Relevance

Hi avid readers!

Relevance in our daily lives. Seems like quite an unusual topic to be grappling with and to be honest at times it is very easy to drift along in life and take a back seat. But being relevant in your daily live means actively seeking and understanding the events happening in your life; while sticking firmly to your principles to your beliefs. It means having the freedom to give friends and family information which is not only useful, but valuable throughout their times of hardship.

If the above paragraph isn't enough of a clue for you, being relevant in your own life means...BEING YOURSELF! For we were made by God:
"13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

And He knows every intimate detail of our Body, Mind and Soul. He has created us, and created us ALL differently. There are no two people alike, because God doesn't believe in spares. He made us all perfectly the first time; yes we have failures, yes we have fears and minds that can wander, but these are the things that MAKE us human. These are the things God is constantly helping us work on in our own lives, even if we can't see it at the time.

Being relevant also means living in the present, FOR the future. It means planning ahead and understanding that not all things can be prepared for. Dwelling in the past can be dangerous, not only to you but also to your friends, to your family; yes lessons can be learned, but only when you can look back without being bogged down by it all. In the end God has a plan for each of our lives, all we have to do is ask Him what He wants us to do/say/act and God will provide the Spiritual Effect.

It may be hard to see but God is constantly working behind the scenes, in each persons life everyday. It may just happen that you say something, which that person has been thinking about for a long time which helps them understand life more. Thus we all have a responsibility to project the best image into the world; even if it's smiling more, or becoming slow to anger. God can and will use what you are prepared to give to help others.

Well I hope this firstly is useful to you and that you can make sense of it, so that you may become more relevant in your lives.

God Bless

The Quarterly

By now it may have become apparent to you loyal readers that this blog is neither punctual or frequent. Yes I do listen. However these are things that I cannot change unless you wish to see a drop in the *high, high* quality of these written works.

This year however there will be more of a theme for each...lets say month.

January: I will be thinking about relevance in our lives and also in society. How can we be more relevant?

February: The topic of application will crop up. Can we apply ourselves more? Who can we look to for motivation? And indeed in a life where death is most certain, why should we bother?

March: Renewal of life goals and what you want to accomplish in life. Is this where I saw myself 2 years ago? Will I ever accomplish anything worthwhile/memorable?

And that concludes this part of the quarterly update. Remember to Keep on reading, enjoy your life and tell your friends where you learnt it all...yes school!

Distraction

It is very easy at times to let things in this world distract us:

Matthew 24:6-20 New International Version (NIV)

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Lots of things will happen to draw our attention and many people will go round in circles looking for the smallest of details in order to achieve some far flung dream to reveal a masterplan. It is the devil's wish that we all be distracted; but if we focus where the devil cannot enter; on the Holy Spirit within us, then God in His glory will guide us and show us what paths to take. Even when the darkness seems to be all around.

Proverbs 3:5-8 New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

No matter how low you are feeling, no matter how pointless and useless your life seems, God has a plan!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

And it is most certainly not one of these mass plans, that makes you feel like your being rushed through the system. It is personal, it is unique and it is FULFILLED! In the End it should be our wish to unite as Humanity, as one body, to come before the Lord and be brought to Heaven.

Romans 12:5-8 New International Version (NIV)

5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

But this physical world will end, and all that we understand shall pass away, and We will then spend eternity with God on the New Earth.

Matthew 24:35 New International Version (NIV)

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Revelation 21:1-7 New International Version (NIV)


A New Heaven and a New Earth
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

So do not be so concerned with the ways of the World. We are called by God only to live in it not by it's ways. If you read the Bible and Keep God's words your perseverance shall be rewarded.

Revelation 3:10-15 New International Version (NIV)

10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

Says the Lord. And so we choose to follow God and bow to His greater knowledge, for He has a plan and He holds us secure all through our lives.

Few and Far Between

If you are trapped between two situations you cannot see them both at the same time. You can know they both exist as problems, but you never deal with them in the same observation.

This is where the role of the onlooker becomes pivotal. One who has nothing at stake and can observe unbiased from a distance. Such a person can see both problems and you in a sort of metaphysical line. But the distance of the onlooker can often allow the motivational forces behind each situation to reveal themselves [due mainly to their fixed pattern nature*].

Although this same distance can occasionally result in the onlooker drawing stereotypes on the situations; which can be dangerous for you the subject of both situations. This form of 'inconvenience' can only be removed by a professional observer, which takes time and dedication.

