calm

So a thought struck me the other day.

You know all those "Keep Calm and [insert activity which appeals to the population this statement is trying to attract]" statements? Yeah, you see 'em on t-shirts, pinterest, facebook, etc...

Some of them are hilarious. Like this one. (If you're not acquainted with The Hobbit, see this,  at 0:55)

And some of them are good. Like this one. 

But the thought that struck me was this: why the obsession with keeping calm? If you think about, what the world creates is what the world craves. The world creates movies because it craves amusement. The world creates love songs because it craves that perfect love. And the world piles up reasons to keep calm because it craves security. 

This particular obsession with 'keeping calm' is one that the Christian need not concern themselves with. Why? Because we do not need to keep calm, we are already kept calm by this magnificent thing called amazing grace. By this grace we are granted peace and trust which allows us to walk out into the world and not feel the urge to snatch at whatever we can to keep ourselves assured of all things. We are already assured of all things; no, not great riches or particular beauty, but sufficient means and the love of Christ. 

Once you have died to Christ you do nothing to keep calm, but you do everything in that grace-given calm. To live a life outside of the blood of Christ and the hope of the cross is to be frantically shaken by the hunger for a sweet calm and steadfast trust. 

It's not "Keep calm and carry on" written on a t-shirt. It's "Keep me calm and carry me on" spoken on bent knees. 

"You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You, 

Because he trusts in You."

~ Isaiah 26:3

new things

So I figured I had better blog about something, and soon. Lists make it easy, so I thought maybe a list of some new facts about myself would do. Let's see how long this takes.

1. I am now of legal drinking age. This failed however when I tried to purchase a bottle of wine as a gift for someone but had some friends with me who did not have their ID with them... and I was quite apparently not their mother.

2. I went to the first ARP youth rally held in the Annapolis Happy Valley.

3. I have braces... and a jaw spreader. Yuck.

4. This will be the first August since I was 13 that I will not be going to camp. Sad things happen.

5. I am related to some pretty crazy and amazing people.

6. I am unrelated to some pretty crazy and amazing people.

7. I decided that I may actually be undecided about a future career choice.

8. I am reading a book written by someone who has read my mind. Not really. Grace for the Good Girl - I highly recommend it.

9. I own a Canon T2i. I am glad about that.

10. I like writing short sentences. They state facts. Like this.

11. I have learned that I can't capture every good moment through the lens. But I still try. So I guess I didn't learn anything.

12. I have also learned that this very process of learning never ends. We always learn. We always want to really know the answer. But guess what, it's not the answer. It's a piece of the puzzle. And there is only one thing to really know about that puzzle; it will take a lifetime to finish it.

13. This is the first September in 13 years in which I will not have any school.

14. I stumble. A lot.

15. I am rescued. Every time.

16. I am trying to think of something profound and quote-worthy to end on but can only come up with this: Amazing Grace. It's always there, but it is always anew.

17. I just thought of something for a new blog post.

18. I just thought of something for two new blog posts.

19. I should stop now.

I didn't time that, but my computer is now overheated, supper is now ready and I'm now hungry. None of those things were before.