“
Boom, boom, fucking boom, Da. I'm done for...
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
¨I think I need you for keeps.¨
¨I think I need you for keeps, too.¨
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
No, no, no, Da, I'm serious," I slurred. "I think I love that girl."
"Well, who's this girl?"
"She's a river," I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm keeping her Da.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
She makes my heart go, like, whoa. Boom, boom, fucking boom. All the time.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I'm your daddy on the field, bitch.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I once read somewhere that we mature with damage, not with age.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
If this is love, then it's you. You are love.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I hated humans.
They were such a disappointment.
And to think, god switched dinosaurs for man.
He must be raging.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
But don't forget that you'll always be my 13." She sniffled and wiped my cheek with her fingers. "My binding 13." I choked out a pained laugh, thinking about that stupid bet. "You heard about that?" "Yeah." Half-sobbing/ half-laughing, Shannon smiled and nodded. "I won.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Keeping 13 (Boys of Tommen, #2))
“
Boys with pretty eyes and big muscles mess everything up for girls.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Now, tell me who made you cry and I'll fix it.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
She was worth it all.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
For once in my life, I wanted a safe place to run to instead of from.
I felt like I was slowly dying in that house.
In my home.
Where I was supposed to lay my head.
Where I was supposed to feel safe.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I just wanted her. For keeps.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I don't agree with your choices", I croaked out. "But I respect that they are yours to make.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Humans didn't deserve the love and loyalty dogs gave them.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I can take you home when you have to go?
What the actual fuck?
I might as well have shouted, love me, fucking love me at the girl.
I felt like a bleeding eejit.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
But you can't destroy what's already broken...
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
SHANNON LIKE THE RIVER. WILL YOU PLEASE BE MY FRIEND?
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
You are so concerned with fighting the bullies at school, Mam," I sobbed, tears streaming down my cheeks. "When the biggest bully of them all lives under this roof.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I wanted to fight all her battles. I wanted to give her all her smiles and make her laugh and snatch her away from the rest of the world and keep her all to myself. I just wanted her. For keeps.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I once read somewhere that we mature with damage, not with age. If that's the case, I was an old age pensioner in the emotional stakes.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
And when you fuck with her, you fuck with me.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Bolting over to him, I collapsed down on the bed and wrapped my arms around my brother's neck, clinging to him like he was the only thing holding my world together.
Sometimes I thought that might be true.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
¨I think I need you for keeps,¨ he slurred. ¨I think I need you for keeps, too,¨ I confessed.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I hated humans. They were such a disappointment. And to think, God switched dinosaurs for man.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Fathers were bastards and men couldn't be trusted.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
A lifetime of striving to be the best.
The fear of not being good enough.
And the constant, sinking feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
She makes my heart go, like, whoa
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Well, he is her brother, lad," Gibsie offered. "He was obviously going to come back for her." "I don’t give a shite," I snapped, thinking about her bruised face. "I didn’t want her to leave, Gibs, and he just took her away from me. And I let him!" "You do know that you're not allowed to keep humans as pets, don’t you?" he asked in a wry tone. "You know that's just dogs and cats, right?
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Relax,” Johnny whispered in my ear, distracting me from my memories. “You’re safe with me.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
The leaders use their power to crush people's natural desire to think for themselves. It's foot binding for the brain.
”
”
Haruki Murakami (1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3))
“
But I already felt like I was drowning with her. That's how consumed I was in this girl. That's how much I loved her. Fuck.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I’m your daddy on the field, bitch.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Put your head up, Shannon like the river.” Moments later, he draped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me in to his side. “No one’s going to hurt you.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
She makes my heart go, like, whoa." "Is that right?" he mused. "So bad, Da," I sighed. "Boom, boom, fucking boom." I shook my head. "All the time.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
You're getting soaked out here." "But you won't have a jacket," I blurted out. "But you will,
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I didn’t have anything to offer this boy.
