Such a confused little man.

He goes from religion to government to Christianity to faith to fear all in one sentence. My favorite line is “As long as they submit to our laws…” Submit is an accurate word and that is at the heart of this. Scared people make other people submit. Constantine had a glorious vision. His vision was the marriage of politics and religion. The empire of Rome could live forever with that alliance and it has.

Burning someones magic book because you think the author of your magic book told you to do it to make him happy is insane. If the one true God wrote your magic book, I am quite certain he wouldn’t need your help making sure it sticks around by burning the magic books of all other Gods. On the other hand, if your magic book tells you to kill everyone that does not believe your magic book to make the author of your magic book happy, I am also quite certain if he is the one true God he also would not need your help.

Can we just stop killing each other over our magic books about an all powerful God already? It makes him look pathetic and weak and very much human.

Can we stop provoking each other long enough to let the dogs of war sit down and remember what it is like to live in peace?

Burning the Holy Koran will lead to one thing:

August 2010 casualties

Master Sgt. Jared N. Van Aalst, 34, of Laconia, N.H.

Cpl. Max W. Donahue, 23, of Highlands Ranch, Colo

Spc. Faith R. Hinkley, 23, of Colorado Springs, Colo

Sgt. Andrew C. Nicol, 23, of Kensington, N.H.

Pfc. Bradley D. Rappuhn, 24, of Grand Ledge, Mich

Lance Cpl. Kevin M. Cornelius, 20, of Ashtabula, Ohio

Pfc. Vincent E. Gammone III, 19, of Christiana, Tenn

Pfc. Paul O. Cuzzupe, 23, of Plant City, Fla

Pfc. John E. Andrade, 19, of San Antonio, Texas

Sgt. Jose L. Saenz III, 30, of Pleasanton, Texas

Sgt. Jose L. Saenz III, 30, of Pleasanton, Texas

Cpl. Kristopher D. Greer, 25, of Ashland City, Tenn

Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bock, 26, of Leesburg, Fla

Spc. Jamal M. Rhett, 24, of Palmyra, N.J

Staff Sgt. Derek J. Farley, 24, of Nassau, N.Y.

Pfc. Benjamen G. Chisholm, 24, of Fort Worth, Texas

Pvt. Charles M. High, IV, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M.

Lance Cpl. Kevin E. Oratowski, 23, of Wheaton, Ill

Sgt. 1st Class Edgar N. Roberts, 39, of Hinesville, Ga

Sgt. Martin A. Lugo, 24, of Tucson, Ariz

Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Collin Thomas, 33, of Morehead, Ky

Cpl. Christopher J. Boyd, 22, of Palatine, Ill

Lance Cpl. Cody S. Childers, 19, of Chesapeake, Va

Spc. Christopher S. Wright, 23, of Tollesboro, Ky

Lance Cpl. Nathaniel J. A. Schultz, 19, of Safety Harbor, Fla

Pfc. Alexis V. Maldonado, 20, of Wichita Falls, Texas

Sgt. Brandon E. Maggart, 24, of Kirksville, Mo

Sgt. Jason D. Calo, 23, of Lexington, Ky

Spc. Pedro A. Millet Meletiche, 20, of Elizabeth, N. J.

Sgt. Steven J. Deluzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, Conn

Spc. Tristan H. Southworth, 21, of West Danville, Vt

Sgt. Ronald A. Rodriguez, 26, of Falls Church, Va

Lance Cpl. Robert J. Newton, 21, of Creve Coeur, Ill

Spc. Justin B. Shoecraft, 28, of Elkhart, Ind

Petty Officer 3rd Class James M. Swink, 20, of Yucca Valley, Calif

Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder, 34, of Pine City, Minn

Staff Sgt. James R. Ide, 32, of Festus, Mo

Spc. James C. Robinson, 27, of Lebanon, Ohio

Spc. Chad D. Coleman, 20, of Moreland, Ga

Pvt. Adam J. Novak, 20, of Prairie du Sac, Wis

Capt. Ellery R. Wallace, 33, of Utah

Pfc. Bryn T. Raver, 20, of Harrison, Ark

Gunnery Sgt. Floyd E. C. Holley, 36, of Casselberry, Fla

Sgt. Patrick K. Durham, 24, of Chattanooga, Tenn

Spc. Andrew J. Castro, 20, of Westlake Village, Calif

Capt. Dale A Goetz, 43, of White, S.D.

Staff Sgt. Jesse Infante, 30, of Cypress, Texas

Staff Sgt. Kevin J. Kessler, 32, Canton, Ohio

Sgt. Joseph A. Bovia, 24, of Kenner, La.

Lance Cpl. Cody A. Roberts, 22, of Boise, Idaho

1^st Lt. Mark A. Noziska, 24, of Papillon, Neb

Staff Sgt. Casey J. Grochowiak, 34, of Lompoc, Calif

Staff Sgt. Vinson B. Adkinson III, 26, of Harper, Kan

Sgt. Raymond C. Alcaraz, 20, of Redlands, Calif

Pfc. Matthew E. George, 22, of Gransboro, N.C.

Pfc. James A. Page, 23, of Titusville, Fla.

This and the list from the “other side” of our sons and daughters paying the price for you to act reckless and evil in the name of your god.

