What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within Us

It seems to me that, in a day and age where we're more plugged in than ever before, we're at a greater distance from one another than we've ever been. In our daily lives, we can watch the events in the wide world 24 hours a day, on tv, on the internet, on our cell phones...you name it. But do we actually see each other? We walk down the street, texting, chatting on our cell phones, but who are communicating with? We listen to our iPods to tune out the noise, but what's going on inside?

An important date is approaching. A date that will absolutely affect Toronto’s future. The looming mayoral election. That important day is October 25. That’s the day that current Mayor David Miller, who has held the post (level-headed) for the past seven years, moves on. And with his absence comes in his successor – for better or worse.

Our record hot summer here in southern Ontario has kept me away from church for several Sundays. Maybe that’s why I was especially attuned to what was going on around me when I finally returned to church yesterday. Either that…or someone is trying to speak to me.

As I sat in my pew, I heard the story of a woman who was so crippled she was unable to stand up straight, and how Jesus healed her. Incurring the wrath of the church elders who said that he shouldn’t be doing these things on the Sabbath.

There’s a light brown leather-bound journal sitting to the right of me. The word “Journal” is embossed on the front cover. I stare at if from time to time as I feel it is staring at me from time to time. I feel that it is judging me.

“Hey Ryan, yeah you there typing away with that computer thing you, Oh, so love. Remember when you purchased me? Yeah, right before you left to go write in Africa. You picked ‘me’ to write in while there. What happened after? I’m not good enough anymore?”

There are an increasing number of "reality" tv shows about hoarders. It seems that people are fascinated with others who can't seem to control their urge to acquire an enormous amount of stuff. Stuff that takes over their homes, destroys their relationships with those who live with and/or love them.

I think we're fascinated by hoarders because they remind us of...ourselves. How many of us have stuff in our lives that we do not need? That clutters our homes, our minds? That we have trouble paying for?

My friend, Anita, is the most talented person I’ve ever met. She is gifted in nearly every way you can imagine. Anita is a talented gymnast (or at least, was, when we were in university together) and extremely smart, achieving straight A’s for her entire university career. But the area where Anita shines is as a visual artist. Anita is an amazing painter, photographer, sculptor.

The following article was written by guest Muslim blogger, Sharifa

My Experience as a Muslim Worshipper

What is Prayer According to Islam?

The following was submitted by Sharifa, a guest Muslim blogger for Lutherans Connect:

It seems to me that, in this busy age, we're often so tied up in our day-to-day lives, with their pressures, that we're reluctant to let others in. To inconvenience ourselves, however slightly, to help someone else out. I'm writing this to invite you to let others in, extend a helping hand, even when your first thought is that you don't have the time.

Sometimes I want to run from the act of writing. To just get up and flee. Adios, writing. Keep your syllables and conjugated verbs at bay.