Brett's Discernment

I think one of my faults which I am very self-critical in lately is that I overthink things. I overthink, overanalyze, and complicate situations much more than what needs to be. I am trying to learn to see things simpler, and pray about them sooner, and just see Christ more in decision-making, and truly understand my lack of free will (in a sense) but instead the need to let the Spirit flow through me and work through me. k.i.s.s.

That being said, a couple thoughts:
I see God though: manners and trying to go out of my way when I'm out at stores or such to be polite. I really like getting into conversations with strangers, for no other reason than to brighten their day for a little bit or remind them that good people (God in us) are still around and manners are still alive. I love manners. I think they are really important.

Also, other than manners, I was thinking about what I would like to instill in my students when it comes to morality and ethics. And I was in my car and this song came on the CD player, and I think the lyrics, though cheesy, would work well as a morality lesson for my overly-entitled, overly priviledged students:
Smile
Like you’ve got nothing to prove
No matter what you might do
There’s always someone out there cooler than you

I know that’s hard to believe
But there are people you meet
They’re into something that is too big to be
Expressed
Through their clothes
And they’ll put up with all the poses you throw
And you won’t
Even know

That they’re not sizing you up
They know your mom fucked you up
Or maybe let you watch too much TV

But they’ll still look in your eyes
To find the human inside
You know there’s always something in there to see

Beneath
The veneer
Not everybody made the list this year
Have a beer

Make me feel tiny if it makes you feel tall
But there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, you’re the shit
But you won’t be it for long
Oh, there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, there’s always someone cooler than you

Now that I’ve got the disease
In a way I’m relieved
Cause’ I don’t have to stress about it like you do
I might just get up and dance
Or buy some acid washed pants
If you don’t care
Then you got nothing to lose

And I won’t
Hesitate
Cause every moment life is slipping away
It’s ok

Make me feel tiny if it makes you feel tall
But there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, you’re the shit
But you won’t be it for long
Oh, there’s always someone cooler than you
Yeah, there’s always someone cooler than you
Oh, there’s always someone cooler than

Life is wonderful
Life is beautiful
We’re all children of
One big universe
So you don’t have to be
A chump


And finally, I think e.e. cummings is amazing, and I especially enjoy his comment on truly living which I will post here:

" . . . Only how measureless cool flames of making, only each other building always distinct selves of mutual entirely opening;only alive. Never the murdered finalities of wherewhen and yesno,impotent nongames of wrongrightand rightwrong;never to gain or pause,never the soft adventure of undoom,greedy anguishes and cringing ecstasies of inexistence;never to rest and never to have:only to grow.
Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question."