Easter

Pain

Crowd
Hammer
Spikes
Wood
Suffering

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.

I don’t dance. I don’t polka, don’t waltz, don’t do the bump or the frug. I don’t do the electric slide or the moonwalk, either. I’ve seen people country line dance and I have no interest in it. To me, line dancing looks like some bizarre adaptive PE class or something. The bottom line is that I don’t dance.
It’s not that I have anything against it, necessarily. I just don’t look good doing it. Have you ever watched a rhino dodge bullets? If you have, you’ve seen me dance! If not, imagine it and you’ll laugh out loud. I know I do. I’ve never figured out how God could get any glory out of a spectacle like that, so I don’t dance.
Church music has come a long way since the Gregorian chants. Years ago I went to Dallas, Texas, for a worship seminar and saw all kinds of dancing and heard all kinds of music. There was one guy that just kept spinning around and around as soon as the music started. I kept a pretty close eye on him because I was waiting for him to blow groceries all over the worship band. He never did, and I must admit I was kind of disappointed.
Now, before I go any further, let me explain that I am all for being excited in church. For too long the church has been, well, kind of dead. We’ve all been in services that were about as exciting as watching paint dry. And if God touches your heart and you want to dance, by all means cut a rug! Do the holy boogie all over the sanctuary.
Just don’t expect me to or look down on me because I don’t.
The great thing about God is that He’s not “one size fits all.” Take it from a fat guy, one size doesn’t fit all. It might fit most or even almost all, but nothing fits everybody.
God didn’t take away my individuality or my sense of expression when I became a Christian. There is no holy cookie cutter making all of us the same once we meet Christ. Thank goodness.
I am the third generation of ministers in my family and we are all different. My grandfather had a different preaching style from my uncle, and I have a different style than either one of them. Is one of us right and the others wrong? No, we’re just part of the Body of Christ.
Paul told the church in Corinth, “I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. If Foot said, ‘I'm not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don't belong to this body,’ would that make it so? If Ear said, ‘I'm not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don't deserve a place on the head,’ would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it. (1 Corinthians 12:14 18 MSG)
Can you imagine life without a nose? Or what if you didn’t have ears? How would you wear sunglasses? God knew what He was doing when He designed our bodies.
He also knew what He was doing when He designed the Body of Christ. Each of us is different, yet we are all still part of the Body. I don’t want to be the same as you, and Lord knows, you sure don’t want to be the same as me!
So the lady who called me an “example of ignorance” in church once because I wouldn’t hop around just didn’t understand. She may have been rude, but she just didn’t understand. I may not dance or hop, but I am still part of the Body of Christ. I may be a part that doesn’t move, but I’m a part nonetheless.
Not shining up my tap shoes.... Jerry

My Photojournalism project :)

My project was to take active photos of a specific aspect of the fair and to write photo captions, just like the photos you see in the newspaper. I didn't put the captions on here though, I just wanted to put the photos. :)

Photos by Daniela Estrada

" Lost Sheep; Found "

Father, forgive me for I have sinned
Not only once, but over and over again.
I don't understand why You love me
I can't understand why You care
I stand broken and ashamed
Yet still I find You there
Constantly wiping my tears
and giving me peace while calming my fears
When I find myself in pain
and I feel like it wont ever get better,
You come rushing to my side and remove that binding fetter
When I feel lost and like I'm walking blind
You remove the cover on my eyes and restore my sight
I am such a mess, Oh Lord
I threw morals out the window and lived by my own accord
I don't expect You to be so understanding,
When I let go of You and walk away
But You always stay
Even when I choose to stray
You're there with open arms
When I cry out Your name
Keeping me safe from harm and loving me the same.
I've been looking for love in all the wrong places
When Yours is there all along
I am so weak, only with You am I strong
I am worth so much more
Than giving myself over to someone elses pleasure
My life, love and heart are all priceless treasures
to be given to someone who loves with a love from above
Not earthly lust that people call love.
Lord, I pray please give me a clean slate
Help me get back to where you want me
I know it's not too late.

So I end with this:
Although I can't fathom
Why You love me or how You even care
I thank You, thank You, thank You
For the love You willingly give and allow me to share.
I'm grateful for Your promise
And for saving me from myself
For loving the whole world and for dying on the cross.

Because without You I'd be lost.
A lost, lonely sheep following the crowd
Giving in to empty promises and living life too proud
Wandering, wandering, wandering
In despair and broken inside
All the while feeling dead
Because only with You am I alive.

Your love has shone its light
And illuminated my path
I feel warmth like sunlight

As forgiveness washes over,

You say to me,
" My child you are free and by this world no longer bound, Rejoice! Oh little lost sheep for you have now been found."



By: Daniela Estrada

I know its been awhile, but New stuff comin soon!if your interested in gettin your works posted shoot me an email! All fine arts welcome! Love, daniela