Headlines, lyrics, & scriptures: Today there's a kaleidoscope in my head

Sometimes the cacophony in my head is too much....

Sometimes there are so many images, sounds, phrases, and memories swirling around like a tornado, each layered atop the other, moving in and out of focus and back again, yet from a different angle, creating a kaleidoscopic experience that is both irritating and fascinating. Yes, sometimes I fear I'm going stark raving mad. In order to maintain a semblance of sanity I have to find a distraction or I have to write. Usually when trying to distract myself I only add fodder to the mix....

Today I choose to write - or to "toss my [mental] cookies" - in an attempt to give some order to the chaos and perhaps find some themes to my ensuing madness.

All aboard! Hahahahahaha

AyeAyeAyeAyeAye 

Crazy, but that's how it goes

Millions of people living as foes

Maybe it's not too late

To learn how to love and forget how to hate. 

Mental wounds not healing

Life's a bitter shame

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train 

I've listened to preachers,

I've listened to fools

I've watched all the dropouts

Who make their own rules

One person conditioned to rule and control

The media sells it and you live the role 

Mental wounds still screaming

Driving me insane

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train 

I know that things are going wrong for me

You gotta listen to my words, yeah, yeah 

Heirs of a cold war,

that's what we've become

Inheriting troubles,

I'm mentally numb

Crazy, I just cannot bear

I'm living with something that just isn't fair 

Mental wounds not healing

Who and what's to blame

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train 

(Crazy Train, by Ozzy Osborne)

Welcome to the Powderkeg: Obama arrives in Israel as Middle East conflict boils (Huffington Post headline) 

"Blessed are the peacemakers...." (Jesus, Matthew 5:9)  

Could you ever love a pot of gold?

Could you ever love another lonely soul?

And could you ever find a love that was oceans wide?

Could you ever find love in another stranger's eyes? 

Give a little tolerance, tolerance

We need you more and more

So lend a hand or simply hold a friend

That’s in need of a life support 

Draw a picture, share a whisper

Anyway that you can rise above

And when the end is near, who is gonna volunteer?

To be the last one to die for love 

Tolerance or violence

And the whole world goes to war

Is one enough or is one too many?

Before we say, "No more"

No more, no more

No more, no more

(Tolerance, by Michael Franti)

"He did not study God; he was dazzled by him." (said of Bishop Welcome, by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables)

When Slavery Begins at 3 Years Old (Video on CNN.com)

"What is this history of Fantine? It is society purchasing a slave. From whom? From misery. From hunger, cold, isolation, destitution. A dolorous bargain. A soul for a morsel of bread. Misery offers; society accepts. The sacred law of Jesus Christ governs our civilization, but it does not, as yet, permeate it; it is said that slavery has disappeared from European civilization. This is a mistake. It still exists; but it weighs only upon the woman, and it is called prostitution. It weighs upon the woman, that is to say, upon grace, weakness, beauty, maternity. This is not one of the least of man's disgraces." (Victor Hugo, Les Miserables) 

No Bullets, No Bombs...North Korea Launches CYBER WAR (Fox News top story)

"God never forces himself on us or coerces you toward life or love by any threats whatsoever. God seduces you, yes; coerces you, no (Jeremiah 20:7; Matthew 11:28-30). ...God...is utterly free and utterly respects our own human freedom. Love cannot happen in any other way. Love flourishes inside freedom and then increases that freedom even more. 'For freedom Christ has set us free!' shouts St. Paul in his critique of all legalistic religion (Galatians 5:1)." (Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamonds, p. 177)

Rainbow House Get's Revenge on [Westboro Baptist] Church (CNN feature and Huffpost "most shared" story)

"...Love your neighbor as yourself." (Jesus, Matthew 22:39)

"You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." (Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, p. 22)

 "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (The Apostle Paul, Romans 12:14)  

"I will undertake the care of your child and yourself. You shall not work any longer if you do not like. I will give all the money you require. You shall be honest and happy once more. And listen! I declare to you that...you have never ceased to be virtuous and holy in the sight of God. Oh poor woman!" (Jean Valjean to Fantine, who had turned to prostitution to earn money to care for her child, by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables)

Ohio teen wears "killer" shirt, curses at victims' families (USA Today story)

Mental wounds not healing

Who and what's to blame

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train

I'm goin' off the rails on a crazy train 

(Crazy Train, by Ozzy Osborne)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" (Jesus, Matthew 5:38-47)

Fumbling his confidence

And wondering why

The world has passed him by

Hoping that he's bent for more than arguments

And failed attempts to fly, to fly 

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

Somewhere we live inside

Somewhere we live inside

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

Somewhere we live inside 

Dreaming about providence

And whether mice and men have second tries

Maybe we've been livin' with our eyes half open

Maybe we're bent and broken, broken 

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

Somewhere we live inside

Somewhere we live inside

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

Somewhere we live inside

We want more than this world's got to offer

We want more than this world's got to offer

We want more than the wars of our fathers

And everything inside screams for second life 

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

We were meant to live for so much more

Have we lost ourselves?

We were meant to live

We were meant to live (Meant to Live, Switchfoot)

And so I ponder. 

And so I struggle. 

And so my mind swirls with ideas & thoughts of the dark and decaying realities of our world. 

And I realize....

You're God of this city, You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation, You are
You're the light in this darkness, You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless, You are

For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God

Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

You're the Lord of creation, the creator of all things
You're the King above all kings, You are
You're the strength in the weakness, You are love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness, You are

For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God (by Bluetree, God of this City)

And so I pray, with Bono as my Cantor leading me to the throne of God, to the foot of the Cross of Jesus:

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere 
Take this shirt 
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul 
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands 
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth 
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahewh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart 

And make it break  

(by U2, Yahweh)