I love people. (FOT related)
I've met a lot of people in my life so far. I've met them from every walk of life, and in lots of different places and circumstances. There are so many people to get to know out there in the world ... it's just absolutely overwhelming.
I've talked to some people and read some forums online where I frequent, and I see that a lot of the rest of the world is just not the same. I've talked to people that had never left the state they were born in, even after 20+ years of life, going to college and the like. Even in smaller states than Texas (which counts more as a country). I can't even fathom a situation like this. Even during our poorest times (which consisted of my family going to the Big Sandy feast site 10 years in a row), we still found ways to get out and do stuff. Like a family reunion up north ... or a trip to a Y.O.U. basketball tournament a state away.
And then you get online and read about some more extreme cases. On one forum, a guy was talking about his hardcore social anxiety, and the fact that he hasn't left the house in years. In fact, the only people that he has interacted with in person for the last 5 or so are his parents. Even meeting relatives is something that scared him greatly, or the idea of walking out on his front porch where people might just be able to see him. He knew it was pathetic, but there was nothing that could change his mind (so he thought) and he was content to stay in his house for the rest of his natural life.
This is a very extreme case, but it's something you see more and more of nowadays. Even if a person has no or little social anxiety, a lot of people have no reason to leave the house anymore. They get all the interaction with "people" they need on the internet. Need to bank? Internet. Want to rent a movie? NetFlix. Want to argue and Jerry Springer it out with someone without getting hit over the head with a chair? Internet.
So then I think to myself, how come I know so many people? And it almost entirely comes down to the fact that I have met and kept in contact with so many people through the church, and more specifically, the Feast of Tabernacles. I have a limited number of people that I know through the rest of my life (high school, college, local buddies), but the majority of people that I know and love are in the church. And where are they? All over the world! Multiple countries. And I don't just know them like, "Hey, I recognize your face ... you're *insert name here*". I've sat down with these people, talked to these people, joked with these people, appreciated these people. People that still keep in contact with me as often as a normal life can allow.
I feel as though God had this in mind a little when he instituted the Feast of Tabernacles. Imagine being a member of the Church, but then really knowing only 4-5 people tops that you are comfortable talking to. I'm not saying that you can't be a Godly person or a Christian without knowing multitudes of people, but it has GOT to be harder. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves ... to love the entire world's population with care and outgoing concern. Can you really grasp that concept if your entire world is only about 3 blocks wide + the local supermarket? The Feast of Tabernacles gets us out of our comfort zone, moves us around, but then groups us up with people of like mind. From all over the place, too! These people that you enjoy being with and talking to are from 3000 miles of real estate. Then you stay in contact -- talk to them over long distances, enjoy their companionship, reminisce about the good times and make plans for the next. I don't know how I could possibly imagine only having 3-4 people I could call a good friend. Or a friend at all!
Then this moves on to more aspects of your life. I recently went to a music meet-up with a group from the internet. Years ago this kind of idea would have scared me, but the chance that one of them is a serial killer is as a much a chance as the guy walking past me at the local Chik-Fil-A. So, I go down (up I guess) to the weekend hangout, have a blast, and meet a lot of really cool people. And the next thing you know, they're talking to you more online, sending you emails, remembering the good times, and planning when the next time everyone can hang out again is. And now I'm what? Up to about 0.00000000001% of the world's population? There are so many more people to get to know.
The Feast of Tabernacles has a very profound meaning in the plan of God as it symbolizes 1,000 years of Christ's reign on this earth. A truly awesome time in the history of mankind. There are so many different lessons that are taught when we attend the FOT, and I'm hard-pressed to believe that this was just a coincidence in the big plan. For some reason, I'm often reminded of this passage in the OT where Elijah was getting all depressed about being the sole person that believed and obeyed God:
I Kings 19:13-18 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
No need to feel lonely out there, because there are a ton of people in this world that truly care about you. Just jump online and send one of them an IM. Maybe you'll see them in a couple months. Oh, and try to meet a couple more neighbors along the way, too. You might be surprised how much you love them.
