Granted I am by no means perfect in this. But I would rather be a bit of
an optimist that God will do something profound in our lives during
this crisis. That He would change things for the better sooner than what
people say or think. Nothing is impossible with God. I have seen this
countless times in my own life. It is, for me, putting my own faith into
practice.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Saturday, May 9, 2020
Fear and Worry
“Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free. We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of our peace of soul. Instead, let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us.” -Fr Solanus Casey
The words of Fr Solanus still ring true today. Worry can open up our hearts in such way that it allows us to given in and be weakened to other forms of spiritual attack. In this specific case fear. Given the chaos going on right now it seems that we are living in a constant state of that fear. We are afraid of getting hit with a virus that is extremely dangerous to some people. We are afraid of inadvertently passing that virus on to someone else not not even realizing it. We live in fear that the lock downs imposed for our safety will never be release. Believers in Christ are also live in fear that we will never be able to return to any of our church services.
While some fear can be healthy. The majority of it is not. Because much like many negative emotions it can open us up do deep spiritual attack and not even realize it. When we live our lives in a constant state of fear it can make us act in ways we normally would not. Making rational thinking people act in very irrational ways. In our quest to find resolution to a crisis we do things more out of direct reaction than by remaining calm and thinking things though. People often demand action when a crisis hits. Yet in that quest they give into fear and propose blanket actions that may or may not even come close to helping with matters at hand. When we give into that fear then we become a pawn in a spiritual warfare.
The evil one does not want peace in our hearts nor does he want us to trust God. This is why he uses such tools to ruin our peace and our relationship with Christ. Even when the Apostles were tossed about in the boat. Even in their fear Christ remained with them and calmed the storm. He can also calm the storm with in our own hearts. Giving us much needed clarity to act in a much more rational way.
Humans may never be able to completely remove fear and worry from our hearts. However Fr Solanus also gives us wisdom: "let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us." God and prayer are the answers to our own fears.
We can still take reasonable actions to protect ourselves. While at the same time surrendering to Christ to give us wisdom on how to do things in a decent and compassionate way. My friends now is a time of prayer and it is something we need to be doing. For it will give us true understanding on not giving into the fear that is all around us.
While some fear can be healthy. The majority of it is not. Because much like many negative emotions it can open us up do deep spiritual attack and not even realize it. When we live our lives in a constant state of fear it can make us act in ways we normally would not. Making rational thinking people act in very irrational ways. In our quest to find resolution to a crisis we do things more out of direct reaction than by remaining calm and thinking things though. People often demand action when a crisis hits. Yet in that quest they give into fear and propose blanket actions that may or may not even come close to helping with matters at hand. When we give into that fear then we become a pawn in a spiritual warfare.
The evil one does not want peace in our hearts nor does he want us to trust God. This is why he uses such tools to ruin our peace and our relationship with Christ. Even when the Apostles were tossed about in the boat. Even in their fear Christ remained with them and calmed the storm. He can also calm the storm with in our own hearts. Giving us much needed clarity to act in a much more rational way.
Humans may never be able to completely remove fear and worry from our hearts. However Fr Solanus also gives us wisdom: "let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us." God and prayer are the answers to our own fears.
We can still take reasonable actions to protect ourselves. While at the same time surrendering to Christ to give us wisdom on how to do things in a decent and compassionate way. My friends now is a time of prayer and it is something we need to be doing. For it will give us true understanding on not giving into the fear that is all around us.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
From The Desk: 4-29
Reading though social media can be an epic level dumpster fire at times. More so when it comes to people who get into endless debates over various things going on with in the Church. Some people only see the negative things going on and refuse to accept anything good is going on. They want to see God's wrath and judgement and will use every Bible verse and Catholic tradition to justify their view and any one that runs counter to that might as well be a heretic. It becomes endless cycle of doom and gloom to the point that you can tell the person it's sunny out and they will still tell you it is raining.
No where in the Bible did Christ tell us the road would be an easy one
to travel. Even for those that stayed with Christ though Pentecost and
after the road was filled with danger. Even in the early days of the
Church the road was not easy. It never was meant to be easy. Sure we
have had times of calm. But looking though our history we have had just
as many times of storm. Yet the common thread in all of it is the
believers never gave up hope. They did not always get to the point where
all they see is bad things. They also focused on what is good and holy
before the eyes of our God. Above all else they did not see everything
as doom and gloom. Instead they put a total trust in God. Their faith in
Jesus Christ is a lasting reminder of that trust. It is way too easy to
see what is wrong in the Church. But despite what people think. It's
not all bad. If we want proof of this? Look though our history. Look at
the lives of the Saints. Each generation had to face some kind of
storm. This one is ours. Surrender to Christ all that troubles us.
