Life Is A Church

Today in Mythology class, my teacher commented on the influence of religion in our country. Most of our beliefs, standards, and morals are set on religious ideals rather than our own self-introspection and soul searching. He reminded us that even though we would often like to place our emphasis or loyalty with a certain religion, denomination, or belief system, in the end what really matters is what WE did. That the spirit of god is within us, whether it is a higher being or our own creation. And that no matter what we believe, or who we believe in, that no four walls of any place of worship is big enough to contain it-Life in itself is a church, and we are the vessels of worship and awe. That reminded me of a song I used to love, Life Is a Church by David Phelps. I hadn't listened to the song in a while because the words reminded me of my days of 'slavery' to religion. However, now I find them quite fitting within this new point of view-it is amazing how much people have in common deep within, if we could only move past the superficial surfaces of religion. More on that later, though-I could write a whole book on my musings on this subject! Listen to the song, though-it's pretty great and awe-inspiring!

Watching the surf cover up my toes
Breathing the salt air from the coast
Ten years old with my eyes pressed closed
Life is a church

Remembering first love’s tender kiss
Mourning the loss of my innocence
The bittersweet taste of it on my lips

Life is a church
These are the sacraments
This is the altar
Love is the spirit
Making the blue planet turn
Life is a church

Chorus

Watching my baby being born
Written all over you, pain and joy
Holding your hand, it’s a little boy

Chorus

Ashes to ashes earth to earth
The preacher throws in the first handful of dirt
My little boy asks me, “Does goodbye always hurt?”

Halleluia, Halleluia, life is a church

By Marcus Hummon

For Good-Installment #6

Like a comet pulled from orbit, as it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
Because I knew you
Because I knew you
Because I knew you, I have been changed
For good.

Aaron finishes out my For Good series! I've been trying
to think of the perfect thing to say. But I guess there
aren't really words for what we've got. So I just
want to say I LOVE YOU to Aaron. :) and
thanks for everything you've done for
and with me on this journey.

For Good-Installment #5

And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for
But then, I guess we know there's blame to share
And none of it seems to matter anymore

Yes. So let me introduce Amity! I met her way, way back. We
were around 8 or 9 when our paths first crossed. Absolutely
clueless to how close we would one day become, we spent our
lives barely an hour from one another, occasionally meeting
up and having a friendly chat.

It wasn't until 3 years ago that we met again, in Nashville
this time. We suddenly realized the nearly identical parallels
in our lives, and an inseperable bond was formed. We share all
the same passions, many similar past experiences, and now I
am happy to say we are best friends for life... love you Amity!

For Good-Installment #4

Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird in a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you:
I have been changed for good


Let me introduce you to one of my older brothers! Dean...I'm
pretty much closer to him than any of the rest of my family. Just
because in the past few years, he's BEEN more family to me than
anyone else I'm related to. Just... he was there through a lot of soul
searching. He deserves a spot in this song!



Did I mention we have a similar love for music? :) Yeah, it's
rare to have a friend who will last forever, but that is definitely
a perk of having a best friend in your family! (whether biological
or other, by the way.) Because they really will be there always.

For Good-Installment #3

It well may be that we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part: so much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine by being my friend!


How do I start this one? Well, I have met many people. And as far
as I can tell, there is only one Ms. Anne. By that I mean, one soul
on this Earth who is selfless, passionate, loving, and a light aflame
in a darkest night. Never have I loved, or shall I love, another human
being as I love Ms. Anne.

I certainly meant this verse for her. It holds true that I may not see her
again in this lifetime. However, I gained so many gems, each as precious
as a child, from my time with Ms. Anne. And even though I haven't seen
or heard from her in a very long time, she remains a huge impact on my
life and in my thoughts-like a handprint on my heart. :)

For Good-Installment #2

Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

I have been changed for good

I met Caitlin about 12 years ago. Well, actually I haven't ever
met her. The explanation? We became penpals at the age of 11
and never lost contact. Even when we grew older and stopped
writing as frequently, we started texting and emailing instead.

Caitlin knows me better than almost any friend I know. Because
she has gotten to know me through my writings, and that is
how I get to know myself. I can express things in writing that I
could never tell my friends in everyday life. So to my bestest
invisible friend-hopefully we meet in the next year! I know we've
said that since we were 14, but now we have more access. Who knows? :)

For Good-Installment #1

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn and we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them and we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...


James. An undeniable source of fun and drama. For some reason,
since the moment he entered my life I have had a more abundant
and meaningful existence. Sometimes I wonder why it was James,
of all people, who connected with me the way we did.


When I first met him six years ago, he was that guy my mom warned
me about. He had some bad motive, she said. I was convinced that was
not the case, and kept contact. James shared a passion with me that my
family couldn't understand-a love for music and film.


We have shared a relationship full of pain, regret, anger, love, laughter
-lots of laughter! When I would call heartbroken over my dad's treatment
of me, looking for relief-he was there on the other end promising a whole
new side of life I had never known. He made me feel like less of a freak and
more of a rarity when I was diagnosed with synesthesia. He remains one of
my closest friends and I hope and trust it will continue for a lifetime.