But thinking on a positive note: can we not all, to some degree, be onlookers for each other?

*Fueled usually be emotions in other people; greed, jealousy, lust, etc. These sort of expressions are not very good at being concealed and will be revealed if sought out.

Progress by Default

No person can learn, if they do not see themselves as equal with their teacher. Of course, you may not be equal in knowledge or experience; but you surely have other gifts. This belief, this knowledge allows the student to comprehend what the teacher teaches and thus develop it further; by not being restricted by habit or rigid belief [which may be suffered by the teacher]. It takes a lot of internal change to accept that which is different, but being too open minded can also result in catastrophe.

You can allow yourself to be persuaded by others in order to feel as though you belong. Your morals will suffer for your ego. You should be certain of this: you were made unique to allow yourself a different experience, and for your future to be bountiful. This is how the student becomes the master [I know very corny and feeble] by taking the knowledge from several sources and varying application by experience.

This is how we form wisdom. Understand the knowledge and how it applies, then utilise it in the best way for the situation at hand. No one deserves the 'honour' of being called stupid by your mouth. For there is always someone smarter...always. Your pitiful measurements of intelligence and negligible next to the infinite in which we live each moment.

Why!

There has always been one question I have asked myself in ever situation...why?
Not "why did that happen?" or "why is life not fair?" those are small questions for the children among us. I ask myself, why are you feeling this way?" or "why are you not standing up and doing something?". Usually that gets my mind pointed in the 'right' direction again. (Whichever way the right way is - varied by experience)

I say usually because there are times when you can't ask why straight away. In a way you sort of need to lay down the concrete facts, before you begin the construction of working out where to go. So what concrete do I use? The truths, that are these: I have a family that loves me, I have a home, I am well, I have great friends, I can eat each day, I am secure, I am free. I understand that some of these cannot be said by all people, but that does not matter. Coming at a situation from a point of security will ultimately lead you to success, along with time and preparation, nothing is more important.

Support of friends and family can be a big help when confronting the giant at hand. You have to get used to sharing your fears, your problems with them though. They cannot help you, if you don't give them the right information. Yes it may be hard, it may be humbling and embarrassing, but surely they will see you as a bigger person because you were willing to ask for help rather than go it alone.

Vising

Or to be more precise (re)vising can be at times a seemingly tiresome affair that may feel like it is accomplishing very, very little. However, the brain is an advanced and extremely complex and unusual organ, that still baffles scientists; so who knows what goes on in there.

"You can only try your best" is what I tend to hear at college, but what about when your best isn't good enough?
1 Corinthian 2:14-16 Go look it up right now!
We have the mind of Christ! Isn't that amazing? Thinking short term here, that means i can remember AND understand all my work and revision for the exams that are facing me. No mountain of work is too big for God...He is God!

Look to God and the answers will become clear to you. No journey undertaken with the right mindset and blessing from God will fail. Even though at times it can appear to be hopeless stand tall and trust your God, for there is always Hope; and where there is Hope there is Faith.

Matthew 17:20 states that with Faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Nothing is impossible in Faith.

But now we have to understand the right application of Faith. You cannot simple fly because you want to. The application of Faith must achieve something of purpose, either in your life or the lives of others to be brought closer to God.

What then can I do? Well you want good grades, or a promotion, or even to get on better with someone. Well heres a newsflash, God may not give you want you want. He will however give you what you need; and if you approach the situation in the right way, all will fall into place. So God may give you a promotion in order that your family is more financialy secure, or that you can exercise your talent as being a leader...the possibilites are limitless. But as I said earlier...you may not. And it's in these times we must cling to God and actively seek out His plan for us. It may take a long time, but thats where Faith comes into play again. And where there is Faith there is Growth.

A Time Of Peace

I must confess recently i have enjoyed the memories of my childhood again. Mainly TV shows that were around in the 90's and i do believe life is truly wonderful.

I look out of the window and see the beauty of nature; the colours the shapes, how can any of this be accidental? It was all made, sculpted perfectly by the One who created us and all things.

You must know by now. You are not 1 in 7 billion, not even 1 in 100 billion. You are one of a kind model 1 of 1. God only made 1 of you then started again for someone else. Sure we can look like other people but i firmly believe that the physical is a small part of our overall existence. Your soul, your mind is completely different from those around you. And if you don't spend your life being you, who will?

