From the Pen of John Steinbeck, V

For any success, boldness is required.

A True Christian

Recently I posted about how to really spread the gospel. An article published on the Outlook magazine about how to really witness to people bears my name. But all I say comes from experience.
St. Francis of Assissi once said, "Spread the gospel, and, if necessary, use words." I've tried to live up to that, and I told my Junior High sabbath school class "the best sermon you can preach is your actions" over and over again. But I only say this because I feel guilt over what could have been. Let me explain.
I could live in Barnes and Noble and Guitar Center. Those are my favorite places in the world. One time, I was at Guitar Center in Arlington, Texas, and I grabbed a Gibson Les Paul '57 custom (over seven grand!) and plugged it in. It felt amazing, and, wanting to show off, started playing the craziest riff I know: "Newborn" by Muse. This song is very very upbeat. I mean, VERY upbeat. So here I am, rocking out to this song, when another boy comes up and says "you know muse? awesome!" and immediately struck up a conversation, swapping guitars and just playing riffs we knew. Suddenly, I had to leave, and I left him there, with the Les Paul, rocking out to Muse.
What if I had been playing a Christian song?
It's been almost four years and it still haunts me.

From the extraordinary mind of C.S. Lewis

Idealism can be talked, and even felt; it cannot be lived.

From the Unbelievably Colossal Heart of Mother Teresa

Do not be afraid to love until it hurts, for this is how Jesus loved.

From the Brilliant but Twisted Mind of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna

If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.

We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it.

Book Update

The outline is coming along nicely. I should have had it finished last Sunday, but I was not able to get around to writing until tonight. So I've been slaving away.
I really want to finish this book as soon as possible, and my other two friends on the author's group are urging me to finish soon because of the relevancy of the subject. I really hope it meets their expectations.
If all goes according to the Outline, so far there are twenty three chapters, so we're looking at a good sized book as the finished product, at least fifty something chapters. I guess it is going to get long because the story(ies) on which it is based never end. . .
But it's coming along.

Finally Answering the Age Old Question

My dad had asked me this once before. He wondered, as I did after he asked me, where I got my passion for service and social justice. It could have been The Grapes of Wrath, which changed my outlook on life--and still does, every time I re-read it. For a while I thought that that book was the culprit, but now I remember it all.

John Steinbeck's masterpiece was the feather that broke the camel's back, but in reality what started it all was a group of Junior High kids. Yup, those pesky middle schoolers with raging hormones that make it impossible for them to sit still for more than ten minutes. I had been given the task of being a Sabbath School teacher for the junior high kids my junior year of high school. All the while we were studying The Desire of Ages, and other than the fact that reading this book slowly, with a Bible, and studying it made me want to share the experience of Jesus' service with the kids, so I started planning many service projects. No one wanted to, and to tell the truth, I was losing the initial burst when I saw their negative response.

Then, my brother showed me a video that cemented it all on my mind. After that video, I studied the Bible a lot more differently, and once I read Grapes I knew I had to stretch out my hands. This is the video that made me what I am today. . .