They all have stories ...and each one has touched my heart, with heart-wrenching emotions.

And we can't expect each person to cope the same. Sometimes it takes a long time. 

Some people talk about it right away, but sadly I don't think they are the majority.

Each story is different, yet each is painful.

Some don't like to talk about it at all. Some talk about it for a short time, then never want to talk about it again. Their lives have to move on ...they don't want to keep reliving the horrid past.

All of these people have told some of their story, and some want their story to continue to be told. Maybe some don't ...and I apologize if that is the case here.

Seemingly at the top of her career ...The Pirate Movie

Then their is the life of Chloe Cole ...who wants her story to be told, and sadly many don't want to hear it. I can't understand how someone cannot want her message to be heard. Horrifically wrong things need to be brought to the light, or they likely will continue. 

I wholeheartedly stand by your message, Chloe. I hope you realize how wonderful you are.

And there are those who know that they must step forward, being part of the justice that needs to be done.

I am always impressed by the work and dedication that is put forth by gymnasts to get a very difficult routine down, to compete on an international level (at any level actually).

But, I am even more impressed that they were strongly pursuing these goals, in spite of the fact of what terrible things they were being subjected to at the time.

How impressed are we??

McKayla Maroney had her eyes set on the gold, which she received with the team medal ...yet, there seemed to be no silver lining, in her view, for getting second place in the individual vault.  Her expression was popularized as the 'unimpressed look'.

(In fairness, whether it is through a coach's prompting, or if the person relents and also pushes themselves, the individual is not always put first ...it's the competition, and McKayla had a foot injury, so when she tried to stick a landing, it was not her best.  In my opinion, and the opinion of many, I think she would have received the gold medal.  I believe she is the best vaulter of all time. And it's understandable she would be a bit disappointed.) 

And though most everyone would be impressed with meeting the President of the United States ...it made for a very cute, and comical pose, as if neither of them were impressed by their meeting. 

What person would you be impressed with??

My heart went out to all of these people ...and I prayed for them.

I guess it is rather clear that if I prayed, I must believe in an omnipresent Supreme Being who hears my prayers.

Who do I feel this Supreme Being is?? 

And what is your impression of God??

You can ask McKayla ...you can ask Barack Obama ...you can ask me ...but, I'd like you to ask yourself.

Our peers have much influence on how we perceive God. I've been told that God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent ...and I know of no other who is present everywhere, knows everything, and is all-powerful.

There are people who seem to be 'on the go', and going everywhere ...but, just having a minute with them, I could guess someplace they haven't been. 

When I was in college, not only had I left home, experiencing that independence, but I was also formulating my own opinions.  I remember Dad's response after hearing one of my newly formed opinions, "Now that you've been to college, you think you know everything." 

I did know how I felt after that ...and Dad had the right idea, that I didn't know everything. 

And News Flash! ...this just in, I still don't know everything.

It would seem that the more places you go, the more you'd know ...but, that is not true.  There has to be wisdom associated with each observation or perspective. And to add all-powerful to the description is a bit scary.  When we look at our history, many people were not only powerful, but also continually striving to be so ...and often there were very bad outcomes.

What needs to be part of the mix to bring comfort to such a thought of an all-powerful presence?? 

How about 'love'??

Now, 'love' is not universally understood to mean the same thing.  One person's mention of love may not be another's view of it at all.  And from my perspective, it is very sad to me when I hear people say God does not love us.

And often when someone agrees that we have a loving God, they appear to view love as God agreeing with us, not us agreeing with what God says.

I read comic books when I was young ...and also continued to do so into adulthood.  I watched most of the Marvel movies with our kids.  Together, we saw many powerful 'beings', with many diverse characteristics ...some showing sacrificial commitment, and others violently striving for power and conquest.

Looking at the cover of the comic book was not a sure indication of what a character was like ...though certain ones did look evil to me. Yet, I had to read the comics to find out more about the characters, more than just judging by appearances. (As they say, "You can't judge a book by its cover." And this was serious stuff to me. They were the hero versus villain type of comic books, and they were intense, not comical.)

I liked to draw when I was younger, and I could draw the characters, but I couldn't discuss the characters with someone else unless I first read about them.

How can we discuss anything about the character of God without reading about Him??

With the comic books, I liked to guess how the story was going to go, and would base that somewhat on what I had already read, but often I was wrong ...I had to read the next story too.

We also have to read about the entire Bible to get the full story. Without the Bible, I have no way of truly knowing about God's character.  I can feel His presence, I can look into the night sky and sense His majesty, I can appreciate thoughts I feel came from Him, and I can embrace a sense of love ...but, I also know of others who have done the opposite. They doubt His caring presence, they imagine a sense of callous aloofness, their thoughts breed negativity and assume the worst, and they embrace that which is not true.

I may not know what is true with the hero or villain, unless I read the continuing saga within the script of the comic book.  But, I can get frustrated with the comic book characters because some of the writer's have done what many people have done with their perception of God ---they change the character. But with God, His character does not change ...it is how we perceive things that may make things confusing. In a book or movie that is called good writing. The Bible also sums things up for us. We have the final scene written out for us ...and at that point, there are no other plot points or twists.

The problem is, many people have come to believe what others have said, as to their view that the Bible is corrupted.  And if by chance they do believe in God, they believe whatever they seem to want to believe ...good or bad.

I believe there is love in the world, and there is hate. I believe God loves us, and I believe He wants us to understand. And I believe the Bible is what He chose for us to have ...so we can understand Him. 

Understanding is not always a simple thing ...but, I have read the entire Bible, and though that does not mean I understand everything written there, I can clearly see God's loving character. 

This next part is about my understanding of that. 

You can be 'unimpressed' if you want to be, as you are not supposed to be impressed with me ...it is my desire to know Him, and then we can share together that love which He has revealed to us.