Show Them You Care

I know that if I just randomly dropped out of contact with everyone I know I would get a fair few question thrown at me. Worried people may just text or call me, but those who truly cared would come round to my house and ask me face to face what is happening.

Given that, why do we accept it as part of everyday life when people just stop coming to groups/meeting or social events? Surely it is the same thing?

Does compassion go beyond the physical? Or is it just being stuck in an emotional state? I think it has a lot more to do with the soul. Yeah that old thing, threaded into your body. It is having the mindset to care about others - even those that may not care about you - and how you can help them achieve a fuller, more beautiful life. Even when you are at a low point in your life. True compassion, grows from within, and is a pure gift from God. It is a keystone of Love, without it there is no care or support.

So what do we do when people just stop coming or stop caring? We set out to show them how much their friendship and contact mean to us and others; and we go to not take no for an answer. They must be shown that they are not alone, or that there is more to life than this, or that there is someone listening.

If you pause because you are thinking of consequences...don't! Just go, if you feel they need some help, then God will deal with the resolution, but it's up to you to start the action.

Apology

It is true what your parents have told you. Saying sorry is one of the hardest things to do. You may think it seems quite easy, it sounds quite easy, it has been easy. But that has only been in VERY small situations.

Saying sorry, when you want to mean it most, when you have been moved in your heart and you have found no other way to apologise, is almost impossible, but necessary and most definitely worth it in the end.

Why is it almost impossible? Because you know, you have done wrong. You know that you have upset the balance, you can feel it. And you understand that saying anything else may hurt the other party more. Something beyond human, is telling you that asking for forgiveness is a VITAL part of life. But you just want them to know you are sorry.

How can you be sure that apologising is the right thing? If you have created a wrong, then it has to be corrected...BY YOU! No other person can undo the damage you have done. It IS your responsibility, so that person can have a happier life.

Could it make things worse? I have considered this in my own situations. Too much time has passed, bringing it up may do more harm than good. But they need to know what you have been through. Maybe not the details, but certainly that you understand where you put them and how sorry you really are now.

are you going to let LIFE pass you by, without an apology? Life IS short, get over yourself, if your not saying sorry because of pride...it is not worth the PAIN! Drop the facade, become your own person and accept your mistakes and learn from them. At the very least, learn from your past. So that it can be avoided in the future. Not speaking to someone you care about has torn the world in two. There are too many lives lost to solitude and pain. Too many voices have faded into the darkness because of selfish actions from selfish people who don't know what harm a single word can do. So GO and make that phone call, GO and tell that person what a fool you have been, GO and show the people why you came back!

At the end of the day in our own little situations, there can never be enough advice; you can never be fully prepared. Just take a chance, it may save your life.

Faith, the brightest torch I know

There MUST be more than this right? You look around in life and you had dreams...but now your stuck in a dead end job, just because you needed a little bit of money once. What happened to those dreams? Where has the passion gone? It's not that you need a boost, because every time you arrive at the bottom, you somehow manage to pull yourself back up. BUT WHY DOES IT NEVER GO ANY FURTHER?

You just try to survive, to find a way to ignore the bad times. The times when all of life closed in on you and your friends turned their backs. Each time you survived. What was the cost? Does your heart ache less now each night? Do you ignore the desperate plea of another human in a situation you where once in? Where is the joy you once lived for each day? How could it all end like this?

When we were young, and all of life's issues were kept from our eyes we had happy lives. But as age gains on us, we see the truth. That family, friends put their own worries aside to let us have great childhoods. No one ever said life would be easy. Then again; did we ever have a choice? There will never be answers to every question. There will never be a human life of pure joy and no sorrow. We can kid ourselves and look past the pain, filling our lives with useless things to keep us from thinking...what if?

You are individual. You are strong. You have survived. When did you give up on yourself? How did doubt get past your guard? You CAN make it you know. That dream, sitting in sight, but out of reach. It can be yours. It will take more though. More than you want to risk, but as much as you have. Give it your life; give it all you have and see where you end up.

"But where do I get that confidence from?" Look past life. And ask.
He will provide, if you want it enough. Ask God each day for what it takes, what it needs. Then step out. Point your whole self in that direction and walk. Walk without fear, walk with God in your sight toward you dream. Then see where life can take you. And know why there IS so much more than this.