Surrender to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit who guides us. Surrender and
give Glory to God the Father. Though Him all is possible. Focus on that
and not give into the darkness on social media. Amen?
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Vigil Reflection
It is with in the tradition of the Catholic church that the evening before Easter Sunday we have the vigil. It is a time of preparing ourselves to celebrate Christ's return. Tonight however it is profoundly different. While the Mass is still being said. It is not filled with people looking to attend thanks to the ongoing crisis that is still unfolding. For me it is a humbling and sorrowful experience. The reason for this is that in a twist of fate. The only people in the church tonight are the ones sitting inside The Project. While they are still just LEGO figures. They truly represent where my own heart, and the hearts of millions, desire to be at. To be part of the active celebration. While many have argued that it is better to watch/stream the service from home. It is a poor substitute for being with Christ directly in the form of the Eucharist. Tonight we celebrate not as members of our parish communities. But rather we are more like the Apostles who scattered when they saw their teacher put on the Cross. We are locked away and hidden. Tonight for the first time in a generation. We see the resurrection from the eyes of the Apostles. We understand the fear and the unknowns. We seek out God for a better tomorrow. Knowing that something profound is on the horizon. That Jesus Christ is Risen! Alleluia!!!
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Hope of Attendance
Some feel that when this crisis passes over us. That the churches will remain as empty as they have been for a long time. It is easy to see why people think that. Not sure about other Christian Paths. But their has been an over all decline in attendance of Catholic parishes. Even in my home parish I've seen the numbers slowly dwindle. The reasons vary depending on what is going on. Sometimes people just walk away from Christ thinking that they can visit on the Holidays. When in reality we need to make a stronger commitment to our faith and make Christ far more of a priority than He currently is.
One of the things that I often talk about is hope and the importance of prayer. In this case I have hope that this current crisis will be a wake up call that we can no longer take things for granted. That it will transform how we look at the Catholic faith and open up our hearts with a deep desire to receive the Sacraments once we are able to do so. A hope that we can use this as a giant reset. To make Christ a true priority and to fill our parishes once again. It is something that I pray about often. Unlike some who only want to see the negative in things. I want to remain hopeful that our parishes will see more attendance even long after the current storm has passed us. As we head into Easter. Let us pray for those who struggle in their faith. Who are having a very difficult time. So when the time comes. All can take part in the Mass once again.
Monday, March 30, 2020
From the Desk: 3-29
As of this writing the world is in the grip of the dreaded Covid-19 virus. Many places are shut down. Public attendance of Mass has been suspended for the time being. With no clear information of when that will change. For the first time in a generation, in many places in the world, their will be no public celebration of Easter. It is a time of great worry. Some are upset with the Bishops decisions in all of this. I for, one, feel that they are guided by the Holy Spirit. Below is a personal reflection of my thoughts on things.
Many people feel that with the suspension of Mass that this will be the end of the church. They question the logic of the Bishops and the reasoning of various leaders. Both in the secular and of the religious. Even in the last few days I've been trying to reflect on the events of this virus and how it impacts my own life. When this crisis first started I was like many who questioned the reasoning of our leadership with in the Catholic church. As I've learned more about how evil this virus is. Along with a healthy dose of personal prayer and reflection. I come to see better what it is the Bishops are doing. The reality is that the Bishops have a burden of leadership that far outweighs the understanding that I would ever hope to have. It is a realization that what is going on is more than my own desires and wants. Rather the entire world is facing a global issue that unless contained. It will destroy all that we hope to gain.
Even if we don't like the decisions being made with in the church. No matter how we look at things. God is in control and He has His reasons for all of this. What I have come to understand is while we wait for the return to the Mass. God is calling each of us to grow deeper in the faith. To develop a passion and craving for what is important vs our own desires. I personally feel this call in my own heart. A reawakening of sorts. A desire to stand firm in the face of the storm and to take on the sacrifice that God has asked of us. Many of us have grown stagnate in our walk with Christ and our relationship with God. We sometimes get too comfortable and go though the motions when we are at Mass. I see hope that this crisis will be a wake up call the church really needs. If current events have shown us. We can no longer afford to take things for granted. With in my own life I have faced many trials that God has put me though. To test and to temper my own understanding. What separates this challenge from the others is that this is one that we are all facing together. Soon the darkness will lift and we will see things return. Till that time we just have to ride out the storm.
