for those of you wondering what robbs comments are about… wordpress for some reason is recognising him as spam! now, apart from hard rock i am unaware that robb is trying to sell us all anything.
the above comments are us running a test… the spam filter even picked on these ones! boo!
i can’t seem to be able to get wordpress to understand that i want robb’s comments to come through.
any wordpress users had this problem before? any tips?
i’m hoping it is just a blip and tomorrow the problem will be gone.
Anyone noticed that churches have a lot of fake candles burning these days simply because they just cant keep hold of the ones that burn genuinely. I feel like my candle is being messed with you know like when people fidle with candles and try to blow them out. My candle maybe coming to an end.
dennis, i think that sometimes we’re a little too hard on ourselves. struggling with church doesn’t necessarily mean struggling with God, in fact sometimes it means just the opposite. i also meet just enough people in church who inspire me that one day we will all be One, despite what i may think. chin up, as they say…….
I really feel this one.
Recently I have looked into the abyss of atheism but even when there seemed no good reason for me to do anything other than simply fall into it there was this thing stopping me. I guess it was God – for me I best understood it as hope.
I recognised something as hope and it was like a wee candle I suppose. When I started to crawl back from my own personal abyss I not only recognised it as hope but I somehow experienced hope as well. It has been very cool and very peaceful.
Thanks for putting this cartoon up Jon, it was something that I can really identify with – it’s always great when you come across something just as you need it.
my candle blew out once.
sure it was my fault, but the world blew (grew?) too strong.
well i think Jesus caught the SOS smoke signals i made as soon as i noticed.
aflame again by His fire…
There is somethingelemental about candles, and not just because of the fire itslef. They reall are a great analogy for things that speak direclty to our souls.
Its all good as long as they’re not Roman candles that have an amazing but very short, too short, intense display!
I have struggled with God, too. Years ago, I was very angry with Him, which scared me quite a bit. Then a good friend pointed out that in my anger, I was acknowledging God’s existence and His power. There is a lot of power in that candle!
Last night I was reminded how much I’ve done that could have put out that tiny, fragile flame, and I cried a river of tears that somehow made it burn brighter.
think of all those candles together. A strong, steady, beautiful, gentle, soft, intimate light. I love the way candlelight plays on faces and surfaces. I love the way you can light one tealight from another. i love the way you feel welcome and acceptance and peace in their presence. I love that they are not flashy or attention seaking, but that they give their all without fuss. I love these candles.
Strangely Jon I feel good about it, I think like Jody said its not necessarily the God thing its just the WICK thing, Ill say stuff getting on my wick just so I dont blame people. So yeah It feels oddly OK and releasing.
What about the candle as representative of the life force – the thing that, despite the shit you have going on in your life and in your head, keeps you going in life. The thought of that going out scares the hell out of me. I could not envisage ever, ever giving up the will to live, to voluntarily leave behind those that I love, leaving them to ask the “why?” to which there is no answer. To think that to snuff out that small light is the only option. For a frighteningly high number of people these days, that is a truth.
“A lot of little candles can make a whole lot of light.” too true drewman.
carole… i wonder if the light is snuffed out, or just the bodily existence and the light finds a new home where it can be at peace.
even in the darkest hour i never could have ended my life. it is heartbreaking that some people can. at a time when i valued myself the least i was still able to think through the repercussions of my actions. it is very hard to imagine a place where losing that is possible. however, for some, there is blessed release. what a tragedy.
“…all you need.” “…enough to work with.” forrest, john q, yes indeed.
sometimes the light is so faint and distant, and the condemnation so dark, i just try to be in the light, try to shake off the fear and just be.
i keep praying for some fellow light seekers to work with, or do more with, and am realising am very much in the wrong job at the moment (as dr’s receptionist) – but no easy way out, just keep looking
Tre Sheppard (lead singer of Onehundredhours) said that faith is like the light on your phone screen – its only when its in the darkest places that you see how bright it shines … or maybe when you need to find the lock on the car door at 1am…
I like that one Amy, it makes some sense out of the darkness – by looking for the light, you find it.
