the perks of choice

accidents. we're usually afraid when we hear that. accidents. scary. our accidents usually are mistake-based. right? like this:

just a little bit of a problem.

but do we ever think of happy accidents. accidents that help us. or change us for the better. or do you not believe in accidents. i have my own personal opinions about predestination and free-will. and my own beliefs are what i like to call a multiple choice test. and this is one of the things that i love about the united methodist church. i'm not forced into believing. i'm allow to make my own decisions about faith that can be scary. but in the end i believe that when we push ourselves to decide on our beliefs about life. and a whole long list of things. we strength our faith. we become better 'evangelists'. when you finish reading this you'll understand the whole 'multiple choice test' and why i believe that. but i think that if you asked a person who practices under a denomination with forced beliefs their responses would be different. when we can decide things for ourselves we become incapable of just about everything.

but now back to the 'multiple choice test' concept. i believe in the idea that God has a set plan for us. but in a different way than predestination. see i believe that God has allowed us the freedom (or free-will) to pick the options set for us. and the different ways have different plans. i'm still deciding on the path that i'll take, but i'm pretty sure that God has the options set. and none of them lead to failure. my life is in his best interest. and i'd like to think that i've put him in mine too.

quote of the day:

'whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.'

-colossians 3:23

joke of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ1QL1fllo&feature=related

oh! my nose!

have a great sunday! much love and peace, dmaloney

the value of time and thoughts

this post has been sitting. it's been looking for love. yearning to be posted. every time i try to finish it i change my mind on something i've typed. i've been thinking a lot lately. i've been thinking about life. my future. and what to do about college. i've been doing too much thinking. too much questioning. and i want all the answers because i have a control problem. i like to be in control all the time. doesn't matter where or what i'm doing i like to be in control of things. but i think that i've only made myself think i'm in control. i'm not. God is and when i can truly accept that i'll be living. until then i'm only tricking myself to believe i'm in control. so right now i'm sitting in silence, only to hear the clicking of the keys, and staring at the blinking cursor wondering what do i need to say.. but nothing comes.. from here on out my heart is leading the words written. not my mind. i don't need to say anything. but i always will have something to say. i thought blogging would be a spot to just throw my thoughts down, but now it's become the spot to throw everything down and organize it. i also had the assumption that it would be somewhat of a hassle to blog. i've started blogs before and left them just sitting on the internet wasting space. but this blog is fun to write on. i can't tell you how long i've really despised writing but this blog is fun to write. it's enjoyable and i think i like writing now. if you're reading this mumble-jumble of mess i like to call my blog. thanks. it's nice to think that someone, somewhere reads what i write. it's nice to know that you care about the mumbled-jumbled things that i like to call my thoughts. it has been a busy day and i'm looking forward to resting. i can't help but wonder what all my busy schedule means. does it mean that i'm trying to figure out how to manage time? what does it mean? i'm confused. bewildered. puzzled. i just don't have all the answers...yet..will i ever?

quote of the day:

'until you value yourself, you won't value time. until you value your time, you will not do anything' - m. scott peck

joke of the day:

70-year-old george went for his annual physical. he told the doctor that he felt fine, but often had to go to the bathroom during the night. then he said, "but you know doc, i'm blessed. God knows my eyesight is going, so he puts on the light when I pee, and turns it off when i'm done!"

a little later in the day, dr. Smith called george's wife and said, "your husband's test results were fine, but he said something strange that has been bugging me. he claims that God turns the light on and off for him when uses the bathroom at night."

thelma exclaimed, "that old fool! he's been peeing in the refrigerator again!"

have a lovely saturday. look for nice weather. much love and peace, dmaloney

what's on t.v tonight? joy or suffering?

this came up in bing images when i typed in nj hspa. haha! hspas are finally over. and i'm relieved. i'm pretty sure that i've mentioned how much i despise standardized testing. and after 3 days i was done. and i'm done complaining now.

as i was watching the baby office tonight i was thinking about the gift of children. it's scary and i think that even though the office demonstrates the beginning of parenthood in a fun and laughing matter that it was really true. and after the office was the premiere of the marriage ref. now, i don't know if you're think what i am but does that even make sense.