-
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
From The Desk: 3/23
Many
people right now feel that any time we have some kind of crisis that is
it in some way God's anger being given to us. I'm not sure that is the
best way to look at things. Given all that is going on right now. While
indeed in the old Testament God's anger was well known. Sending His only
son, Jesus Christ, changed a lot of how the world looks at God and how
He guides us. So instead of seeing this as God being angry. Perhaps we
need to focus more on what we can do during any kind of crisis. We can
use this to draw closer to God. We need to repent of our own sins for
starters. To come before God with a contrite heart. If anything that
these events do is that it does break our spirits down. It reminds us of
how much we need God even in the good times of our lives. We must open
up our hearts and truly embrace Christ. The more we look about the world
the more we realize that we, as a society, have taken far too much for
granted. For the most part we live a life of total convenience while at
the same time we often look down on those who are not well off.
Justifying our reasons for treating people poorly. By and large we do
not treat people fairly on any level. So to have our life of convenience
ripped from us. That is a true wake up call that something is not right
with in our hearts. This is a time for us to pause, reflect, and above
all else to pray with out ceasing! We must take the extra time to come
before the Lord and seek out His profound wisdom for our lives. For the
entire world right now. This is an epic trial. While it feels like all
hope is lost. We must use this to our own spiritual advantage. So that
when the storm passes we can become stronger. That we can do more to
show mercy and compassion that Christ asked of us.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
What we take for granted
I think many of us, and at times myself included, have taken the Eucharist for granted. We expect to be able to receive it by going to Mass every Sunday. On the rare times when we miss we expect it when we return because it was our choice not to go. Yet to have that taken away from us. It can be soul crushing. To be denied the source and summit of the Catholic life. For some of us it can be one of the most painful things that we have ever had to take on. The problem comes from the fact that in this generation we have never had to face such a crisis before. Other than the random snow storm, for the most part, we have always had access to the Mass and to other sacraments. The other important issue that we have is that for many of us. We have lost sight or no longer believe in what the Eucharist truly is. The words of the Gospels make it clear when Christ tells us when he holds up the bread "This IS My Body!" and when he holds up the chalice "This IS My Blood!". Those words should always echo in our hearts. But for many those words and their meaning no longer make a connection. They no longer believe that the Eucharist is Christ. It is something we can work on though prayer and evangelizing. If their is any good that come out of this current storm. Is that it can allow us to open our hearts more fully to God. To help and encourage one another as to how important the Mass should be in our lives. After this storm passes we should no longer take the Mass, and by extension, the Eucharist granted. Because in this current age this could very well happen again.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Friday, March 13, 2020
Reflection 3-12 (2)
Rare or me to write more than one item in a day. However last night this was on my heart.
I say this often. But it is something that I truly believe. "Surrender to Christ ALL things." Their have been many moments recently where this has become a reminder of that. The evil one will use every tool around to try and ruin our souls. The most vicious of ways to chip at the foundations of why we believe in Christ. We give into the fear, the anxiety, and the panic and we, for a moment, forget that God is with us always. We begin to second guess our own motivations for doing things because when we are afraid we react in ways we otherwise would not. Which is why we need to keep our faith in Christ as strong as we are able. It will temper that fear and allow us to not give into the panic. Let's face it. The world is a scary place. People and groups will use events to further their own agendas. Yet no matter what happens we must be reminded: Christ has already won the victory! He was the one who calmed seas. Surrender does not mean give up in the sense that we have failed. Surrender for me means putting total faith in Christ to give us the wisdom that can cut though the chaos of the world. To help ease the storms of panic, fear, and anxiety of world events. It is easy to give in to what the evil one wants: a total rejection of God. Yet when we "Surrender to Christ ALL things" we are also saying: Jesus I Trust In You! Amen?