Nothing at all.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
A boy had never called me beautiful before
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
And every fucker has an answer for every other fucker's problem – until it's their own fucking problem and then they're fucked.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
If my parents' relationship was a representation of love, then I wanted no part of it.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen #1))
“
Your mother is a baker," I snapped. "How do you not know how to work a bleeding stove?" "And yours is a flashy fashion designer," he shot back. "But I don't see you prancing around the place in fur coats and Prada handbags.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I didn’t understand how people could hurt any animals, but especially dogs. They were too good for us. Humans didn’t deserve the love and loyalty dogs gave them.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Who's making you sad?" he asked then, voice slurred and sleepy. "Tell me, baby.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Me too. To assholes and bullshit,” Johnny snarled. “Now, tell me who made you cry and I’ll fix it.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Boom fucking boom da
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen #1))
“
Darren was born gay, the same way Joey was born straight and I was born empty.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
But weren't all teenagers a little fucked up and troubled sometimes?
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
It didn’t make sense to me. But his smiles were addictive. The more he offered, the more I craved.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I don’t give a shite," I snapped, thinking about her bruised face. "I didn’t want her to leave, Gibs, and he just took her away from me. And I let him!"
"You do know that you're not allowed to keep humans as pets, don’t you?" he asked in a wry tone. "You know that's just dogs and cats, right?
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Hughie placed a hand on my shoulder. “Keep looking out for her, Cap,” he said, squeezing my shoulder. “God knows someone needs to.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
They should have been called soul blue because they were deep as fuck and sucked a person right in…
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
¨I think I need you for keeps,¨ he slurred.
¨I think I need you for keeps, too,¨ I confessed.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
To anyone who's ever had a dream they dared to chase with insatiable hunger and drive.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen #1))
“
And so we begin the game that cannot be won,” Thom said, sliding the knife back into its sheath. “Courage to strengthen,” Noal whispered, stepping forward, holding up a lantern with a flickering flame. “Fire to blind. Music to dazzle. Iron to bind.” “And Matrim Cauthon,” Mat added. “To bloody even the odds.” He stepped through the doorway. Light
”
”
Robert Jordan (Towers of Midnight (The Wheel of Time, #13))
“
Okay? I know that. It was wrong. I understand. I just…I just…” “You just what, Shannon?” he coaxed. “I thought you liked me,” I strangled out. “Jesus Christ,” Johnny groaned, dropping his head in his hands. “Of course, I like you.” He tugged on his hair and sighed. “I think it’s pretty fucking clear that I’m mad about you.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Nobody is going to open their mouth about it." Realizing my tone was bordering on angry, I brought it down a notch and tried again. "Not the team, Coach, or anyone else. I won't let them."
She blinked her confusion. "You won't let them?"
"That's right," I confirmed with a nod. "I won't let them."
"You promise?" she whispered, a tiny smile pulling at her swollen lips.
"Yeah," I replied gruffly, feeling like I would promise all the fucking promises in the world just to make this girl feel better. "I've got your
back.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I won't let you fall," I automatically replied in a soothing tone. "It's okay." I felt her slip and pulled her upright, holding onto the tiny thing for all I was worth. "I've got you," I coaxed, tightening my arm around her. "You're good.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Shannon like the river was on my mind, and I didn’t fucking like it. I didn’t like that she was taking up valuable time in my head.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
No, baby, I don’t mind.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Please be seventeen. Please fucking throw me a bone and tell me you’re seventeen. “I’m fifteen.” Fuck my luck.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Funny how my sister always seems to get mauled and knocked around when you're near her, Kavanagh.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I carefully scrolled through his playlists and almost had a heart attack when my eyes landed on the one named Songs for Shannon.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I love you, Shannon like the river,
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Oh?” I looked up at him. “Which one?” He shifted in discomfort. “‘She Will Be Loved.’” Oh. Oh wow.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Give me a name," Johnny growled, dropping his hands to his hips. "And I'll take care of it.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Shut the fuck up!” Joey roared back at her. “You are the most pathetic excuse for a mother that ever walked the earth.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I might as well have shouted, love me, fucking love me at the girl.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Because no one should be putting their goddamn anything on her,” I barked.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
