My Name

*NOTE*
This is a statment to cover recent events with various people. They know who they are, but in an attempt to cover all my bases I'm publicly making this statement. Please, if you have linked to me do not think this is a way of me telling you not to link to me. This is for a specific situation and to confront some questions as of late.

On blogs you cannot always control who is going to link to you. I have found a couple here and there that I don't like linking my name to their blogs. I have always e-mailed the person, letting them know although I cannot control who they link to on their blog that I ask them not to because of certain reasons. One took it down, they were very understanding. One did not, they explained why they linked me and from that I understood and now have no problems. Another one has ignored my e-mail altogether (which is what they do anyway). So I just want to say upfront, I take seriously those who use my name and those who link to my blog. I find the ones who have linked to me a very high compliment, such as finding myself linked to Brooks' blog today (thanks, btw), but at the same time there are people and things I do not want my name linked to. For that reason I want people to know that just because I'm linked in certain places does not mean that I agree with the person, that I support that person, or you will find things here that are like that person. I only say this because I have had some recent events that push me to bring this up.

So, with that I'm also going to say, some people who are reading this are friends that I'm not near any more. I know that some of what I say here might be shocking to you and not the "Jewels" you knew. We all change, we all go through this journey and take the path that God set us on. Although somethings have changed about me, I still have the same heart, I have passion for seeing Christ's body to glorify Him, to see His Body reach every tribe, nation, and tongue, and I desire to see myself being apart of it. That is why I have kept the "a268chic" theme on the net, because it is largely who I am. I hope I have in no way embarrassed you, confused you, or angered you in what I have shared here. So this leads me to my next point...

This blog is a "life journal" of sorts. It is as it says: Thoughts, Rants, Laughs,Bad Grammar And Misspellings of One American Girl Trying to Make It Work In Canada. I have found here in Canada I have hard time finding my voice. I have found here I can express that voice. I can get out what I'm thinking in my head. Its also a place to work out things that God is doing in my life, what I see God doing in the Church, and about this very popular "movement" the Emerging Church. I do not think this blog can fully judge or say who I am, because I do not always resolve here. Meaning, I don't always post my concluding thoughts, because sometimes its still a work in motion. Some (one person in paticular) has judged what I say here by saying, "... it seems that you...enjoy ridiculing those who oppose you, as can be clearly seen from your blog(s). As soon as someone opposes you, there is a huge reaction and write up online. I'm not sure why you do this, but maybe it's to feel some sort of vindication for.....?" Again, this is a "life journal" and what is happening in my life. Sometimes there are things going on in my life that I write about and sometimes they are just things I'm working out in my head or things that I may have discussed with my great MSN Church friends. If there is a post here and you think its a reaction to you or ridiculing others (which I have never done, ok Rick Warren, but come on the guy has it coming ;) ) than you might be reading WAY too much into what I'm saying, but it is upon the reader to ask questions, either privately or in comments. I gladly take kind criticism and kind questions to help clear up any confusion. As I'm sure a lot of readers can attest to already. Also, it needs to be understood that it is apart of our nature (hybrids, thinkers,ect) to come off as critical or maybe even as ridiculing to those who may not be apart of that journey. I have found that we (hybrid,thinkers,amphibian Christian,ect.) speak almost a different language than others. This leaves us feeling misunderstood, the readers (or listeners) confused and some of the time leaving angry or upset with one another. Know that I try to make myself as clear as possible, but it needs to be acknowledged that you may not understand where I'm coming from because you may not be where I'm at and visa versa. I ask that if you are reading this to understand, I'm on a journey as everyone else, I may make mistakes, I may say things I regret later, I may come to a new understanding later, but I will continue to share my journey here, in all its messiness, in all its beauty, in all its craziness and I do not expect everyone to get it. I just expect people to come here, get what they need or to just know there is one other person out there who knows what it is like. If I can at least link to others and make ourselves better for it than that is all I want.

Blessings!

P.S. Upon finishing this post I was e-mailed by the third person I said that was ignoring me. I wanted to acknowledge this as to keep this honest, real, and authentic.