I say this often. But it is something that I truly believe. "Surrender to Christ ALL things." Their have been many moments recently where this has become a reminder of that. The evil one will use every tool around to try and ruin our souls. The most vicious of ways to chip at the foundations of why we believe in Christ. We give into the fear, the anxiety, and the panic and we, for a moment, forget that God is with us always. We begin to second guess our own motivations for doing things because when we are afraid we react in ways we otherwise would not. Which is why we need to keep our faith in Christ as strong as we are able. It will temper that fear and allow us to not give into the panic. Let's face it. The world is a scary place. People and groups will use events to further their own agendas. Yet no matter what happens we must be reminded: Christ has already won the victory! He was the one who calmed seas. Surrender does not mean give up in the sense that we have failed. Surrender for me means putting total faith in Christ to give us the wisdom that can cut though the chaos of the world. To help ease the storms of panic, fear, and anxiety of world events. It is easy to give in to what the evil one wants: a total rejection of God. Yet when we "Surrender to Christ ALL things" we are also saying: Jesus I Trust In You! Amen?
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Reflection 3-12
God allows storms to come into our lives to temper our strength and resolve. We can either let these storms draw us closer to the faith or we can allow it to destroy it. Many of our hearts are weak. Doubts set in and we question if God is even real. Yet though it all God always remains with us. While we may wander away. God never leaves and is always waiting for us to return home. One of the most evil things that can be done is to allow fear to derail us in our walk with Christ. To start to create internal excuses as to why we can't do something. Even going to Mass. As followers of Christ we cannot allow that to happen. We must stand firm in an ever changing world. No matter what storms go on around us. No matter what temporary sacrifices we must make. Our faith in God *must* remain strong. We must also be a light to others who will see our faith with in. Soon the storms will pass and a new day will begin. Till then we must have the courage to ride the storm out.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Thoughts on the Tear Down
This is a short little reflection about one of the more important elements of what I do with "The Project".
Tear down. A yearly tradition that marks the end of the season and is the prelude to the next one. It is a much needed step in the Project cycle. From a building stand point LEGO while they are very durable undergo a lot of stresses during the season. So tear down is needed to inspect and replace damaged or worn out parts. From a creative stand point it also gives me a chance to review the build brick by brick. To see what ideas worked rather well. But also a chance to see what I can do to improve on for the next build. It really is not unlike how we should live our lives as Christians. A chance to review what is going on with us spiritually. Is sin weighing us down. How much time we spend before God in prayer. Or even how we take part in our parish communities. Sometimes we have to tear away the bad things in our hearts and replace them with something good. Perhaps this is an overly simple way of seeing things. But for me it is a good starting point. While the season may be finished and another one is in the works. The journey is always on going. It is a much needed chance to pause, reflect, and rebuild if needed.
Tear down. A yearly tradition that marks the end of the season and is the prelude to the next one. It is a much needed step in the Project cycle. From a building stand point LEGO while they are very durable undergo a lot of stresses during the season. So tear down is needed to inspect and replace damaged or worn out parts. From a creative stand point it also gives me a chance to review the build brick by brick. To see what ideas worked rather well. But also a chance to see what I can do to improve on for the next build. It really is not unlike how we should live our lives as Christians. A chance to review what is going on with us spiritually. Is sin weighing us down. How much time we spend before God in prayer. Or even how we take part in our parish communities. Sometimes we have to tear away the bad things in our hearts and replace them with something good. Perhaps this is an overly simple way of seeing things. But for me it is a good starting point. While the season may be finished and another one is in the works. The journey is always on going. It is a much needed chance to pause, reflect, and rebuild if needed.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Reflection 1/13/20
I wrote this one last night. Sometimes I get days when I'm dealing with the chronic stuff more than others. This is a personal reflection on that.
Their are days when we all struggle with our own set of challenges. The days which seem to be the most darkest. Perhaps due to them we did not get anything on our own agendas finished. Distracted and overwhelmed by our own internal struggles. Those are the days when we wonder "Where is God in all of this?" The answer for me has been "I never left you." With in the lives of the Saints you see this answer. You see it in reflected in their stories. Many of the Saints had to suffer greatly. Often times with limitations that would surprise us in this current age. Yet though their unrelenting faith in Christ they are still able to teach us. It is deeply profound how though the suffering that we can learn how to be humble and to truly embrace God for all that the Father is. God is always willing to give us strength though our challenges and does not abandon us when it seems like all hope is lost. We endure though our struggles because God has made it clear: He loves us. On days when it seems like my own struggles reach that breaking point. I am reminded of how strong God can be. If we allow him fully and unquestionably into our hearts. It is a total surrender that the Saints often lived and lessons we can still learn from. In my own struggles they give me hope even on the days when I feel my own challenges getting the better of me. Knowing that though all that we face. God never leaves us.