After accidentally dialing the contact Casual Sex and hearing Coach Mulcahy’s voice on the other line, I quickly hung up.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Johnny shrugged, but didn’t answer my question. Instead, he swooped down and grabbed my schoolbag. “Come on.” Throwing my bag over his shoulder, he pressed a hand to my back and nudged me forward. “Big brother gave me permission to take you home.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Lizzie rolled into school in a boy's school trousers and runners, uncaring of what anyone had to say about her appearance. She honestly didn’t seem to care what people thought. She dressed according to her mood and projected vibes the same way. She could show up tomorrow in a skirt and with a full face of makeup. She did what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it, unaware and uncaring of anyone else's opinion. She oozed a lazy sort of confidence with her long, dark blonde, swishing ponytail and makeup-free face, emphasizing those big, blue eyes of hers.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
If feelings were objects, then I was teetering on the edge of a great precipice, and if girls were weapons, then she was the greatest weapon of mass destruction my heart had ever been exposed to.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
One of his eyes was turning purple and swelling at a rapid pace, and he had a steady trail of blood flowing down his eyebrow, but it didn’t seem to faze him one bit. Johnny's attention wasn’t on the medic or the referee shouting commands in his ear. He was too busy looking at me.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Theologian Donald Carson writes: Ideally . . . the church itself is not made up of natural “friends.” It is made up of natural enemies. What binds us together is not common education, common race, common income levels, common politics, common nationality, common accents, common jobs, or anything else of that sort. Christians come together . . . because . . . they have all been loved by Jesus himself. . . . They are a band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus’ sake.[13]
”
”
Scott Sauls (Jesus Outside the Lines: A Way Forward for Those Who Are Tired of Taking Sides)
“
Hey, Joe?" "Yeah?" "Can you do me a favor?" He tipped his chin up, letting me know he was listening. "Please don’t do to me what Darren did to us." Folding my hands under my cheek, I whispered, "Don’t leave me." "I won't," my brother vowed, tone laced with grit and sincerity. "I won't ever leave you here with him." I breathed out
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Here –" Reaching into the glove compartment, I pulled out a leather case and quickly flicked through a bunch of mix CDs, stopping when I found the one I wanted, "Listen to track nine." I practically shoved the CD into her hand and shrugged, "Reminds me of you.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Hi, Johnny.” “Boom, boom, fucking boom, Da,” I groaned, slapping a hand against my chest. “I’m done for.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I barely knew her, but I could tell that this one needed minding.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Is that so?” “You’ll be thrown off the team for this.” “For the threat, I’m going to fuck your mother, McGarry,” Gibsie shot back.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
There’ll be another bus,” he shot back. “There won’t be another me.” Dear god, I hoped not.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I think I need you for keeps,” he slurred. “I think I need you for keeps, too,” I confessed.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I wanted her, I realized, and it was entirely inappropriate and horrendous bad luck on my account, but I did. I wanted Shannon Lynch. And worse than wanting her, I really fucking liked her.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
It was real, it was there, I recognized it, and now I could do something about it. I could prevent anything like this from happening again. It wouldn’t happen again. Not on my goddamn watch.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
I was a dog lover. I trusted them. There was something about the way a dog looked at you; they didn’t care if you were a famous rugby player or a homeless person on the streets. They only cared about how you treated them, and once they chose you as their human, you had a faithful friend for the rest of their lives. I didn’t think humans were capable of such compassion and commitment.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Coldplay—“Yellow” Guns N’ Roses—“Sweet Child O’ Mine” Goo Goo Dolls—“Iris” The Fureys—“When You Were Sweet Sixteen” Howie Day—“Collide” The Offspring—“Want You Bad” Busted—“Fall at Your Feet” Aerosmith—“Crazy
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
But it was those wild eyes that really struck me, and I had this crazy urge to google eye color charts just so I could figure out the fucking color blue in her eyes. I would do that later, I decided. Creepy or not, I needed to know.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
You're not coming back, are you?" Joey just stared at me, eyes filled with tears. "I can't," he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. "If I go back inside that house, I'll kill them both." I watched his face, registered the truth he was telling me, and then I unfastened my seatbelt and opened the door. "Goodbye, Joey," I whispered numbly, and then I climbed out and walked inside.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
god at this school,” he growled, “but she’s fair game as far as I’m concerned.” Puffing out his chest like a defected gorilla, he smirked at me. “If I want her, I’ll have her.” “Fair game?” I barked out a laugh. “If you want her, you’ll have her? Christ, kid, what world are you living in?