welcome to the world baby. then bam why do you keep your ex-husband prosthesis in the closet? hmm. what are our priorities? what do we as americans value? do we value the birth of a child and the beginning of a new life or others problems?

this:

or this:

are there more shows on television about suffering and pain or about love and new life?

we need to refocus our views. focus on the joys of life. maybe watching suffering keeps us from realizing our own problems, but let's enjoy life. have fun. laugh and celebrate the day that new life enters your family.

much love and peace, dmaloney

what does your church sign say?

what message do church signs like this send? does it welcome you?

to me it feels like church signs like this say 'hey, loser come here so you can stick out like a sore thumb. we go to church and that makes it okay to shout oh, god.' it is lame and it's one of the things that i cannot stand for. a message like this is not welcome. inviting. it is plain. old. in your face you sinner!

going to church on sunday doesn't make you 'holy'. and cooperate worship, in my opinion, can sometimes hinder you're experience and relationship with God. why can't our signs be like this:

maybe that's a little too 'churchy', but i like it so much more than signs that don't welcome people. yes, it's true that we all need to repent, but no one even wants to enter the building when the sign says 'go to church. or go to hell.'

i thought churches weren't suppose to lie. church won't save you on the day of judgement. and church won't give you an intimate and close relationship with God.

quote of the day:

'to love what you do and fell that it matters--how could anything be more fun?' -katherine graham

joke of the day:

'the reason that there are two senators from each state is so that one can be the designated driver.'

-jay leno

photo of the day:

try God at church and on your own. to the church signs: be bold, yet inviting! much love and peace, dmaloney

n-a-n-a

i love my nana. end of story.

this a picture from the harlem globetrotter's game tonight that nana took me to. i don't want it to seem like i'm saying that i love her because she took me to the game. i'm saying because i really do love her. and i don't know what i'd do without her. much love and peace, dmaloney

draw near

in church yesterday we sang the song 'draw me nearer' and it has been stuck in my head ever since. i can't embed the html to here so here is the link..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA9V1JzM0p0

and here are the main lyrics.

I have heard Your voice

And it told Your love to me

But I long to rise in the arms of faith

And be closer drawn to Thee

Chorus

Draw me nearer

To the cross where Thou hast died

Draw me nearer

To Your precious bleeding side

There are great depths of love that I cannot know

'Till I cross the narrow sea

And there are heights of joy that I may not reach

Til I rest in peace with Thee

Consecrate me now to Your service, Lord

By the Power of grace divine

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope

And my will be lost in Thine.

the first couple times that i listen to the song i didn't have any particular feelings about it. all of last night and today it was all i kept thinking about. it's just so perfect for lent. if lent is all about sacrificing things and becoming closer to Christ because of the this gift we are so undeserving of. this song has been calling me to make a purpose. to be with jesus. to be so much more than acquaintances. so maybe tonight is the time to make that commitment. to just be there to listen to what you are being called to do. what you need to have an intimate relationship with God. to have God be your first love.

quote of the day:

"we love because he first loved us." 1 john 4:19

joke of the day:

this is pretty old school

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt_m7qooZfo

photo of the day:

smile and draw nearer to the cross. fall deeper in love. much love and peace, dmaloney

the day of rest? or the day of running around?

so my hopes of bringing a quality post to you didn't really hold up. i send my deepest regrets for that, if there are any faithful blog readers out there. my life is much too often chaotic and busy. today is sunday and it should be the sabbath the day of rest. but when i think about myself and my life i realize that i don't have a day of rest. i have times that are spent on the couch or in bed. but do those counts? not really. or at least in my mind they don't. i want a time to just reflect. relax. and praise. as opposed to right now where i'm staying up way to late only to fall asleep when i should be spending some time in prayer.

our lives can be hectic and crazy but try to make time in your schedule for God. think of him as a friend that wants to schedule a lunch date or something like that. stick to that time. plan around your that time. and when that time comes go away in seclusion. and listen to what God wants. and good friend not only talks but also listens. listen to God this lenten season.

much love and peace, dmaloney