I do really think it makes a difference to your faith if you have to work at stuff – ie, you quickly work out whats total hot air, but also if prayer is the only option, and it’s effective … then you know it’s warmth
I remember how brightly it burned when I started out and how quickly it dimmed when I came back to the UK and went to church here. Don’t know if its a good thing or a bad thing but it burns brightest when I’m on my own, reading the comments on this blog or chatting online to like-minded souls. Seems a bit sad though that thus far, most of the christians I’ve met in the real world pour buckets of cold water on it.
Thank God for that!!
Comment by Robb — September 3, 2008 @ 11:25 pm
And here is me signed out of the whole shabang… all alone…
Comment by Robb — September 3, 2008 @ 11:27 pm
I am not here
Comment by Robb — September 3, 2008 @ 11:36 pm
And that’s enough to work with.
Comment by Forrest — September 4, 2008 @ 12:04 am
absolutely forrest.
for those of you wondering what robbs comments are about… wordpress for some reason is recognising him as spam! now, apart from hard rock i am unaware that robb is trying to sell us all anything.
the above comments are us running a test… the spam filter even picked on these ones! boo!
i can’t seem to be able to get wordpress to understand that i want robb’s comments to come through.
any wordpress users had this problem before? any tips?
i’m hoping it is just a blip and tomorrow the problem will be gone.
Comment by jonbirch — September 4, 2008 @ 12:15 am
and some days that is all you need.
Comment by john q — September 4, 2008 @ 12:20 am
Ahh wordpress, It is so discerning!
(Just being cheeky Robb:) )
Comment by Will — September 4, 2008 @ 5:30 am
Anyone noticed that churches have a lot of fake candles burning these days simply because they just cant keep hold of the ones that burn genuinely. I feel like my candle is being messed with you know like when people fidle with candles and try to blow them out. My candle maybe coming to an end.
Comment by dennis — September 4, 2008 @ 6:50 am
dennis, i think that sometimes we’re a little too hard on ourselves. struggling with church doesn’t necessarily mean struggling with God, in fact sometimes it means just the opposite. i also meet just enough people in church who inspire me that one day we will all be One, despite what i may think. chin up, as they say…….
Comment by jody — September 4, 2008 @ 8:31 am
I really feel this one.
Recently I have looked into the abyss of atheism but even when there seemed no good reason for me to do anything other than simply fall into it there was this thing stopping me. I guess it was God – for me I best understood it as hope.
I recognised something as hope and it was like a wee candle I suppose. When I started to crawl back from my own personal abyss I not only recognised it as hope but I somehow experienced hope as well. It has been very cool and very peaceful.
Comment by drewman — September 4, 2008 @ 9:18 am
drewman… that is very similar to my experience. it wasn’t atheism, but it was an abyss.
hey dennis… don’t let them get on your wick!… sorry. so, does where you’re at feel bad, or okay?
Comment by jonbirch — September 4, 2008 @ 9:34 am
Thanks for putting this cartoon up Jon, it was something that I can really identify with – it’s always great when you come across something just as you need it.
Comment by Nathan — September 4, 2008 @ 10:56 am
my candle blew out once.
sure it was my fault, but the world blew (grew?) too strong.
well i think Jesus caught the SOS smoke signals i made as soon as i noticed.
aflame again by His fire…
Comment by Pete Rehn — September 4, 2008 @ 11:25 am
I just wrote to akismet to see what they can do about it….
Comment by Robb — September 4, 2008 @ 11:31 am
I *like* this. It’s right where I am.
That little flame must be in there somewhere, but I’ve lost track of it somewhat for the time being.
Thanks.
Comment by Trevor — September 4, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
Jon, I love your luminosity…in all its senses.
Comment by Carole — September 4, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
[...] 4 09 2008 ASBO Jesus has hit the nail on the head again. How does he sometimes know how I’m [...]
Pingback by Eternal flame? « A work in progress — September 4, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
flippin heck! there’s a whole lot of little candles on here!
A lot of little candles can make a whole lot of light.
Comment by drewman — September 4, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
There is somethingelemental about candles, and not just because of the fire itslef. They reall are a great analogy for things that speak direclty to our souls.
