Language and the Super-Natural

How limited is language! To be eloquent in every language known to man, to even have the ability to unify them and pick words and phrases as you chose from each language, to create a masterful and powerful speech, would still fall drastically short in attempts to describe the super-natural. Experience of the super-natural is so unique and foreign, so far outside from everything we know, that no compilation of words could remotely touch on the subject in due fairness. The super-natural is so far beyond our understanding and common experiences, that one must encounter the super-natural to interpret the stories about it. And yet, even then, the descriptions do not give it the justice it deserves.

Relatively speaking, few are actually exposed to the super-natural. When they are, their experiences are vast and diverse, that many of them do not correspond. And there are others who encounter the super-natural and fail to do anything with it, and lose the experience all together.

You say, [Keity], what do you mean by ‘the super-natural,’ for you have left that broad and open for interpretation. For the sake of this analysis, I define the super-natural to be an experience with God which is outside of that which we experience in the corporeal world; that which holds no comparison to what one experiences with other humans or other life experiences. Such an experience is difficult to define, as it is entirely outside of our realm, outside of our laws of nature.

Some moments entirely defy our laws, such as when one experiences physical healing through prayer, when demons are cast out, when prophetic words are spoken, and when the language of the Angles is spoken. Others experiences are completely internal and happen one-on-one, between you and God. Like when a person prays in the privacy of their room, calls out to God and encounters Him so powerfully and profoundly, that they are left only to weep and cry out.

Such a powerful experience is outside of everything else we know, entirely incomparable and unique. It is awesome and amazing, and impossible to fully describe.

-December 2008

brazil 2007

A Esperanca da Flor

{Dedicated to the lovely Miss Rachel Baransi}

Once upon a time there was a girl named Rachel. Rachel lived in a very big city. But Rachel was very sad because in this big city was a lot of violence, hate, and discrimination.

Rachel was just a girl and didn't know what she could do. But even though the city as so hopeless, Rachel was sure there must be hope somewhere. She just had to find it. So off Rachel went on her big adventure. She traveled the world, sailed the seas, and climbed many mountains. She saw many beautiful things but she did not find hope for her city.

Rachel returned home but was still very sad.

"Is hope real?" she asked.

One day as she was walking to the Market to buy eggs, she noticed something very peculiar. In front of her, in a big pile of trash, was the most beautiful flower she had ever seen! She walked over and carefully plucked the flower. The flower's aroma was sensational and its beauty was indescribable.

She had found hope!

She was so happy that she skipped and sang all the way to the market. When
she went to buy her eggs, she noticed the vendor was very, very, sad. Rachel's
heart broke for the poor man.

"Nobody knows my paint," he mourned. "Life is so hopeless."

But Rachel knew this could not be true, for only moments earlier she had found hope.

But what good is hope if you cannot share it with
someone?

With love in her heart, Rachel placed the flower in his hand. Instantly the old man's face began to glow and his smile radiated through the market. His eyes had never beheld such miraculous beauty.

The old man was filled with new hope.

In fact, the man was so overflowing with hope that he ran right home to give the flower to his wife. Likewise, she became empowered to share it with her friend, who shared it with theirs, who shared it with theirs, till the whole town became bursting with hope.

This little flower, which had been passed by time and time again, transformed the city. It filled it with hope. The hope changed into action, which brought about love, which brightened the city, and filled it with joy.

This is the story of how flower passing became a tradition, how Rachel changed the city, and how hope is found in the most peculiar places.

[Keity] Snow, December 2009

pulemos

jump [pula]

When you feel too high, jump with humility.

When the water’s too dark, jump with discernment.

When the current’s too strong, jump with strength

When the air is too chill, jump with bravery.

Jump into life. Jump knowing you might do a belly-flop or get water up your nose. But jump and experience the exhilaration, the wildness and joy.

Jump with faith and courage,

and jump into the splendor of life.

On Risks

It’s much harder to take a risk, to trust God to accomplish that which is outside of ones control. It is much easier to believe that it just wasn’t meant to be. If I want to travel to another place, to teach others about God, to experience life, to go to a place where love and truth are needed, that means I need to trust God to be in control. I need to let go of all material things. I need to follow God completely. I need to not worry. I need to love. I need to be strong in Christ. I need to give God the worries about money, to trust Him to provide. I need to trust that he will get me there, sustain me while I’m there, use me while I’m there, protect me while I’m there. I need to release my fears and worries. No matter how deep a passion is to go somewhere, it is almost always easier to give this passion up than to entirely surrender to God.

I know that if I’m going to follow God completely I’m going to have to make changes in my life. I’m going to have to continually grow and grow. I’m going to have to become wiser and stronger. I’m going to need to become more accepting and less judgmental. I’m going to have to humble myself. And these things will require pain and suffering.

So why give up the easy, complacent life I have right now?

Because to follow God, to take leaps of faith, to suffer for Him daily, to train body, soul, and mind, are apart of worshiping the one true God. What other purpose to living is there than this?

-Fall 2008

limpa

brazil 2006

Wondering.

The Xingu River, Brazil June 2006

What is it

Picture taken in Hawaii, 2005

What is happiness if it's not shared,
A hug if it's left alone,
Love by itself?

What is hope if it's not given,
A thought if not expressed,
Life if not together?

I will be posting short stories, short essays, poems and pictures. It's my little adventure--please come join me.

- [Keity] Snow