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Promise me you won’t let any more strangers take you up to a hotel room, okay?
”
”
Kyra Davis (Binding Agreement (Just One Night, #1.3))
“
God, I loved this dog. She was my baby.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
And you're the one who told me to be her friend," I accused. "Well, I was wrong," he chimed. "You can't do it. It'll never work. Give up now.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
You wrote to me. Do not deny it. I’ve read your words and they evoke My deep respect for your emotion, Your trusting soul… and sweet devotion. Your candour has a great appeal And stirs in me, I won’t conceal, Long dormant feelings, scarce remembered. But I’ve no wish to praise you now; Let me repay you with a vow As artless as the one you tendered; Hear my confession too, I plead, And judge me both by word and deed. 13 ’Had I in any way desired To bind with family ties my life; Or had a happy fate required That I turn father, take a wife; Had pictures of domestication For but one moment held temptation- Then, surely, none but you alone Would be the bride I’d make my own. I’ll say without wrought-up insistence That, finding my ideal in you, I would have asked you—yes, it’s true— To share my baneful, sad existence, In pledge of beauty and of good, And been as happy … as I could! 14 ’But I’m not made for exaltation: My soul’s a stranger to its call; Your virtues are a vain temptation, For I’m not worthy of them all. Believe me (conscience be your token): In wedlock we would both be broken. However much I loved you, dear, Once used to you … I’d cease, I fear; You’d start to weep, but all your crying Would fail to touch my heart at all, Your tears in fact would only gall. So judge yourself what we’d be buying, What roses Hymen means to send— Quite possibly for years on end! 15 ’In all this world what’s more perverted Than homes in which the wretched wife Bemoans her worthless mate, deserted— Alone both day and night through life; Or where the husband, knowing truly Her worth (yet cursing fate unduly) Is always angry, sullen, mute— A coldly jealous, selfish brute! Well, thus am I. And was it merely For this your ardent spirit pined When you, with so much strength of mind, Unsealed your heart to me so clearly? Can Fate indeed be so unkind? Is this the lot you’ve been assigned? 16 ’For dreams and youth there’s no returning; I cannot resurrect my soul. I love you with a tender yearning, But mine must be a brother’s role. So hear me through without vexation: Young maidens find quick consolation— From dream to dream a passage brief; Just so a sapling sheds its leaf To bud anew each vernal season. Thus heaven wills the world to turn. You’ll fall in love again; but learn … To exercise restraint and reason, For few will understand you so, And innocence can lead to woe.
”
”
Alexander Pushkin (Eugene Onegin)
“
Fine, lad, I’ll help you,” Gibsie replied with a sigh. “Even though it’ll never work, you’re doomed to fail, and I’ll more than likely end up giving the best man speech at your wedding at some ridiculously young age because you’ll have bulldozed the shit out of things, for now, I will absolutely help you bury your head in the sand.” “That’s not funny, Gibs,” I snapped, bristling. “I know,” he replied—while he laughed his arse off. “It’s hilarious.
