"I have been thinking lately, how do I experience life? Is it through the pale transmission of pre-packaged photons and electromagnetic frequencies in my living room? Is it lived vicariously through the achievements and losses, the loves and hates of others, as told by a storyteller? Is it by identifying myself with the emotions and complaints of the next pop song? How do I live life?

Even more troubling to me: what is the purpose of life? Do I simply accept my predetermined role (whether said destiny is decided by gods or society, who would discern?), fitting myself in the "larger-story" without question? Do I create my own meaning out of personal feelings and life-happenings (whether or not that is in sync with the general consensus of "what is")?

I imagine that I am not alone with these questions. In fact, I believe each and every person find these doubts at the core of her or his identity. The answers we choose, whether for or against our better judgment, are central to our role in societal, familial, political, religious, and finally personal role-development. The answers we choose decided who we will be and how we will affect subjective change in our own lives.

As a Christ-follower, I turn to the saints who have gone before me in the past several thousand years, their journalings and teachings which became holy, the community of the atonement, and my own chosen spiritual leader. What does a 7000 year old desert-nomad (the Father of three faiths) have to say about life, love, and everything in between? Would the priest of my specific local-gathering agree with him? Which one of them provides me a better interpretation of what is true?

In this point of my own personal theorizing and speculating, I believe truth is love. Simply that alone. Many would add divine justice (which usually ends up as justification for an unloving act), an esoteric teaching (theological distinctive, or exclusivist innovations?), so-called "absolute reality" (which is usually another base for superiority vs. humble "emptying" of oneself), or many other additions to this one simple thing.

God is love and love is real. Truth is then best exemplified in relationships. Relationships are fully and truly epitomized within community. And that is why I have not yet given up on the local-church, as I would define it. I honestly believe that we, as Dreamers-of-God, can affect change in a wondrously screwed-up world, despite our flaws, both corporate and individual.

Love demands change, dare I say it, even (especially!) compromise. And that is the honest truth of the matter. Purposed change originates in the core of a person. Whether that is their head, heart, or whatever other body part we choose to associate with higher-thinking; we must choose to journey to a new self.

Today is the day of salvation, if we choose it to be. Salvation from the monotony of routine, from the depravity of our selfish souls, from existing like the square-box in the living room tells us to, and from every other lie we have told ourselves to justify a boring reality. Today we can choose to live life (solely to live) and to live that life to its fullest extent humanely imaginable (to give love, to have love, and to be loved), perhaps above what we can even think.

Choose this day whom you will serve. Create for yourself a new image, one not of gold or steel or wood or any other material thing, but of immaterial: Spiritual stuff which will not decay with age (as do the cathedrals and the monuments) or with weather and disasters (as our do cities and tall buildings); Create your own change; enter into Gods rest, good and faithful servant. Only then will the restlessness, the despair, and the deep longings of our soul be quenched of its thirst and be rid of its unsettledness."

This is my article I wrote for "The Vine", Jerome First Presbyterian Church's (PCUSA) newsletter. Let me know your thoughts, I think it is published in a week or so. I would love some feedback for future writing.

Thanks.