful servants to the Lord; their faithfulness and commitment to one another and to the Lord's will have been a huge inspiration to me and I'm sure countless others who have had any sort of interaction with them. They didn't deserve to have to carry this burden.

I'm sure by now you've figured out where I am going with this. This, of course, ties in with the age-old, theological question that will seemingly never be answered until you're asking it face-to-face with the Big Man Himself: Why does God allow suffering? I don't want to even try and attempt to answer that question here; however, I would like provide some personal insights into what suffering does for our hearts, souls, and our faithfulness, in addition to the immense opportunity it provides for us to truly experience God's will for our life.

It has been said that "God will never give you more than you can handle"; in fact, the inspiration for that phrase comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13. I believe that this is true. God will never give us more than we can handle because he knows how much we can handle. Suffering is a very sad, difficult, and unfair part of life; when we are in suffering, we never understand the reason for it. Some people will say it's punishment, others will say that we're getting what we deserve, but that is not the way God works. God loves us more than we can possibly fathom, and through Christ we are reconciled for our sins. So, if God doesn't use suffering to punish us, then why does He allow it? Perhaps instead of "why does God allow suffering", the question we should be asking is "how does God use suffering"? One response to this could be that suffering is intended to be a test of faith. I disagree. I believe that suffering is an affirmation of faith.

A few weeks ago at Mass, the priest gave a homily relating to this very subject, and he said something to this effect that struck me very profoundly:

"God breaks us down so that He can break into our hearts."

When we are really, truly broken; that is when God works in our hearts the most. God wants you to rely on Him. He desires our dependence on Him. He uses our brokenness to strengthen our faithfulness. Brokenness can have many different forms;  it can be getting completely wrapped up in worldly sin; it could be looking into the sorrowful eyes of a sick, dying child in a third-world country; it could be the loss of a loved one; it could be giving birth to a child with a rare disorder. Whatever form brokenness takes on in your life, God will use it, and He will use it wondrously. He will use it to change your heart; He will use it to teach you how to live, how to love;  He will use it to show that He is always with you. He will use it to reveal beauty in the most unexpected of places.

Marie-Claire was born with a rare disorder that will create a difficult life for both her and her parents. But she is perfect. She is a blessing. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, of those who have been called according to his purpose." Well, I have experienced the promise in this verse firsthand through Marie-Claire, in more than one way. Only God can take seemingly horrible circumstances, and turn them into something beautiful, something that can completely change your heart and serve as a powerful reminder of God's unfathomable love for us. Marie-Claire is more perfect and adorable than words can say (seriously people, you have to see her in person in order to understand what I'm talking about), and every time she looks at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of hers or smiles at the dorky faces I make, I see something that is not of this earth; I see something sent straight from Heaven. How lucky am I that I get to be her uncle??

Well, that was quite a post. I hope I didn't bore you. Hopefully this is a little easier to read than my last one; I'm still learning the zen of blogging. Feedback is always appreciated!!

Until next time...

The Pilot

For some reason, I can't seem to post the "About me" part of my blog to...well, my blog, so I suppose I will tell you a little bit about myself in this very first post. I will re-post some of this into the "About me" part once I'm able to, in case anyone is interested. My name is Aaron Lambert, I am  22 years old, and I am currently trying to figure out my place in this world. I am a devout Christian, I have a constantly evolving relationship with Jesus Christ, and my faithfulness is what carries me through this life. Some things that have helped to shape me into the man that I am include: Christ, my family, love, music, writing, heavy metal, books, the outdoors, a sense of adventure, fear, physical activities, a desire to help others in need, video games, superheroes, and much, much more. 

It took me more effort than I thought it would, but I eventually decided that the title of my blog would be "The Least Among Us". It was inspired by Matthew 25:40: "...Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of one of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Christ was such a strong advocate for those who were considered "the least", those who were considered to be the lowly scum of society. Perhaps you've heard another verse from the book of Matthew, Matthew 20:16: "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."; these concepts are not only applicable in Jesus' time, but also in the times we live in today. It is certainly hard not to get discouraged by what the world thinks it means to be "first"; sex, money, and worldly success rule supreme over all of us whether we realize it or not, and it is nearly impossible not to get caught up in all of the nonsense. However, there is hope!! These words spoken by Christ are a reminder not to let the world beat us down; as followers of Christ, we may be considered "the last" or "the least". We might be ridiculed, beaten, or even killed for standing up for the values that Christ held so near and dear to His heart, but through it all, His promise stands firm; "The last shall be first". But that's not all. To me, these verses are also a very powerful and encouraging reassurance that each and every one of us has been blessed with a special, unique, and powerful voice, even those who are considered "The Least Among Us". It is our voices that God uses to ignite a passion for change in this world, a passion to carry the word of Christ through all of our bones, and a passion to share with the world His unconditional love that He continually shares with us. This is my first attempt at the whole "blog" thing, and I honestly have no idea what in the world I'm doing, but if there's one thing I hope to get out of writing a blog, I hope to be granted the humility, confidence, and passion to use the voice that God has blessed me with to it's full potential, and although my voice may only be a tiny teardrop hitting an enormous ocean, perhaps many more could be inspired to shed their tears and totally rock the sea. I hope that this blog provides some insight into my perception of this beautiful World and all of the beautiful people that the Lord has created, and I sincerely hope that you as the reader can get something out of it, too.

Until next time...