"Love At Last Sight" book review

The book issues a challenge to those who read it to deepen their relationships and not settle for shallow "Love at first sight" type of relationships that naturally occur.

I enjoyed the fact that the book is not an end-all,cure-all to relational issues, rather the book helps point out areas that can challenge the development of richer and fuller, more God-centered relationships that we are called to live out.

Relationships are a skill and like all skills, it takes time and work to change or hone these relationships. Kerry and Chris help us the reader, in a practical manner by giving us four areas, broken down into weekly topics that we can work on. The weekly topics are: 1) The art of being there 2) The art of acting intentionally 3) The art of risking awkwardness 4) The art of letting go.

I recommend the book for those people who interested in developing relationships that go beyond twitter followers and facebook friends. To go where there is genuine sharing and connection that cannot be achieved through electronic media. To those who realize relationships like life can be difficult and are up to the challenge...read this book!!!

Links to check out: http://lastsightchallenge.com and http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/2010/06/28/sneak-peek-love-at-last-sight/

Touching off a firestorm,by accident...

Evidently I touched off a firestorm, the other day, when I was chatting with: www.twitter.com/SophiaBush from a variety of Muslim/Islamic faith type of people. Wow such passion and interest regarding my views on mosque/community center that could be built on Twin Towers site in NYC. Again I will state my views, I think it is disrespectful/in poor taste, to build a building that has become associated, right or wrong with the Muslim faith, through the hijacking of the faith, by terrorists. This seems to touch too close to home, for myself and a large amount of people who live here in a the United States of America, ms. Bush pointed out that this is America, land of religious freedom, which is incorrect, as demonstrated by more and more Christian symbols and the faith itself, being not allowed into public schools, whereas Muslim faith is being more and more accepted and expected within public domain. Should Islamic faith be considered or given special consideration simply to be "politically correct?" Categorically not, nor should Christianity,of which I belong to, and am active in sharing my faith. Exclusion of faith, any faith, changes the dynamic of "religious freedom" Yes, there will always be those of the extreme nature who take a faith and distort it to their own personal uses.

To those "Christians" "Muslims" ...whoever takes a faith and uses it to their own ends, you will be found out and exposed for what you are. In this life or the next.

I am not anti-muslim or racist or whatever, fun and descriptive name chosen for my views, nor a "hater" which no one seems to be able to apply or correctly use, even that race that quote/unquote came up with the phrase to begin with. I am pro-Christian and a follower of Christ, I am not perfect, nor is any follower of Christ, but am attempting to become closer to the image of Christ and what He desires for me to be. I will not back down or be "Politically correct" another curious phrase, a phrase used to demonstate universal acceptance and sit around pretending to accept everyone and be all-inclusive to the point of ad nauseum. There has never been anyone accepted by everyone and the attempt is futile and the time would be better used in trying to make a difference in the world we live in and not placating everyone's feelings...

Hope my views are better understood, twitter is great but there are times for sharing beyond the "140 characters" and unpacking thoughts so as to not be misunderstood or misquoted.

Attraction/lust vs love

I have been asked my opinion of love at first sight theory. I have come to the conclusion that it does not exist. Let me unpack why...

I believe that attraction/lust for a person can and does occur all the time, that is natural and the norm. We see a person and their body, personality or other physical aspect is attractive to us. But that is purely physical. True love takes time for the reason that love takes in both the good and less attractive qualities a person has and loves them anyway. Love sees the irritating and bothersome quality and realizes it is part of a person's character and accepts this quality along with the qualities that makes feel attraction to them. Love is neither a feeling or action first, in my opinion, it is rather the very character of God Himself. For it says, "God is Love." Thus our love for a person flows out of Who God is in our lives. This brings up another interesting question, that I am still considering, and that is: "Can you or I truly love if we are not followers of Christ?!?"

Love says, "You are not perfect nor am I, but just as you accept me as is, I also accept you." While attraction/lust says, " if you don't keep changing and fixing yourself to keep me interested in you I will find someone else who will."

So attraction/lust is fine for causing desire for someone, but seems to not be there for long run, thus if we build a relationship or worse yet a marriage on this, good luck to us, when tough times occur in our relationship. Shallowly built relationships seem to be doomed to failure and divorces occur, since we nothing to fall back on. That is what I have come up with so far on the topic of is there such a thing as love at first sight. Thanx...