Their are days when we all struggle with our own set of challenges. The days which seem to be the most darkest. Perhaps due to them we did not get anything on our own agendas finished. Distracted and overwhelmed by our own internal struggles. Those are the days when we wonder "Where is God in all of this?" The answer for me has been "I never left you." With in the lives of the Saints you see this answer. You see it in reflected in their stories. Many of the Saints had to suffer greatly. Often times with limitations that would surprise us in this current age. Yet though their unrelenting faith in Christ they are still able to teach us. It is deeply profound how though the suffering that we can learn how to be humble and to truly embrace God for all that the Father is. God is always willing to give us strength though our challenges and does not abandon us when it seems like all hope is lost. We endure though our struggles because God has made it clear: He loves us. On days when it seems like my own struggles reach that breaking point. I am reminded of how strong God can be. If we allow him fully and unquestionably into our hearts. It is a total surrender that the Saints often lived and lessons we can still learn from. In my own struggles they give me hope even on the days when I feel my own challenges getting the better of me. Knowing that though all that we face. God never leaves us.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Reflection Jan 4th 2020
Sometimes I don't always post things the same day I write them. This is one of those posts.
The news cycles in this world become more and more troubling. Many people are looking to the Bible and wondering if Christ is going to return any time now. They see the trouble with Iran and look to see if something is being fulfilled. The reality is that we simply do not know when the hour will be when Christ returns to this Earth. It may very well be in our generation or it may not. The fact is we (as the world) will never know because Christ himself told us we wouldn't.
When our spirit is troubled over worldly events it is a reminder of how much our Faith in Christ should mean to us. That we should live our lives fully and not fear about what may or may not come. The path of a Christian is about being ready. Being prepared on a spiritual level. To make sure that we are living our lives as best as we are able to. We can read the Bible and look to see what may come. But we must also be reminded that everything is in God's time. Not ours. Look to the generations of past. Many of them saw the same things that we see today. We do not know the day nor the hour. Do not let your heart be troubled. Many have predicted the end of the world. Many have looked to Bible and have tried to "connect the dots." But at the end of the day we will never know. Only God knows.
The news cycles in this world become more and more troubling. Many people are looking to the Bible and wondering if Christ is going to return any time now. They see the trouble with Iran and look to see if something is being fulfilled. The reality is that we simply do not know when the hour will be when Christ returns to this Earth. It may very well be in our generation or it may not. The fact is we (as the world) will never know because Christ himself told us we wouldn't.
When our spirit is troubled over worldly events it is a reminder of how much our Faith in Christ should mean to us. That we should live our lives fully and not fear about what may or may not come. The path of a Christian is about being ready. Being prepared on a spiritual level. To make sure that we are living our lives as best as we are able to. We can read the Bible and look to see what may come. But we must also be reminded that everything is in God's time. Not ours. Look to the generations of past. Many of them saw the same things that we see today. We do not know the day nor the hour. Do not let your heart be troubled. Many have predicted the end of the world. Many have looked to Bible and have tried to "connect the dots." But at the end of the day we will never know. Only God knows.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Reflection 12-29-19
Sometimes we can reach a point where our own mind becomes the distraction when it comes to matters of the spiritual. We can spend our entire lives obsessing and over thinking about what awaits us at the end of this journey and at the same time to forget to live that journey. If we truly believe in Christ then we have nothing worry about providing that we live our lives as best as we can according to our faith. God understands our strengths and our internal struggles. We don't have to obsess and worry because God is with us always. Many times the evil one will use fear and doubt as a way to get at us. Those are the times when prayer becomes even more important because it allows us to put things into proper perspective. Allows us to turn our eyes to God and away from our fears and our obsessions. Bringing us an internal peace in this rather crazy world we reside in.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Reflection 12-20-19
Recently I went to a funeral for a young child. One of the most heart breaking things I have ever done. We often wonder why such things happen to the young. However sometimes we are just not simply meant to know. Christ himself told us we would not know the day nor the hour. For me I'm using the time as a sobering reminder of how I live my life and how I interact with others. A reminder that sometimes the endless "social media arguments" are just simply not worth it. The petty bickering and constant fighting the world has these days is a distraction from the major problems that we face. Both in the world and with in our own hearts. Perhaps instead we can turn our "righteous anger" into something more productive and profound. We can put that energy into building the faith in a creative way. The internal bickering and nitpicking is a distraction that the evil one overly enjoys. Because it takes away from God's love and mercy. We are called to live better lives. If we proclaim that we believe in Jesus Christ than we should live our faith to the fullest with no compromises that the world demands of us. One of my goals for this coming year is to not get into too many debates unless their are specific reasons for me to do so. Life is way to short to get bogged down in constant fighting over social media. I would rather spend my time evangelizing by sharing my talents. Sharing my faith by being a witness to all God has done for me. So that way I can take what I have learned and do what I can to be a better person.