”
”
Chloe Walsh (Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1))
“
Feministing writer Jos Truitt puts it, “trans women are disrespected and treated terribly when they don’t pass, but if they do pass they’re called out for upholding the gender binary and cis standards of beauty. It is an impossible bind.”13
”
”
Anne Helen Petersen (Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman)
“
Things I've Learned in 18 Years of Life 1) True love is not something found, rather [sic] something encountered. You can’t go out and look for it. The person you marry and the person you love could easily be two different people. So have a beautiful life while waiting for God to bring along your once-in-a-lifetime love. Don't allow yourself to settle for anything less than them. Stop worrying about who you're going to marry because God's already on the front porch watching your grandchildren play. 2) God WILL give you more than you can handle, so you can learn to lean on him in times of need. He won't tempt you more than you can handle, though. So don't lose hope. Hope anchors the soul. 3) Remember who you are and where you came from. Remember that you are not from this earth. You are a child of heaven, you're invaluable, you are beautiful. Carry yourself that way. 4) Don't put your faith in humanity, humanity is inherently flawed. We are all imperfect people created and loved by a perfect God. Perfect. So put your faith in Him. 5) I fail daily, and that is why I succeed. 6) Time passes, and nothing and everything changes. Don't live life half asleep. Don't drag your soul through the days. Feel everything you do. Be there physically and mentally. Do things that make you feel this way as well. 7) Live for beauty. We all need beauty, get it where you can find it. Clothing, paintings, sculptures, music, tattoos, nature, literature, makeup. It's all art and it's what makes us human. Same as feeling the things we do. Stay human. 8) If someone makes you think, keep them. If someone makes you feel, keep them. 9) There is nothing the human brain cannot do. You can change anything about yourself that you want to. Fight for it. It's all a mental game. 10) God didn’t break our chains for us to be bound again. Alcohol, drugs, depression, addiction, toxic relationships, monotony and repetition, they bind us. Break those chains. Destroy your past and give yourself new life like God has given you. 11) This is your life. Your struggle, your happiness, your sorrow, and your success. You do not need to justify yourself to anyone. You owe no one an explanation for the choices that you make and the position you are in. In the same vein, respect yourself by not comparing your journey to anyone else's. 12) There is no wrong way to feel. 13) Knowledge is everywhere, keep your eyes open. Look at how diverse and wonderful this world is. Are you going to miss out on beautiful people, places, experiences, and ideas because you are close-minded? I sure hope not. 14) Selfless actions always benefit you more than the recipient. 15) There is really no room for regret in this life. Everything happens for a reason. If you can't find that reason, accept there is one and move on. 16) There is room, however, for guilt. Resolve everything when it first comes up. That's not only having integrity, but also taking care of your emotional well-being. 17) If the question is ‘Am I strong enough for this?’ The answer is always, ‘Yes, but not on your own.’ 18) Mental health and sanity above all. 19) We love because He first loved us. The capacity to love is the ultimate gift, the ultimate passion, euphoria, and satisfaction. We have all of that because He first loved us. If you think about it in those terms, it is easy to love Him. Just by thinking of how much He loves us. 20) From destruction comes creation. Beauty will rise from the ashes. 21) Many things can cause depression. Such as knowing you aren't becoming the person you have the potential to become. Choose happiness and change. The sooner the better, and the easier. 22) Half of happiness is as simple as eating right and exercising. You are one big chemical reaction. So are your emotions. Give your body the right reactants to work with and you'll be satisfied with the products.
