It begins....

the hermit experiment that is. Sarah left this morning and she's the last of my close friends to be gone, so i've decided that i would try an experiment. i'm trying to really redefine myself in these next few months; for the past four years i have really let my relationships control my character and i'm tired of that. so what do i decide to do? the what, why and how... after the tie.

i've decided to become a modified hermit. first let me define hermit to you.
According to Wikipedia-

"Because the life of the Christian hermit, both in ancient and in modern times, is rooted in the Desert Theology of the Old Testament, it is a life entirely given to the praise of God and the love and – through the hermit's penance and prayers – also the service of all humanity. The latter is crucial to the correct understanding of the eremitic vocation, since the Judeo-Christian tradition holds that God created man (i.e. the individual human being) relational,[2] which means that solitude can never be the purpose of any Christian vocation but only a conducive environment for striving after a particular spiritual purpose that forms part of our common human vocation."

i've decided that i should seclude myself from many things that influence me for a few reasons.

1. Christ
2. I've let relationships in the past dicate my character and decisions.
3. Praise for Christ and love for others. I feel that I can better love on others when I can actually control my character.

this list will continue to build as i move through this experience.

for my current friends, this isn't anything personal. i've just been so influenced by you that i need sometime to myself. i think i've told most of you this, if not i'd be happy to sit down and explain it to our specific relationship( i'd hate for this post to be how you've found out.)

the point of this is not to seclude myself for my benefit alone, but in fact it is to better myself in order to love others with a transparent sincerity. a genuine love that doesn't serve my interests but only Christs. i feel like my current efforts have only been in vain, so i've decided to seclude myself(selectively) so that i can know the essence of Christ's character. i want to befriend him completely (as much as humanly possible, Enoch?).

no, i'm not going to sit in my room and just work, study, go to school. i'll interact with people, but it needs to be under some loose guidlines:

1 im interacting to fellowship. ie: to encourage, or study
2 im interacting to help. ie: volunteer
3 im interacting to photograph. ie: show, class assignment.

again these are loose outlines, and i thought i should just put it into words as a guiding force to these next few months. i want all of my interactions to have authenticity.

lastly some pictures for you all. DISCLAIMER: "I DO NOT DRINK, BUT I DO HAVE FRIENDS THAT CHOOSE TO."
























FIN!

-jL
www.onelovephotography.net