Its all good as long as they’re not Roman candles that have an amazing but very short, too short, intense display!
Comment by Stumpy — September 4, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
I have struggled with God, too. Years ago, I was very angry with Him, which scared me quite a bit. Then a good friend pointed out that in my anger, I was acknowledging God’s existence and His power. There is a lot of power in that candle!
Comment by Kevin — September 4, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Last night I was reminded how much I’ve done that could have put out that tiny, fragile flame, and I cried a river of tears that somehow made it burn brighter.
Comment by Anna — September 4, 2008 @ 6:24 pm
yep
think of all those candles together. A strong, steady, beautiful, gentle, soft, intimate light. I love the way candlelight plays on faces and surfaces. I love the way you can light one tealight from another. i love the way you feel welcome and acceptance and peace in their presence. I love that they are not flashy or attention seaking, but that they give their all without fuss. I love these candles.
Comment by Linus — September 4, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Strangely Jon I feel good about it, I think like Jody said its not necessarily the God thing its just the WICK thing, Ill say stuff getting on my wick just so I dont blame people. So yeah It feels oddly OK and releasing.
Comment by dennis — September 4, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
What about the candle as representative of the life force – the thing that, despite the shit you have going on in your life and in your head, keeps you going in life. The thought of that going out scares the hell out of me. I could not envisage ever, ever giving up the will to live, to voluntarily leave behind those that I love, leaving them to ask the “why?” to which there is no answer. To think that to snuff out that small light is the only option. For a frighteningly high number of people these days, that is a truth.
Comment by Carole — September 4, 2008 @ 8:46 pm
i know what you’re saying dennis.
anna… an amazing little flame indeed.
kevin, stumpy, linus… beautiful comments.
“A lot of little candles can make a whole lot of light.” too true drewman.
carole… i wonder if the light is snuffed out, or just the bodily existence and the light finds a new home where it can be at peace.
even in the darkest hour i never could have ended my life. it is heartbreaking that some people can. at a time when i valued myself the least i was still able to think through the repercussions of my actions. it is very hard to imagine a place where losing that is possible. however, for some, there is blessed release. what a tragedy.
“…all you need.” “…enough to work with.” forrest, john q, yes indeed.
Comment by jonbirch — September 4, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine……sorry, I couldn’t resist.
I like the cartoon Jon, I too can relate.
There are a lot of little lights on here.
Comment by Stephanie — September 5, 2008 @ 3:42 am
sometimes the light is so faint and distant, and the condemnation so dark, i just try to be in the light, try to shake off the fear and just be.
i keep praying for some fellow light seekers to work with, or do more with, and am realising am very much in the wrong job at the moment (as dr’s receptionist) – but no easy way out, just keep looking
Comment by subo — September 5, 2008 @ 8:26 am
Tre Sheppard (lead singer of Onehundredhours) said that faith is like the light on your phone screen – its only when its in the darkest places that you see how bright it shines … or maybe when you need to find the lock on the car door at 1am…
Comment by Amy Watson — September 5, 2008 @ 10:09 am
I like that one Amy, it makes some sense out of the darkness – by looking for the light, you find it.
I do really think it makes a difference to your faith if you have to work at stuff – ie, you quickly work out whats total hot air, but also if prayer is the only option, and it’s effective … then you know it’s warmth
Comment by subo — September 5, 2008 @ 10:24 am
I remember how brightly it burned when I started out and how quickly it dimmed when I came back to the UK and went to church here. Don’t know if its a good thing or a bad thing but it burns brightest when I’m on my own, reading the comments on this blog or chatting online to like-minded souls. Seems a bit sad though that thus far, most of the christians I’ve met in the real world pour buckets of cold water on it.
Comment by botticelliwoman — September 5, 2008 @ 10:37 am
Yep, Botticelliwoman, I think I know what you mean.
Comment by Carole — September 5, 2008 @ 10:41 am
This makes me cry. Thankyou.
Comment by theseoldshades — September 29, 2008 @ 12:20 am
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Comment by sandrar — September 10, 2009 @ 12:54 pm