For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Life in General and My Agenda

It has always seemed strange to me that people could be so trust less. That any action taken could be perceived in so many threatening ways. Perhaps it once again comes from my past [as does everything that has shaped me] being surrounded by people who (i thought) had secret agendas [but probably didn't, they were just thinking about number 1], I decided to create my own agenda. Must admit as I write this it still sounds a little strange, but for me it is less selfish and more for peoples benefits than most agendas. But i am still fractured.

Here is a question and more altogether the topic of my blog for today. Is it odd that i take the future for granted? Or in fact does everyone?

I'm sure there are people who don't. People who are living in fear of loosing their jobs, or having to move away or any number of life altering events, but I do take the future for granted. And at times it scares me. Some people are given the impression that i don't care about my life or what happens. That was once true but now is not. I was just never fully aware of my responsibilities, and now i hope i am more sensitive to the people and understanding what is needed.

I hope in the far future some people come back and read this and understand where I have come from. But what is the future but hopes and dreams dreamt while we are still sleeping? It is more than that. It is our lives. It is what will happen regardless of time, of money, of feelings. Life goes on and we cannot dream when there is a future to build. So where do we go? What do we do?

I like the film 'A Christmas Carol' But the message never really struck me until last year. Humanity is our business. And we must try as hard as we can to show the people out on the streets, to show the people who don't understand, to show anyone who needs love; that there is Love, and someone cares for them. I once said we can only truly develop by embracing our past. Now I realise that although that is good, we must also embrace our neighbours and our families to grow into this world.

Many people would say the future is what we make it, or what we make for ourselves...I'm not yet convinced on this, but if it is then let's try our best to make it a good future; for the world.

Steps on the Pyramid?

It is a rather odd thought to me, that my thoughts (go figure) would feel so much more ordered and understandable when i am the most tired.

Either you a trawling through the senseless ramblings of a tired 17 year old lad; or you are witnessing the well structured and proved prose of a keen young mind. But at times we are called to work with what we are given so...here we go.

Due to my young age, there are many things in life that i have not experienced; as of yet. One situation that has only recently reared it ugly head is, inequality. Sure we see it in films, on television; or hear of it in talk, but up until recently i have never been a victim of it.

On this count i would consider myself blessed, because inequality IS a horrible thing. As just mentioned I did experience it quite recently from someone who is equal to me, and being that I am still young, and forming of opinions and views are not yet set in stone, it shook me up a fair bit.

Now I really know what injustice feels like, and it's only from our own emotional experiences that we can create opinions and perspectives on situations in life. What then, am i going to do?

I am going to give this person and peoples the same respect i give to everyone else. I would consider us equals and try to help, as I have helped others. I would wish them, well and long lives, and show them that I care for their future. Even if they do not.

I'd hope any person reading this would be challenged and also give it a go. For it is not the depths of our wallets, nor the height of power of our acquaintances that make us friends of the people. It is the sacrifices and time, and equality shown to the people. That earns true respect, and that is hard to break.

Ramblings

For some strange reason I'm finding writing quite hard at the moment [so bear with me]; stories, poems, blogs have slowed down. Perhaps it's due in part to this emotional journey I'm on. Some things have changed, I've grown...and the shifting of life from one area of comfort to an unknown is looming [University]. A question I have always wrestled with is "Am I ready?", but that's just being selfish of me, I'll never be completely ready for anything. I may as well give it a go rather than spend an entire lifetime being fully prepared. Life cannot develop without unforeseen consequences and challenges that we have to overcome. Shame no-one i talk to seems to feel the same way.

And if I am sure of what i have to do, then by a 'little help from above' and with my love for God and his plan [and all the rightly deserved respect there] then surely [Romans 8:28-31] 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

I will go for it, rather than waste a lifetime in contemplation. Why? Because i want to try for God and I have faith. I want to enjoy myself and make Him smile, at the same time. So if I appear a little random, a little loud, a little crazy, a little unique...it's because I am and I know I am and I am comfortable with myself. And I'm doing it for the betterment of people so they have something to cheer them up rather than a year of sadness.

And now on to something a little less related. Yes, a tangent. I found it quite odd after writing a few poems that people and websites said "it's good to be surrounded in what you are doing", in this case to read poetry before writing it. I didn't find it hard to write poetry, and to me reading other peoples poetry was an optional step which I am yet to take. So where are my poems now? Well my friends are reading them, then i can bring in the 'system' and get them published. YAY!

Another One...Again?

