Related to this is the idea that life becomes more meaningful when conflict arises. Conflict is not, despite popular belief, a bad aspect of life. It may be painful, it may cause you to hurt/suffer/feel less than pleasant, but the outcomes are so much more worthwhile than anything obtained without conflict. It may be cliché, but it is true what they say: "No pain, no gain".
Where would an athlete be without conflict, pain, and suffering? Sitting on his/her couch watching real athletes compete.
What would a Christian be without conflict and adversity? Complacent
What would a person be without conflict in his/her life? Numb
"When a man cannot find meaning, he numbs himself with pleasure." — Victor Frankl
Keeping all of this in mind, this blog is a collection of complaints: to myself, to others, to existence in general; because when I complain, I care. It is the things in my life that I love the most that I complain about, because when I care, I want them to be as perfect as can be attained. If I'm not complaining something is either perfect (unlikely) or I'm apathetic.
I also feel the need to explain the title of this blog (for those who haven't gotten it yet): Refining is the process of removing impurities from a substance. This usually is not a pleasant process, you can't usually remove impurities by eating chocolate ice cream and watching The Notebook on a sunny autumn morn. It takes a raging fire that burns off the impurities even at the expense of pleasure of the substance being refined. I'm mixing metaphors here, but the point is, as I've been saying all along, removing the impurities in something isn't going to be pleasant, but the outcome is worth it.
I also feel the need to explain the title of this blog (for those who haven't gotten it yet): Refining is the process of removing impurities from a substance. This usually is not a pleasant process, you can't usually remove impurities by eating chocolate ice cream and watching The Notebook on a sunny autumn morn. It takes a raging fire that burns off the impurities even at the expense of pleasure of the substance being refined. I'm mixing metaphors here, but the point is, as I've been saying all along, removing the impurities in something isn't going to be pleasant, but the outcome is worth it.
So take this blog for what it's worth: a random collection of thoughts from a guy who's very satisfied with his life, but also tries to make it continually better.
Also: comment, question, tell me I'm dead wrong (it's usually true anyway), give praises (only when I deserve it (read: pretty much never)), and please don't ever take me too seriously (if you know me, you know this is a necessity for interacting with me).
[For more on the topic of conflict as a means of living a better life, please read Donald Miller's book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and, you know what, just read all of his stuff]
