Archive for February 13th, 2009
Sooner!
This goes in the file of “I wish I had known about this sooner, it’s cool.”
I was getting ready to share about Bluetree’s new CD coming out on March 1 — “God of this City” with a new verse and some cool other tracks are on it. But then I got this from my friend Rob, who has a real heart for touching the searching:
Phil and all,
Today, the day before Valentines Day, has been chosen as a day for everyone to wear their shirts with the slogan “To Write Love on Her Arms”. The organization website is at this URL:
http://www.twloha.com/page.php?id=6
My daughter Astrid became interested in this web site after finding it referenced in blogs on an art website. It is basically an organization targeting teenagers and young adults who feel alienated and unloved, to emphasize their personal worth, and that no one is beyond love or redemption. Be sure and read the vision statement. It is very simple: “The vision is that we actually believe these things …” Some of the testimonials on YouTube are pretty moving and very authentic. Astrid bought her shirt from “Hot Topic” at the mall.
The day before Valentines Day was chosen because it is a day when the unloved feel it acutely. ”To Write Love on Her Arms” is trying to make sure those people know that they, too, as valuable and loved. The name comes from the practice of self mutilation that depressed people sometimes practice. The idea is that instead of mutilation, one should write “love” instead (an oblique reference to Isiah 49:16).
Astrid knows a lot of kids who need this kind of encouragement. She dug her TWLOHA shirt out of the dirty clothes hamper. She then had me smell it (after all, what are Dad’s for, really?). After I passed it for stinkiness, Astrid wore it to school to advertise to others, that they are not alone.
So who is your valentine going to be? … who needs to hear from you they are important?
TWLOHA!