Welcome to a new year, and what do we have to show for it? What developments have been made since this time last year? There have been a few good things, there have been a few bad things, but overall it's been a great year. So the question is "what are we going to do differently this year?" Hopefully it will be something life-building, like spend more time with family or just becoming a friendlier person. I however am going to concentrate on keeping up with old friends and strengthen the friendships I have already. I would hope that they would also be willing to spend more time with a crazed madman like me...even for a little while.

So here is to the new year and what to expect from it.
[Let's try not to break the Country again]

Broken world

Every generation is different from the last. Personally i wouldn't have it any other way, people need to express themselves and learn their own ways. But, I do believe some teenagers who are coming to understand the bigger picture may believe they have inherited a broken world.

Now this can sometimes be because the parents don't care. Other times its because the parents want to wait until a certain point before they tell you or show you some things. But teenagers are curious, they - or we rather - are going out into the big wide world and unearthing, so to speak the remnants of the world you [adults] left behind. Almost as if you didn't want us to find out.

Of course this may sound like I'm blaming or even using you as a scapegoat. But the number of times I've heard "You've never seen it!" "I'm sure we showed you that one" or anything else that translates as absolute shock from the parents, it seems to me like something else is going on.

To many parents their child is all that matters.To others they couldn't be less bothered. Harsh but true, cynical; but I'm talking straight. Too many parents have let emotions rule their lives. Forever stuck looking at the problems, rather than looking at The Answer. For those who can or want to understand, the Truth is in a couple of my blogs, somewhere. Just look and open your eyes.

A strange direction or just life?

What strange paths the journey of life takes us on. Yet we say strange in that context rather freely, as if we have had some pre-birth experience of life with which to compare our present life. Is any situation in life strange? Or are we to just expect or in fact, hope for everything that comes our way?

People, humanity has existed for a long time, and in that time it is safe to say that people have gone through all sorts of trouble. But none of them are inconceivable, as even now writers are coming up with some almost impossible stories, which capture the people’s imagination because of their likelihood.

So what can we say about the paths of life? These “strange” directions that our lives can follow? I would say this; there must be a finite number of paths, they may be as numerable as the stars, but I recon at least one human has traversed each path. Not saying that one man has travelled them all, but that in fact each path has had one traveller upon it.

And thus there will always be someone who has experienced what you have. Meaning that advice is always out there in one form or another, and people who care will try to help. How "strange" life is! Or just maybe, what an adventure today is!

Also it is important to realise that the world doesn't revolve around you. If you feel life is unfair and these "strange" twists are taking you into worse and worse situations. Perhaps your the one getting in the way. Maybe these directions are trying to show you the way forward while you're too busy concentrating on your job or looking behind you. Just follow them. But be careful not to follow all of them. Some will try to lead you off into worse places, it takes understanding, selflessness and faith to pick the right strange twists.

Sidestepping the Point?

Can a man become a better man? Yes if he accepts himself completely. if he understands every defect in himself and how to make it better, like a mechanic knows which part of your car engine need a bit of repair. But how do we come to see these defects?
Like all things on this Earth it takes time (i may talk about why this is later on). Time to understand one's own abilities and areas of expertise. But you cannot simply look at your life from this independent place and vow to change this bit first then that bit next. If you do that you will most certainly ignore or even forget your better qualities or areas where you need work. As you are so set on 'being more patient' or 'being more charitable' you will forget 'offensive words that slip out' or 'showing that one person more love' because (and I knew it sounds unusual) you are being selfish.
You are spending all this time and effort trying to make yourself a better person when actually the people in your life need some of that time and effort too. So what can you do? Accept your bad points. Know your good points. Try to develop all your points together, not individually. While balancing all these delicate things inside you, see what your friends need and try to do bits for them. Understand what makes you angry/upset/not 100% and stop. Do things that make you feel good, that bring understanding to your life. Smile.
See becoming a better person is not something you should learn how to do. It is something you should always understand how to do, but also something that should happen naturally. And if you find yourself struggling to change, then your looking in the wrong direction.

Observe or Live? And Where God Comes In

A follow-up question then - Do you think it better to observe life, or to live it? In essence, is it better to be an observer on the periphery, or a participant with a purely subjective viewpoint of life? And which of these criteria does God fill (or does He come into a third category? (which I'd hope He does))?
I am sure the only way I can answer that, is to be completely sure of my answer, and here i want you to be completely sure of my response.

If I was brought before the Lord and given that question I would always choose to live life. I would never want to as you put it "be an observer on the periphery". Anyone who does I must say you are sadly deluded. yes it may seem interesting at first, but it gets lonely real quickly being on your own, watching others in friendship and love. And if I don't have friendships then I don't have love, because it requires two participants for love to exist.

