It Never Was...

There are times I rage and scream.
Shake my fists
and cry out to the Heavens.
I plunge myself into
Misery
with my “what if’s” and “why me’s”
slipping and sliding, full speed ahead,
into an abyss of my own making,
all the while
yelling “Where are You?!!”
I wrap the dark like a shroud.
I keep only silence and depression as my company.
My suffering is
Great
and
Pathetic.
NO ONE knows what it’s like…but me.
Til I reach my end, that last
Pitiful strand of
Self.
I lash out one last time—
Shrieking—
I finally give up…
I stop the screaming, the pity.
I simply stop.

And then I hear…
                                                  …that still, small Voice.
                                                  Reminding me that it’s not my fight.

                             It never was.

(July 11, 2011)

Olivia

Hi. My name is Olivia Samaniego, and I’ve been attending Remnant for about a year. I think it was the second time I came to church and heard about Renaissance that I felt drawn to it. I jumped on the chance when I saw that Renaissance seemed to need a bit of help. I consider myself a writer, and a few of my pieces have been uploaded to this blog. I am very interested in the writing field, publishing, editing, etc., and would love to have my work published someday. I’m also a writing teacher, which means that I know how many people claim to hate writing, to not be able to write, or to be horrible writers. Occasionally, I’ll hear someone tell me they like to write. Rarely do I hear anyone tell me that they love to write and they know they are good. However, I do see many people put themselves down far below their real skill or ability. Part of the reasoning behind that is that writing has been given such a bad reputation through many seemingly torturous teaching methods. However, I think a bigger part of the reason is that writing takes time, and we, as a whole, don’t like to do things that take time. (I just felt I needed to give a little background about myself.)

The goal of Renaissance is to take back the Arts for Jesus Christ. First, a lot of people are put off by the word “art.” Many believe that to be an “artist” means that one is completely awesome with words, paint, clay, photos, etc. But I think that we’ve created a skewed idea of an artist. This is not to say that those who call themselves artists aren’t, nor does it mean that people who are great artists shouldn't be proud of their abilities. But, so many people out there have so many different kinds of talents, and it’s when we compare ourselves to others that most people feel they fall short—whatever that actually means. We’re not trying to find the best artists; it means that whatever comes from you, comes from a heart that knows the talent and the skill is a gift from our God.

Okay, okay, I’ll get off my soapbox. I’m good at lecturing; it’s my job, so sometimes it happens even when I’m off the clock. I asked Athena for writings and drawings from Remnant Kids, so you'll be seeing them sporadically. She told me that they were also doing a series on the Ten Commandments, and this is the first lesson they had. The kids were given a verse, John 2:5-6, and then they were given three questions to answer. (I’ve written the questions the way I saw their answers; I didn’t have the actual questions given.) What I like about kids is that, up to a certain age, while they certainly know how to lie, they can be some of the most honest people you will ever meet. Also, I left spelling and wording the way it was written. Anything I needed to clarify is in brackets.

John 2:5-6

But if anyone obeys His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in Him: whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

1. Why are the Ten Commandments important?

2. How do you follow the Ten Commandments?

3. Do you break the Ten Commandments?

Lauryn

1. so you can have a [heart].

2. don’t do them

3. yes i do but i ask God to forgive me.

Elena

The ten commandments are important because u need to live by them or u got to HELL.

You follow the commandments by using them in every day life.

Yes, I break the commandments. [sad face]

Anonymous

The 10 commandments r important because it teaching you a lesson about going to heavan.

You follow them by not breaking them.

NO. I don’t break the ten commandments.

Alysia

The commandments are important cause they help us later on in life.

I follow them by doing the rules of them.

Sometimes I do brek them but when I do I apologize to God.

So, if you see me coming your way, you know what I'm looking for. If kids can do it...okay, I'll leave that alone. But seriously, I know you have something to write, a picture to take, a drawing to make...give the glory to God, and show it off.