more on the church and state

two quotes to follow up on the Church and State question I raised a while back...both these quotes define Liberty not as that which gives permission to do whatever we please, but rather as a Higher Way (here Christian and Jewish, respectively) which calls us out of the slavery of sin -- a slavery that infects our reality with swelling and reddening insecurities, mistakes and fears -- and into a life in which we are healed from these insecurities, mistakes and greatest fears and empowered to pursue goodness, righteousness and sanctity.

...still more to come...

'Liberty is the highest political end of man [but] no country can be free without religion.'

~Lord Acton

Is liberty alone, regardless of what we do with it...the highest good? Is liberty an empty concept -- the ability to do what we please? Is not the meaning of liberty contingent upon its compatibility with righteousness? There is no freedom except the freedom bestowed upon us by God; there is no freedom without sanctity.

~Abraham Heschel

'ambicion eterna' ~ the thievery corporation

...more good lyrics...

'Ambicion Eterna' ('Eternal Ambition')

~ The Thievery Corporation

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Amor, no tengas miedo, amor (Love, don't be afraid, love)

La vida es dura pero no es cruel (Life is tough but it's not cruel)

No creas todo lo que tú ves (Don't believe everything you see)

Que sólo miedo quieren meter ('Cause they want only to cause fear)

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Mi amor me dice qué debo hacer (My love says what I should do)

Muchas preguntas sin responder (Many questions without answers)

La vida nos pone pruebas (Life proves us)

Yo sólo se... (Only I know...)

************

Todo es producto de un ambición (All is a result of an ambition)

Que nunca se saciará (That will never be satisfied)

************

Y si las cosas van mal (And if things go wrong)

No pierdas nunca tu fé (Don't ever lose your faith)

Después de la tormenta viene la calma, tú ves (After the storm comes the quietness, you see)

************

Detrás de esa oscuridad (Behind that darkness)

Siempre hay una claridad, (There is always a light)

Esa luz de esperanza que siempre está (That light of hope is always there)

************

No dejes que la intranquilidad (Don't ever let that uncalmness)

Te quite el sueno, tu libertad, (Take away your dream, your freedom)

************

La vida tiene que continuar (Life must go on)

Lo que pasará, sólo Él sabrá (What will happen only He knows)

************

Mi amor me dice cambia ese canal (My love says change that channel)

Muchas tragedias he visto ya (Many tragedies I have seen already)

Y la verdad no aparece (And the truth doesn't appear)

¿Dónde estará? (Where will it be?)

************

Todo es producto de un ambición (Everything is a result of an ambition)

Que nunca se saciará (That will never be satisfied)

************

Y si las cosas van mal (And if things go wrong)

No pierdas nunca tu fé (Don't ever lose your faith)

Después de la tormenta viene la calma, tú ves... (After the storm comes the quietness, you see)

************

Detrás de esa oscuridad (Behind that darkness)

Siempre hay una claridad (There's always a light)

Esa luz de esperanza que siempre está (That light of hope that is always there.)

'phobic' ~ plumb: LYRICS TO CALM A TORTURED SOUL

i offer these lyrics to those who may find themselves in need of the grace ...they are probably the best lyrics i know for calming tortured souls with the grace of Christ...

'phobic' ~ plumb
Verse I:
i watched you sit alone
i watched you cry your eyes out
now tell me what you've done
is it so bad that
i would shut you out
and leave you here alone
yes, i saw what you did
i was right there with you
i won't let you sink
no, i forgive you

Chorus:
phobic
don't be
grace needs a little more freedom
phobic
don't be
love needs room to breathe

Verse II:
i have watched you grow
and I've stood in your shadow
i've never walked away
i hung the stars and
i hold your heart
so, don't ever be afraid
yes, i know when you breathe
and i feel when you need
i won't let you sink
no, i forgive you

Chorus

you can be healed
you can be free
you can know peace
never be afraid again
never be afraid
never be afraid
He's here

not quite sure what's wrong

notable events of today:
***finished Glittering Images by Susan Howatch...an interesting narrative dealing with how priests/monks/religious leaders deal with family, identity and sexuality. i was frustrated with the overuse of 'spiritual direction,' which is basically Spirit-guided counseling, a balance of psychology and spirituality. i mean, the author's distinctions were well-put, distinctions between demon possesion and demon influence, childhood damage and adult identity crisis, physical rest and rigor, and the power of reason and the power of Christ to heal. well-put, yet overused. *point of interest*: it took me 2 years to read this book. fiction is slow in coming for me. i think that amounts to a character flaw (i.e., i take myself so damn seriously that it's hard for me to allow myself time and space to do something not directly productive...such as read non-fiction).

***met with a gentleman at a Christian relief and development organization in hopes that there might be an internship position created in their Communicaitons/Education department. how great would that be? pretty great.

***felt guilty for no apparent reason. i used to feel this way starting in like fourth grade-ish. i'd feel guilty if there was a single dish in the sink...like how could i be so terrible as to forsake the perfection of my duty as a daughter to help keep the house clean in favor of reading a book or playing the piano?? how screwed up is that?!?! and i felt that way again today. i have no idea why and i haven't felt it in a long time. maybe i'm just thrown off by inconsistent eating habits over vacation, adjusting to the time change, dealing with the unsettling moves between contrasting conversative and liberal environments as i move from job to job...i don't know. it seems to have come from nowhere though. and i guess that's why i'm not quite sure what's wrong...guess i'll ride it out and see what happens.

***okay, just to end things on a lighter note, here is are algunos chistes (=some jokes) i heard today. they go in series:
1. how do you get an elephant in a refrigerator?









Answer 1: Open the door, put the elephant in the fridge, then close the door.
2. how do you get a giraffe in a refrigerator?









Answer 2: Open the door, take the elephant out, put the giraffe in, then close the door.
3. all the animals are going to a party. which one won't be there?









Answer 3: the giraffe, of course.
4. you are trying to get to the animal party but are running late. you decide to take a shortcut across the gator-filled river. how do you cross?











Answer 4: All the gators will be at the animal party, so you should have no problem.

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...by the way, did you know the irish have a tradition of eating sourdough toast and drinking strongly-caffeinated tea before bed? i'd totally forgotten about the 'snack before bed' routine that i used to adhere to as a young child. ...adherance is key. anyway, so it is said that eating before one goes to bed is unhealthy, but i thought i'd reinvestigate the routine, if for nothing more than nostalgic purposes. of course in my infinite wisdom i replaced a bowl of cheerios with a small handful of dark-chocolate covered espresso beans. have i ever mentioned that i have a physics degree??
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