I must clear up an issue here though "a purely subjective viewpoint" sounds to me as if you are only looking at one part of life. But the very meaning of living cannot be grouped into one class, one area, as it is all-encompassing. Imagine a diamond. In it's rough form it has a certain attractive quality, but once the jeweller has worked his skill on it, it is beautiful. Each facet, each side are all part of the diamond, but when they are alone they do not emphasise the diamond as much as when they are united. In the same way life cannot have one subjective viewpoint. It can however be the development of one soul in three areas: life, love and eternity.
Only when these three develop together can we begin to really understand and enjoy life.

Some people say "there is a wasted mind", when they see someone going against the law or not achieving their potential. True, but to me a wasted mind is also someone who spends their entire life seeking knowledge, or fitness or spiritual enlightenment, but never seeks friendship or love. That is a wasted life, sure intelligence is great, but physical experiences and memories of great times are surely just as good.
Forgive me if I seemed to drift off topic, but here is the clinch and the answer to your question.

God created man, just as men can create statues. Jesus was begotten by God not created, just as children are begotten of men. Follow this through and we can see that while a statue is a very good representation of a man, it can never be a man. Thus as humanity is created in God's image (like the statue) it can never be God because it was made without something and with an expiry date (i may elaborate on this point later, but it is off topic here). God isn't. God exists in eternity, we don't; so God is able to look beyond time and situations because that's where he is. he is also not restricted by emotions or paths of thought, since he knows all things and thus is able to create them.

If you imagine a line on a paper to represent your life, God is the paper. He is all around but he is also what your life in written on, so not only does he observe from the periphery, but he is also deeply involved in the moments of life. This is because God is within all of us. He inhabits our bodies, like our souls do, but completely surrounding. So although God is able to view from the periphery, he is also intrinsically involved in our day to day lives, because a part of him is part of us. i can only help thinking that this sounds degrading to the infinity of God, but it is the best explanation i can convey.

And so the third category is created. Where God sees all of time, and where he understands every decision he makes and the effects, and the only reason he chooses to do them is because of his Love for us. He has seen every moment of your life and he ha heard every prayer. He has blessed us where he sees fit and has advised us where he knows best. Every deal he has entered he knows the outcome, and the only thing he seeks to gain is our love our praise, and that we can know him more.

The rest he leaves to us. That is why we have freewill, choice. So we can see God's Love and come to understand that what he gave is beyond our repayment. But he only wants our love in return, because he Loves us. This seems logical to me on the basis, if you spend time making something, you put effort into it, you put love into it, you come to cherish it. It becomes special. Like that table you made, or that picture you painted. It will always be special to you no matter what people think, because to you it is more than a table or a picture, it represents a success in your life, or it captures a feeling that you feel every time you look at it. We are the same to God. And that is why he is able to give everything for us to live in eternity with him. Because he loves us, and is delighted every time we choose to stand up and fight "the good fight". Because he believes in us, just as we believe in him.

I hope this answers your question at least in part. And i hope you can see where i am coming from in each part. I would delight in further questions, whenever you feel you need ask.

Where life takes us

You know what? I'm starting to see the truth. If your life is full of problems and illness and sorrow, then you are not being the best you can be, because someone is getting you down. The devil wants you to suffer, for when you suffer your focus slips away from God. You forget the truth and become self centered, instead of a person involved with others in a serving role. God has your whole life in his hands. Jesus died so our sins, the things we do wrong in life, are gone. They have lost their grip on our lives and we can live in a freedom that was never before experienced. God is almighty, but is also our closest friend if you let him. He wants a deep and personal relationship with you and he wants you to know the Truth.
Your life has a purpose and a plan, that is not only personal to you but it is complete. God knows every aspect of our lives and blesses us so that we can live the best life possible.
So, if you want to see and end to illness and problems in your life, simply ask God into your heart by asking him in your mind. Then say out loud, you problems, you illness in my life be removed in the name of God and never return. And if you have faith, patience, prayer and love your life will be turned around. But being in a relationship with God, also means a relationship with people, so go to a church and get to know them. God wants you to know him. If you have any questions i would recommend going to your local church and talking to people there.
And ask! A person who seeks will find an answer. So don't be afraid to question people, even if it sounds totally impossible or wrong.

nonohino@hotmail.co.uk