"With knowledge comes responsibility."

- Britt Merrick


Last night I was sooooo tempted to stay another night in OC and go to church down there but instead Chris and I trucked home and I got to bed around 3 this morning... but the reason I came up was to make it to my church (Reality Carp) and Britt (our pastor) totally blessed me.

Amy and I talked a lot about this earlier today and what a huge responsibility we have in all areas of our life to use the information we have to help sharpen and protect others...it's hard to do and Amy told me a great story about how hard it can be to actually step out and use our knowledge when we're given that responsibility... and how keeping a long term perspective on things is the only way to approach tough situations.

Thanks Aims!

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another
Pr. 27:17

It's sooo awesome that we can see this happening even within this forum:) I'd be a big blob of dull mass if it weren't for the people that have crossed my paths....

2 Tim. 3:16 (10-17) is another that has been in our discussions lately too.

You're so right on Amy about keeping an eye on the long-term and the big-picture. It's so neat to see how a situation we think is terrible at the time turns out to be so much bigger and for the best...

Yeah, Britt's message was definitely powerful and moving. Really encouraging.

Are his messages ever online....like a Podcast or something?

You betcha! www.realitycarp.com and you can Podcast it so check that out! There's a funny picture of Britt on iTunes! haha

Responsibility is something that I am sure we will all dread the rest of our lives. I totally agree; we have the responsibility to use the information even if we are afraid of what some ones reaction will be. It will bless their life, and yours so much by you being honest with them. It would be selfish and you would be doing them a disservice if you didn't confront and share your information.

Man! I remember back in the day when I would bring my sketchbooks to R.J. Shay and Michael at Studio X here in Downtown St. Louis.

http://www.studiox.cx/xillustration.html

Anytime you are in St. Louis, you should get the nickel tour of R.J.'s sculpture wall. I want to do part of a senior session there. It used to be a photography studio before Shay lugged all his art in there! But enough about that, I'm getting off track. I used to drive the 45 min trip down there just to spend hours looking around and playing on Photoshop, and I hope I didn't drive them crazy! They were both so great.

Hi DJ.

Thanks for the link. I'm downloading the message to put on my Nano.

Is your church an off-shoot of Calvary Chapel?

Sean

Right on! Yea...I actually used to go to Calvary as well as Reality which at the time took place at the Calvary Chapel in SB! Calvary rocks!

How you likin' your Nano! I don't have one but they look pretty cool!

Reality is awesome... I used to commute down there from SLO with friends every once in awhile because it was so good. I miss that place!

my absolute favorite church was a calvary chapel i attended in college! i've always wished i could take it with me everytime i've moved.

Actually, the one I've found too true -

"With authority comes responsibility"

I realized this about a week into the job of an officer.
It came about the same time I realised my soldiers were actually all little children

Man I miss Britt and G... Maybe one day I can move back...

i miss home too (ventura for me). although not too far away, down here in the oc, i can't wait to head back north with my new bride, to my personal idea of paradise (carpenteria).

Hillary & Karey-

I miss SB churches also. It's a really unique area and has so many awesome church communities I didn't realize it until I left. I loved my church there Goleta Community Covenant. If I wasn't going there I was at Santa Barbara Community Church. I went to Calvary Chapel for a while also.

I've also been blessed by God working through Britt. I remember when Reality was meeting on all the couches in the high-school room. I did a photo story on Britt while at Brooks. Taking the angle of surfing & life of old pursuing a new life of being a pastor.

That man wakes up at 4 a.m. most days to study the Bible. I drove with him to Valencia area during the project and heard him give his testimony to a church packed with high-schoolers. They came for a concert and heard his story and the Gospel. many people came to know Christ that night. it was awesome. what a great and humble leader.

DJ-

thanks for sharing amigo. Britt's teachings from the Bible have always blessed me also.

I shot you an email about this, but I'd like to share it with the rest of OSP. It's along the lines of what you said.

Today on the Opinion & Editorial page of USA TODAY a group of Christian readers did what you were writing about--being responsible with the information they have and looking out for others. They wrote letters in response to last Thursday's article In Iraq, coping after someone dies for you.

One letter writer said they were struck by the survivors struggle to live lives “worthy” of another’s death. She then gave testimony of someone who died for her, Jesus Christ. She then went on to say how that changed their life and that they should not hold on to that guilt.

Here is the online version of the reader letters with one of my photographs.

I am excited to have played a small role in their letters. I didn't write the great article last Thursday. Nor did I write in to the paper and share my faith and the hope in Christ as they did. But I did take the picture and maybe more people read the original article last Thursday b/c my photo caught their attention. Hopefully, again more people will read the op/ed page today b/c of my photo there too.

"one body, many [different] parts" Romans 12

"one body, many [different] parts" Romans 12

Garrett, what a joy to have you as part of the DC body. We're the better for it

Thanks Amy : )

you rock. I'm glad to be up here. Looking forward to seeing you at the next PUG.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Henley

Words I live by daily

"Because he loves me," says the Lord,
"I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
"He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
"With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Psalms 91:14-16


I love this scripture and it has blessed me so many times.

Sweetly Broken,

Nicole

Mmmm, wow. Love, love, love that truth.

Action always has to follow enlightenment.