Coldplay - X&Y

I used to get annoyed during Sunday School, during arts and crafts, when they'd hand us little stickers that said "Jesus Loves ______." I used to think that it was insensitive, that it looked incomplete and crude if I penciled in my name next to the orderly printed words, that it feels as if the teachers didn't take the time to put my name down, that it could be any old Tom, Dick or Harry putting their name in there. If my name was printed there, it was meant to be there.

But now, I realise that it doesn't matter whose name you put in there, printed or not. Jesus does love (insert name here) . You can be Tom, Dick, Harry, Greg, Bob, Larry, Miki... whatever. He does love you no matter who you are or what you've done.

Jesus loves you

*g*

Todd Agnew - Grace Like Rain

I used to think that the world got worse as I grew older. In a way, that is true. However, I've slowly learnt that the world hasn't grown worse; I've just become more aware of its fallen and twisted state.

I won't say that I was and am a sheltered child. I've always known to some extent that the world is full of sin. Perhaps this is due to my Christian upbringing... My parents did not hide subjects like adultery, murder, rape or the Holocaust from me when I was growing up. When I had a question about a touchy subject, they always answered truthfully and honestly.

But when I was on Wikipedia today, I came across this picture from the Bosnian War. And then I realised - this happened the year I was born. There were girls who were my age then who were suffering the day I was born. While I was living my miserable, depressed, self-centred existence, they were truly miserable and suffering.

It's as if they had a right to be depressed.