Lose My Soul by TobyMac

"Not the same, even though I made a fall,
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I'm Paul.
(YEP!)"

Now maybe it would help to clarify these lyrics. I found this explanation on www.gardenofpraise.com

Saul was an angry man who persecuted Christians. Persecute means to treat in a cruel and mean manner.

Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest any Christians that were in the synagogues. A synagogue is a building used by Jews for worship and teaching. Then an amazing thing happened. Saul was thinking about how he could hurt the Christians as he traveled. As he came near Damascus, a bright light suddenly shone down from heaven.

Saul fell to the ground, and a voice said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

Saul answered, "Who are you, Lord?"

The voice then said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to fight against me. Go now into Damascus and you will be told what you must do."

When Saul got up from the ground, he was blind. Others had to lead him by the hand into the city. For three days Saul was blind and did not eat or drink anything.

God told a man named Ananias in a dream that he should go see Saul. He found Saul and laid his hands on him, and Saul was able to see again. The preacher told him to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins.

Saul was sorry for the things he had been doing. He began doing the things that Jesus wanted him to do. After his conversion, Saul's name was changed to Paul, and he spent the rest of his life serving Jesus and teaching people about him. He became a missionary to people all over the world. A missionary is a person who is sent by a church to teach about Christ.

Paul, the apostle, suffered many persecutions. Instead of being the person who hurt other Christians, he became persecuted himself for Christ's sake.


What does this story
mean to me?

Saul was guilty of many sins including the killing of Christians, but God forgave him of even such a great sin. God will forgive us of our sins if we repent and turn from them.

NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness)

NAMI should really crack down on the sharks of Hollywood. What they put people through is unreal. How is this America when the rich are allowed to psychologically torture people at will.

The Wallflowers even wrote about it "emotional homicide is no crime." Well let me tell you, it damn right should be!

Standards and values

The subject at hand tonight was the institutionalization of the Catholic church. I happen to love the Catholic church (and want to protect it). Anyway, he was trying to illustrate a point (of his) to me. In doing so he made the analogy of taking a Ming vase (a vase from the Ming Dynasty) from a museum and placing it in a dollar store. He argued that the vase would then become devalued. My response, which he was not prepared for, and subsequently rambled over, was that it all depends on your standards and values. Is art a commodity or thing of beauty? So much in life depends upon your perspective.

This same guy later argued that works of charity were done to appease an inward need and to gain recognition. Now, perhaps this is what motivates him, but all I have to say is that Jesus gave me the answer to that one. Faith without works is dead.

On my radio tonight

The first thing that I heard as I turned the ignition to my car, "Nothing is impossible with God."

WWMS (What Would Mary Say?)

Me, I'm a pretty easygoing girl for the most part. Opinionated? Sure. But you'd never know with my laid back demeanor.

Social injustice really pushes my buttons because I've been a lifelong fan of the underdog. (I really loved that you were into Ipswich, John)

Unfortunately, there's a group of people that really like to get me stirred up and boy do I think of some appropriate things to say to them. However, putting them to rights does not seem to further my case.

I talked about this to a priest who gave me some priceless advice (also known as wisdom). He told me to think of Mary as Jesus was lead to the cross. Surely, she must have come across some pretty crude thoughts about the people spitting on and ridiculing her Son as she walked faithfully behind him.

Mary, some days I don't know how you held it together, girl. But you did. And so should I.

Mr. Mandela and me

Things sure must have looked bleak to Nelson Mandela as he was oppressed by a corrupt government (check). But, he had an unshakable faith in God (check). And look at him now.

The other thing I have in common with Mr. Mandela is that my yes means yes and my no means no. And I treat people fairly. You can look back during the course of my life and this has always been the case. Additionally, I have never taken a bribe and never intend to.

Conga Se Menne

Aurinko Paista (The Sun Is Shining). For all you vampires out there, this is what it sounds like to have joy in your heart. It's just a simple song about fishing.

I used to catch them playing on campus at Northern Michigan University, they played Finnish reggae. (There is a large Finnish population in the Upper Peninsula.) My friend Jen was a huge fan and was a regular at their gigs at the local Holiday Inn.

St. Francis of Assisi

I have a little shrine started in my bedroom. I bought the St. Francis statue just after Christmas, I got really lucky and it was on sale.

When I told my aunt (who is a Sister of Mercy) about it, she mentioned that she was recently just given an autographed copy of a children's book on St. Francis of Assisi, written by a Kennedy. We sometimes have a weird synchronicity, and this was one of the times.

As I read the biography of Robert F. Kennedy, I instantly felt better about my collection of religious paraphanalia. Sometimes my parents will look at me strangely for bringing in a new statue, but then again, they hardly ever go to church.

Robert F. Kennedy mentioned in the opening of his book that he had not one but several shrines in his home. Not a bad quality, I feel, to be shared with one of the most prominent Catholic families in this country.





St. Francis of Assisi is primarily known for his love of animals. A local animal activist group here (called Concern for Critters) does a yearly blessing of the animals in his name.

Brooklyn at 3 months