Removing the Veil

I will not pretend that the title of this blog is original. I shamelessly borrowed it from a mind far more capable than mine. I've been reflecting a lot on thought, reason, faith, knowledge, and their interplay. In fact, this whole blogging scene is based on a lot of that. It is the interchange of ideas and knowledge, and retrival of agreeing and opposing points of view. The sharpening that occurs in this process is largely what drew me to start reading blogs and then to create this blog. I should clarify my previous point to include the fact that many use blogging as nothing more than a place to spew emotions, feelings, and giddy nonsense. While I hold a respect for the proper use and expression of emotions, I'm not sure I respect public display of every deep feeling and thought onto a web page for all your friends to read. I'll try to be man enough to express my feelings to my friends in person, so that I don't totally loose touch with reality. I fear that we could be entering a time when couples will break up because one partner is having an emotional affair with his/her blog page (or would that simply be himself??).
I place high value on thinking correctly. Perhaps never more than this year, when I have begun to understand that the diligent and right use of knowledge affects the very course of my life and indeed my relationship with God.
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual hisotry will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God." (AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy.)
So, given the capacity, however limited, to know, to apprehend, and to learn, I will seek to love the Lord my God with all my mind. Yet, there has been a quiet discontent with this position that has occasionally boiled up and out of my heart onto the surface of my mind over the past month. However, allow me to continue this discussion in a later blog. For now, let us consider the ramifications of sharpening the mind, of knowing correctly, and actively seeking others input. By nature of being created with a mind capable of reason or by nature of being commanded to love God with all our minds, are we called to know as much and as best we can? If so, what should our sources of knowledge be? Should I continue reading the blogs of people I think sharpen me? Should I dive into books written by Church Fathers? Should I stay current with World News, Politics, and the fine arts? And where do I begin to find the time to do this?

Welcome

Shouldn't I have something profound to say at the beginning of this new blog page? Sure, I think saying something profound might be ideal...but who has time for that? I've got a Bible study to prepare, a test to study for, and lots of nursing paperwork. Yet, that is always the case I seem to find myself in. So welcome to my page. I offer here a (hopefully) honest look at my life and thoughts. And I even hope to keep it current. (We'll see about that.) So it is with this quote (the most profound thing I've read all day--and trust me, I've been reading) that I leave you:
"Missionaries will convert the world by preaching, but also through the shedding of tears and blood and with great labor, and through a bitter death." ---Ramon Lull (Early 1300's missionary)