I've talked to some people and read some forums online where I frequent, and I see that a lot of the rest of the world is just not the same. I've talked to people that had never left the state they were born in, even after 20+ years of life, going to college and the like. Even in smaller states than Texas (which counts more as a country). I can't even fathom a situation like this. Even during our poorest times (which consisted of my family going to the Big Sandy feast site 10 years in a row), we still found ways to get out and do stuff. Like a family reunion up north ... or a trip to a Y.O.U. basketball tournament a state away.
And then you get online and read about some more extreme cases. On one forum, a guy was talking about his hardcore social anxiety, and the fact that he hasn't left the house in years. In fact, the only people that he has interacted with in person for the last 5 or so are his parents. Even meeting relatives is something that scared him greatly, or the idea of walking out on his front porch where people might just be able to see him. He knew it was pathetic, but there was nothing that could change his mind (so he thought) and he was content to stay in his house for the rest of his natural life.
This is a very extreme case, but it's something you see more and more of nowadays. Even if a person has no or little social anxiety, a lot of people have no reason to leave the house anymore. They get all the interaction with "people" they need on the internet. Need to bank? Internet. Want to rent a movie? NetFlix. Want to argue and Jerry Springer it out with someone without getting hit over the head with a chair? Internet.
So then I think to myself, how come I know so many people? And it almost entirely comes down to the fact that I have met and kept in contact with so many people through the church, and more specifically, the Feast of Tabernacles. I have a limited number of people that I know through the rest of my life (high school, college, local buddies), but the majority of people that I know and love are in the church. And where are they? All over the world! Multiple countries. And I don't just know them like, "Hey, I recognize your face ... you're *insert name here*". I've sat down with these people, talked to these people, joked with these people, appreciated these people. People that still keep in contact with me as often as a normal life can allow.
I feel as though God had this in mind a little when he instituted the Feast of Tabernacles. Imagine being a member of the Church, but then really knowing only 4-5 people tops that you are comfortable talking to. I'm not saying that you can't be a Godly person or a Christian without knowing multitudes of people, but it has GOT to be harder. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves ... to love the entire world's population with care and outgoing concern. Can you really grasp that concept if your entire world is only about 3 blocks wide + the local supermarket? The Feast of Tabernacles gets us out of our comfort zone, moves us around, but then groups us up with people of like mind. From all over the place, too! These people that you enjoy being with and talking to are from 3000 miles of real estate. Then you stay in contact -- talk to them over long distances, enjoy their companionship, reminisce about the good times and make plans for the next. I don't know how I could possibly imagine only having 3-4 people I could call a good friend. Or a friend at all!
Then this moves on to more aspects of your life. I recently went to a music meet-up with a group from the internet. Years ago this kind of idea would have scared me, but the chance that one of them is a serial killer is as a much a chance as the guy walking past me at the local Chik-Fil-A. So, I go down (up I guess) to the weekend hangout, have a blast, and meet a lot of really cool people. And the next thing you know, they're talking to you more online, sending you emails, remembering the good times, and planning when the next time everyone can hang out again is. And now I'm what? Up to about 0.00000000001% of the world's population? There are so many more people to get to know.
The Feast of Tabernacles has a very profound meaning in the plan of God as it symbolizes 1,000 years of Christ's reign on this earth. A truly awesome time in the history of mankind. There are so many different lessons that are taught when we attend the FOT, and I'm hard-pressed to believe that this was just a coincidence in the big plan. For some reason, I'm often reminded of this passage in the OT where Elijah was getting all depressed about being the sole person that believed and obeyed God:
I Kings 19:13-18 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
No need to feel lonely out there, because there are a ton of people in this world that truly care about you. Just jump online and send one of them an IM. Maybe you'll see them in a couple months. Oh, and try to meet a couple more neighbors along the way, too. You might be surprised how much you love them.
posted by Karl at 12:04 PM
3 Comments:
I <3 you, Karl!
Just keep in mind that you don't have to leave your state to go to the best site this year Karl. Remember, Colorado's cold and... um... it doesn't have the Alamo. Remember the Alamo!
Jonathan's playing your music right now and he & Michelle are singing it. (= Just thought it might make you smile to hear. ;)
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