You want to make the author of your magic book happy?

Stop hurting and killing his kids.

I love you guys, but are you serious? 

I forget where exactly I found this, but find it I did. It was on the side of the road and all it needed was a $50.00 element and since we needed a dryer, a dryer we got.

I forget exactly how many years we have had this dryer. At least 5, but probably more like 10. It worked but the lint trap had a shoelace for a handle, the screen was ripped, it was rusty and very noisy. We could have replaced it over the years but it just never came up as a priority.

Anyway, this dryer died on Sunday @ 4:00 literally right after a discouraging look at our finances. All we could do was laugh because at this point we can’t afford anything else.

The last couple months of medical bills related to my depression and sleep study has been a financial strain. My car needing a new clutch has been a financial strain. Alex heading out for 5 monts on an unexpected road trip across the entire country has been a huge financial strain. Having to purchase internet access so our son can communicate with us was yet another financial strain. Apparently it was all too much for our old dryer and in a horrific squeal and burst of smoke it died.

I was not happy about it but sleep deprivation prevented me from adequately expressing myself when Julianne told me about the death in the laundry closet. I just shook my head because shaking your head is free.

My wife, ever the optimist, said “God is going to have to work it out”. I agreed mostly because agreeing is also free and arguing seemed moot considering I had nothing to argue about. I am not even sure it was a prayer, more like a resignation, but I gave in to the fact that He must indeed work this one out.

I immediately thought of checking Craigslist and found pages of dryers. I found one for $90.00 in Suffolk that looked decent and decided we could pull that money out of somewhere to get our clothes dry. On  a whim I sorted by price and there on the top of the list was a dryer for $25.00 in Chesapeake. No picture, just a phone number.

I wrote it down and gave the phone to Julianne stating “I bet this is right next door”.

This dryer was literally down the street and the lady had just placed the ad that afternoon. She had been holding it for a friend who was supposed to pick it up on Saturday but never showed. She just wanted it out of her garage and said it was brand new.

I take things people say with a grain of salt. I have trust issues, I admit it, but people keep reinforcing my lack of faith in them so it makes it difficult to think otherwise. I trusted this lady enough to head over to look at it and after all, it was just down the street so no harm done if it was junk.

We jumped in the car with Emily stopped at the bank to grab 25 bucks from the ATM and headed the last block to the house. Our house, the bank, and this house are all on the same piece of asphalt. We literally went a mile and a half. The only way this trip could have been more efficient is if the Dryer was at the bank.

A quick hello to the owner and walk around back to the garage and this is what we found:

A dryer in perfect condition that matches our washing machine for $25.00.

That my friends is a Kingdom upgrade.

Thanks Daddy.

Amazing performance – A homeless man joins in to sing praises to God!

I started my next painting last week after trying in vain to get the first five printed at work. I was finally able to get the printing done last night and with any luck will have everything up at the yogurt shop tomorrow.

The giclee’s didn’t turn out too bad, not as nice as I would have liked, but good considering the photographs were a little low res for the print process. Once I get my originals back I will scan them a portion at a time and see if I can get original that work better.

This experience has been interesting, sometimes frightening, sometimes exhausting, and always emotional. It’s not unlike standing in front of someone naked, in the middle of winter, after a cold shower, 100 pounds overweight, bathed in fluorescent lighting, on a stage. Honestly, it is a very vulnerable insecure self loathing critical thinking judgmental place putting ones artwork out for all the world to stare and point fingers at. It makes me really nervous and yet I am compelled to start websites like RohrFineArt.com to invite even more strangers to stare at my nakedness from the comfort of their own home.

Why do I do this to myself?

Why do I feel so repulsed yet compelled to create? Why do I stand up in front of hundreds each week and sing my heart out and get completely lost in the moment and act a fool only then to consider what I must look look like acting the fool and shudder at my vulnerability and do it all again next week? Why do I paint pictures and hang them in public spaces inviting people to be critical and then live in fear they might actually have an opinion and in response to that fear invite more people to criticize?

I have come to the conclusion that I can’t help myself.

I am fatally drawn to create by the Creator and His passion and love for me is something I can no longer control. I am being pulled along, overtaken, swept up in the swift current of this great romance and drowning in the conviction that His affection toward me is real. In that place, face to face, the reflection of me through gentle eyes is so lovely, so pure, so sweet and intoxicating I willingly let go of my last breath of self perception and inhale His.

I don’t understand it, I can’t adequately describe it, but I know it is real becuase the version of me, the idea of me, the one I find when I am caught up with Him is so not from me. I know what I think about me, I have spent a lifetime creating this visage and I know all too well the way I can detest it. My me and God’s me are quite disparate at times. My me and God’s me would not be friends most days. My me and God’s me would argue almost all the time about almost everything. My me and God’s me are worlds apart most days but my me and God’s me are getting to know each other.

I guess that might be the point of it all in the end, getting to know God’s me instead of my me.

So with fear and trepidation I drop the layers of my me and step on stages to become naked so that I can put on God’s me.

From Art

My first prophetic art piece.

I thought an eight foot star of David sixty feet in the air would be sweet.

Happy Birthday my King.

The view from behind the microphone is almost always the best view in the house.