Important Links!
Twitter: @kc8wzm
EMAIL: kc8wzm@gmail.com
Sunday, December 1, 2019
I could use some help
Once in a while I get asked by people how can they help me out with my ministry. The reason being is that I am on an extremely fixed income and LEGO even on the secondary market is not cheap. I have a lot of practical suggestions on how you can support my efforts. However looking forward to the Season 21 build in Feb. I've noticed that I will need to secure some parts. If you would like to help me via a donation you can either use the paypal link or drop me an email to kc8wzm@gmail.com so we can work out the details. Use the e-mail link if you want to buy the items yourself and have them sent to me.
Here are a few things I'm looking at:
Tabernacle: While it is rare for me to go into a build with any clear cut idea as to what I want to do. Their are some ideas that will be present. The Tabernacle from this season became a story on it's own thank to the suggestions from people. The goal is to modify the existing design and hopefully expand it. To do that I will need to secure more parts in pearl gold so I can offer up something in terms of overall size and detail. With donations that can help cover the costs.
Windows: I have found that I will need to replace more than a few windows. They will not be easy given the number I use. Below are a few of the panels that I either need or want to use for Season 21.
Panel 1x2x2 : This is my go to window. The panel has served me well over the years and are over all effective in making sure people can see inside. However with age they do tend to get marked up a bit. Needless to say I will have to replace a few.
Panel 1x4x3: I've used a few of these on the inside. But would like to get almost 30 or so in Translucent Clear to be used as windows. That way I can have more options in creative walls inside the project.
Panel 1x6x5: I use a few of these in the Season 20 Project and would like to get a few more. Mainly to be used on the Alter sections so people can have a much better look inside. They are not easy to come by and are not always cost effective.
Along with panels I want to expand my collection of various bricks in the translucent colors such as Blue and Red. People really love the effects and they work out for a number of things with in the build. So I want to be able to use more of those parts where I can.
In terms of the base plates (what the project sits on). I'm not fully sure on the condition of those are just yet. I haven't noticed any major issues so far but I won't even know about those until I do the tear down. If they are in rough shape I will have to replace those as well. But praying that won't the case.
The Wish list! I also have a wish list of items up on Amazon. The selection of sets have mini-figures and other stuff that can be used for the project. Such as bricks and such. Some of this stuff is hard to get even on the secondary markets.
This list will be modified and expanded later depending on how much feed back I get. To those who help you have my deepest of thanks.
-JM
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Faith and Mountains
Believing in Christ is not as easy as it sounds. If anything it can be one of the most difficult journeys anyone can undertake. It requires a level of faith that is almost like the mountain in how strong it has to be. The challenges we face are not unlike the storms those mountains endure season after season. At times the ground becomes unstable and erodes away. Not unlike our faith during times of challenge. It is only normal for us to face that kind of doubt. To feel like God has abandoned us. Or worse to feel like the very church we believe in is full of evil people with no hope of any kind of redemption. That kind of doubt seeps into the soul and wears us away like the storms battering the mountain side until the entire cliff gives way. With in the Gospels their is no mention of the journey being an easy one. If anything it is often said the journey will be extremely difficult. We see that in our daily lives when their are moments when our faith is tested to the near breaking point. Often times leaving us questioning more than believing. Yet with in our moments of doubt. God is more than willing to listen to our prayers. For He is with us even when we cannot feel it. We all have our moments when we question our faith. However much like the storms the batter the mountains these can often be but a moment. Pray even in those moments. Pray for others who are also struggling. Be a light to those around you and a beacon of hope. So that way when the storms pass our faith will remain as strong as the mountains.
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