The Friday Five and What do we wish to hear?

First, a disclaimer for this weekend:

I'll be away most of the weekend, so please do not expect posts until perhaps Monday. The Friday Five can be found below, and they are user submitted questions this week, but that user has requested to remain anonymous! Again, if you wish to submit questions for the Friday Five, please feel free to email me!

The Friday Five from Anonymous (btw, Anonymous, I do love your themes) :)

1.  When was the last time you went in for a checkup and did you follow the advice of the doctor?

Goodness, I can't remember the last time I went for a check-up. It was probably a few years ago, and he told me that my weight gain was unhealthy. I lost some weight, but not enough :).

2.  Do you know your cholesterol readings?

Nope, and frankly, I don't care!

3.  Do you know your family's medical history, i.e. strokes in the family, heart attacks, diabetes, etc?

Sadly, no. I'm adopted!

4.  When you were older and had a choice of either being physically healthy, but demented (Alzheimer's) or still had a good memory, but had poor physical health, which would you choose and why?

Memory - that is eternal, as are emotions, like love, and you can always live in a different time in your mind. The loss of one's mind is the loss of one's identity.

5.  Do you follow a healthy lifestyle; i.e. eat right, exercise daily, drink alcohol in moderation, don't smoke.

Yes....and no. Eat...ok, don't exercise, drink in moderation....most of the time (I'm close to quitting), and I do not smoke.

~~~

From Jeremiah, 26: 10-15

When the princes of Judah were informed of these things, they came up from the king's palace to the house of the Lord and held court at the New Gate of the house of the Lord. The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man deserves death; he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears." Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people: "It was the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and city all that you have heard. Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the Lord your God, so that the Lord will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. As for me, I am in your hands; do with me what you think good and right. But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the Lord who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear.

In trying days, when harsh words meet our ears and lay our actions bare, our souls mirror our misdeeds. We try to hide them with consensus, compromise, and rational arguments. How futile. We cannot hide the lies that invade our lives and turn our hearts against one another.

Truth is a stark reality we too frequently hate to hear. Do we live in reality, or have we constructed falsehoods so complex the truth inspires anger, not love? Jeremiah spoke only truth. Our families, friends, co-workers, spouses and significant others have done the same for us, time and time again. Is their innocent blood on our hands? Have we chosen anger over love?

I hope that we find it in ourselves to honor love and cast down our pretenses and safeguards to accept truth, no matter how hard on the soul. When we face the truth, and embrace it with love, invariably we become like truth itself, a light, shining forth, illuminating the right way to live.

My Superhero Name

Your Superhero Profile

Your Superhero Name is The Beta Speedster
Your Superpower is Near-death Experience
Your Weakness is Women
Your Weapon is Your Cosmic Bow
Your Mode of Transportation is Seahorse
What's your Superhero Name?

Poems

My apologies about the lack of reflections the past few days. I will do my best to post one later this morning. For now, I can offer two poems, both written in the last two days:

Untitled
There is no way to say
what should remain unsaid,
And in that quiet space,
Our souls become barren and dead.

Untitled
In the crystal shadows of melting ice
I see a life, like light, shining
forth in fine splendor.

It is the beginning of the end,
and felt, but barely, by those
staring deep into the ice.

The ice lies in its lucid brilliance,
hiding the evil and broken lives
its sweet chill creates.

So soft, the skin of those lies.
Pristine, shining, scented sweetness
of promised ice.

It does not feel, but hunts its prey,
fueled by the silent delight
of drowning in the ice.

what does your birthday mean?

From Calm Cool Air:

 

Your Birthdate: January 12

Being born on the 12th day of the month (3 energy) is likely to add a good bit of vitality to your life.
The energy of 3 allows you bounce back rapidly from setbacks, physical or mental.
There is a restlessness in your nature, but you seem to be able to portray an easygoing, sometimes "couldn't care less" attitude.

You have a natural ability to express yourself in public, and you always make a very good impression.
Good with words, you excel in writing, speaking, and possibly singing.
You are energetic and always a good conversationalist.

You have a keen imagination, but you tend to scatter your energies and become involved with too may superficial matters.
Your mind is practical and rational despite this tendency to jump about.
You are affectionate and loving - but very sensitive.
You are subject to rapid ups and downs. What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

What Courage is NOT about.

What this journal is not about:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1019/1019_01.asp

Obviously, as a Roman Catholic this offends me more than it might others, but this sort of general intolerance is not the message of faith - love and forgiveness are universal languages, messages for all people of all denominations, and for those that do not believe in God, as well. Love and forgiveness are the keys to a better life, not intolerance and hatred like that site promotes.

Blogger's Questionaire

Bloggers' Questionaire - From Rach's Daily Life (check her out - she's made me king of blogs, so now she's queen)

1.)  How often do you blog?

Everyday. While I post many different subjects (memes, poems, etc), the primary purpose of my journal is to provide a spiritual reflection that is applicable to all people, regardless of faith or belief. I try to do that every day.

2.)  Whose blog do you visit the most?

Probably Amanda's, over ath HEY, I'M COUNTRY, as she posts so much my alerts are full of her :)

3.)  What blog makes you laugh?

Tough question - there are a lot of blogs out there that make me laugh, but a Jaime Chase has a blog which is just hilarious about the day to day life of her and her famliy.

4.)  What do you want to accomplish when you blog?

Just to provide a place for people to feel welcome and think about who and what they are; who and what they believe in, now and perhaps as they grow older.

5.)  Do you like comments or perfer not to get them?

I do like them, as it encourages me to continue writing.

Freedom

Freedom

Freedom is an illusion of the personal.
The personal choice, the personal belief, the personal desire.

Freedom is not about liberty,
or democray, or your Bill of Rights.

Freedom is to look for right and wrong
and live your life by its demands.

Not to judge.

Freedom acts as an example and is not ashamed
to live out its calling.

Freedom does not fear standing for justice
and moral right - moral law.

Freedom is cold. It is a surrendering of the soul
to the moral compass of another, far greater than you.

Freedom is service, fully given.