”
”
Scott Hildreth (Broken People)
“
worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with w crooked speech, 13 x winks with his eyes, signals [3] with his feet, points with his finger, 14 with y perverted heart z devises evil, continually a sowing discord; 15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; b in a moment he will be broken c beyond healing. 16 There are d six things that the LORD hates, d seven that are an abomination to him: 17 e haughty eyes, f a lying tongue, and g hands that shed innocent blood, 18 h a heart that devises wicked plans, i feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 j a false witness who k breathes out lies, and one who a sows discord among brothers. Warnings Against Adultery 20 l My son, keep your father’s commandment, l and forsake not your mother’s teaching. 21 m Bind them on your heart always; n tie them around your neck. 22 o When you walk, they [4] will lead you; o when you lie down, they will p watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. 23 For the commandment is q a lamp and the teaching a light,
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Anonymous (Holy Bible: English Standard Version (ESV))
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It is hard to overestimate the importance of the Catholic church’s value for European culture and for the whole world. It Christianized and civilized barbaric peoples and for a long time was the only guardian of science and art. Here the church’s cloisters were preeminent. The Catholic church developed a spiritual power unequaled anywhere, and today we still admire the way it combined the principle of catholicism with the principle of one sanctifying church, as well as tolerance with intolerance. It is a world in itself. Infinite diversity flows together, and this colorful picture gives it its irresistible charm (Complexio oppositorum). A country has seldom produced so many different kinds of people as has the Catholic church. With admirable power, it has understood how to maintain unity in diversity, to gain the love and respect of the masses, and to foster a strong sense of community. . . . But it is exactly because of this greatness that we have serious reservations. Has this world [of the Catholic church] really remained the church of Christ? Has it not perhaps become an obstruction blocking the path to God instead of a road sign on the path to God? Has it not blocked the only path to salvation? Yet no one can ever obstruct the way to God. The church still has the Bible, and as long as she has it we can still believe in the holy Christian church. God’s word will never be denied (Isa. 55:11), whether it be preached by us or by our sister church. We adhere to the same confession of faith, we pray the same Lord’s Prayer, and we share some of the same ancient rites. This binds us together, and as far as we are concerned we would like to live in peace with our disparate sister. We do not, however, want to deny anything that we have recognized as God’s word. The designation Catholic or Protestant is unimportant. The important thing is God’s word. Conversely, we will never violate anyone else’s faith. God does not desire reluctant service, and God has given everyone a conscience. We can and should desire that our sister church search its soul and concentrate on nothing but the word [1 Cor. 2:12– 13]. Until that time, we must have patience. We will have to endure it when, in false darkness, the “only holy church” pronounces upon our church the “anathema” (condemnation). She doesn’t know any better, and she doesn’t hate the heretic, only the heresy. As long as we let the word be our only armor we can look confidently into the future.
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Eric Metaxas (Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy)
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One possibility is that many of these universes are unstable and decay to our familiar universe. We recall that the vacuum, instead of being a boring, featureless thing, is actually teeming with bubble universes popping in and out of existence, like in a bubble bath. Hawking called this the space-time foam. Most of these tiny bubble universes are unstable, jumping out of the vacuum and then jumping back in. In the same way, once the final formulation of the theory is found, one might be able to show that most of these alternate universes are unstable and decay down to our universe. For example, the natural time scale for these bubble universes is the Planck time, which is 10−43 seconds, an incredibly short amount of time. Most universes only live for this brief instant. Yet the age of our universe, by comparison, is 13.8 billion years, which is astronomically longer than the lifespan of most universes in this formulation. In other words, perhaps our universe is special among the infinity of universes in the landscape. Ours has outlasted them all, and that is why we are here today to discuss this question. But what do we do if the final equation turns out to be so complex that it cannot be solved by hand? Then it seems impossible to show that our universe is special among the universes in the landscape. At that point I think we should put it in a computer. This is the path taken for the quark theory. We recall that the Yang-Mills particle acts like a glue to bind quarks into a proton. But after fifty years, no one has been able to rigorously prove this mathematically. In fact, many physicists have pretty much given up hope of ever accomplishing it. Instead, the Yang-Mills equations are solved on a computer. This is done by approximating space-time as a series of lattice points. Normally, we think of space-time being a smooth surface, with an infinite number of points. When objects move, they pass through this infinite sequence. But we can approximate this smooth surface with a grid or lattice, like a mesh. As we let the spacing between lattice points get smaller and smaller, it becomes ordinary space-time, and the final theory begins to emerge. Similarly, once we have the final equation for M-theory, we can put it on a lattice and do the computation on a computer. In this scenario, our universe emerges from the output of a supercomputer. (However, I am reminded of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, when a gigantic supercomputer is built to find the meaning of life. After eons doing the calculation, the computer finally concluded that the meaning of the universe was “forty-two.”)
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Michio Kaku (The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything)