The cross

I've always wondered why a cross was called a cross...

isn't that an odd name? 
( I  mean... there are a lot of odd names in this world...like strawberry....Straw + berry?....Butter + fly?  and so on)

But now that I think about it. The cross is pretty appropriate in this case.

The cross is some kind of crossing over of two segments perpendicularly...an intersection I guess.

And it comes hand in hand with the gospel no?

Jesus came and became the bridge between a lost humanity and its Father in Heaven.

Because of the cross, we can actually cross over.

yup.

"...It is true! The Lord has risen..."  Luke 24:34

Freedom.
For me it always meant being free from anything that holds me down
or prevents me from something I'd rather be
...isn't that selfish?
But freedom IS, in a sense, "constraining"
...seems contradictory, doesn't it?
Like if I really wanted (or pushed myself) to do something to achieve a certain goal
say, to study really hard to get that desired grade, (I'm a nerd what can I say)
I'm constraining myself by investing my time into my school work
(when I can very well be doing many other liberating things as freely as I want)
because I know that if I work hard,
I will achieve that sense of "freedom"
in the end.
Essentially, I've deliberately lost or given up my "freedom"
to get to a greater sense of "freedom".
I don't know what I'm trying to get at...
something along the lines of, giving up your freedom to find another freedom
I guess?...
And the ultimate freedom?
It's love.
CHRIST's love.

For a love relationship to be healthy there must be a mutual loss of independence. It can't be just one way. Both sides must say to the other, "I will adjust to you. I will change for you. I serve you even though it means a sacrifice for me." (...) At first sight, a relationship with God seems inherently dehumanizing. Surely it will have to be "one way," God's way. God, the divine being, has all the power. I must adjust to God-there is no way that God could adjust to and serve me. While this may be true in other forms of religion and belief in God, it's not true in Christianity. In the most radical way, God has adjusted to us-in his incarnation and atonement. In Jesus Christ he became a limited human being, vulnerable to suffering and death. On the cross, he submitted to our condition-as sinners-and died in our place to forgive us. In the most profound way, God has said to us, in Christ, "I will adjust to you. I will change for you. I'll serve you though it means a sacrifice for me."

---The Reason for God by Timothy Keller, p.50

Because of this love, the love of Christ...
I am trying to learn to give up my freedom to find freedom in him.

Godly romance

Myth A: Search for your one and only soul mate

This is logically insane! Think about it.  The entire world could end up being paired with the wrong person because you picked the wrong “one”. This mentality also sets you up for a wild goose chase all over the world to find the right person. There is not one, but many that fit the same characteristics.

Myth B: Your missing piece will complete you

This is a terrible idea. This one single relationship will not make you whole. It is but one part of your life, and placing that much emphasis on your significant other is foolish. It is a recipe for disaster to place all of your desires, hopes, and dreams on one person. Don’t do that to anyone – that is too much pressure! One plus one equals one in marriage. You need to be whole (not half) before you enter into marriage.

Myth C: Mr. Right (Ms. Right) is waiting for you

This is highly unlikely. This type of thinking fosters a posture of passivity until you receive a “sign”. You should be intentional when choosing with whom you want to grow old! Marriage is not a decision that is left to chance. You process, pray, and then take obedient action! Do not sit around waiting for the right person and a perfectly timed shooting star… this leads to frustration!

Truth: These myths are an echo of our first love

Jesus is the only one that is your true soul mate. Jesus is the only one that is your missing piece. Jesus is the only one that is waiting for your affections. Media has done a great job of twisting our first love into lesser loves. Reach out to the first love, and all other loves will fit into place.

[This was so not written by me]

(continue reading here)

Opinion: Ummm.... 

Jesus <3

In front of our church...
maybe that's why I was late for choir...