Over at MSN there is a news story about an 8th grader who is facing two days of detention because she violated a school policy against "public displays of affection" one Friday afternoon -- she put an arm around the shoulder of another student and gave a quick squeeze as a way of saying "have a great weekend." She did this with two of her friends as they left for home. If you'd like to read the story, click here.
I went to Junior High and High School in the dark ages -- the 1970s.
I remember that the big problems we faced every day were whether the teacher would catch us chewing gum in class, give us an F on homework that we wrote out in a yellow Bic Banana pen, or maybe the school principal might suspect one of the "really bad kids" of hiding pot in his locker. By High School, we added in cherry bombs or stink bombs being set off at the hallway intersections during class changes and the couples who were "snogging" during the break. The stink bombs were so infrequent that you almost always knew who was going to do it and where a couple of days ahead of time. You didn't rat them out, you just changed your route to you next class so you didn't get caught in it. The snoggers were there, pretty much in the same place every day and you could avoid them if you wanted, walk by and ignore them, or make fun of them as some did.
In the almost 30 years since I graduated from High School, things have gotten far worse. Teachers no longer care about chewing gum, math homework written in pen instead of pencil, and fire drills. Lock-down drills are par for the course and French kissing in the school hallways has probably been replaced by other forms of intimacy.
However, giving a detention for hugging a fellow student, a friend actually, is ludicrous.
Worse, the parents are afraid of the suspension the girl will get if she misses the detentions, so they have told her to serve the detentions.
If I were her parents, I would be at the school at the end of the school day to pick her up from the principal's office both of the days she is supposed to serve the detentions. And on the days when she would be suspended, I would be there dropping her off for a day of school and not "in-school suspension." Or, I would take her to the town mayor's office on the days of her suspension or to the state capital.
Sort of along this line is an email I received. It talks about why things are just going down hill here in America. It is supposedly written by Ben Stein. (You know, the "Clear Eyes" guy who says "wow" in a monotone.) Smart guy. Teaches economics and law at a DC university; Republican because he agrees with their economics **shudder**; known to many only because of the game show he used to host on Comedy Central. You can read the contents of the email here. But he didn't write that whole thing, and I was pretty sure he hadn't "written and recited" the bit about "forwarding" this to others. So I looked for a copy of it on the Net. Like I said, you can read the email contents here. If you would like to see what he really wrote and recited on the CBS Sunday Morning Show (12/18/05), go here.
I do have to agree with what he wrote.
I found the story about the detention-yielding-hug because I was looking for a news report my husband wanted me to read. That one was about the water shortage in Georgia. Instead, I found stories titled "Look Bootylicious in Denim" and the like. I asked "Who cares?" And I knew the answer -- more people really do care about that much more than clean water and its environmental impact. Maybe I'm getting old like Ben. Gee, I hope so!
By the way, I found lots of news stories worth reading, but haven't found the one he wanted me to read. I guess denim is more important than water after all.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
You remember what they used to say about E F Hutton?
Well, I've commented a couple of times here about how when I ask a question, I should know I might get an answer.You see, Someone is always listening. Listening to me; listening to you! And is always ready to answer.
So ...
When I asked a few questions about trust, fear and trusting Him -- He decided to get involved in answering those questions. I should have known He would.
He's done it so many times before. And this time the questions involved Him. Why wouldn't He be interested in the answers I came up with?
So, He led me to five weeks of Laity Classes at one of the "local" Seminaries (about an hour and a quarter drive away). Both classes taught me so much and tackled the questions that were on my mind; even though the titles of the classes didn't seem like they were directly related to the questions.
One class was a historical look at the title "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" that Pilate had sarcastically ordered nailed to the top of the cross where Jesus was crucified. What did that title mean to the "players" of the story?
Doesn't sound like that would really tackle the issue of trusting God, does it?
The other class was about "Are We Following Jesus?" and I expected it to be about the social gospel, social-side of gospel, and living "missionally." And we covered a wide variety of topics from war, to materialism, to evolution, to evangelism versus proselytizing and more. Again, I did not expect my questions to be answered here.
I've been struggling with the "definition" of Christian that is the popular one and the "proper" one.
The popular one, the one in the culture outside the right-wing evangelical church, is the one that says "hate-mongering, homo-phobe, holier-than-thou, hypocrite who condemns everyone who doesn't agree with them." The proper one, the one inside the right-wing evangelical church, is the one that says "saved by grace alone, but you better behave and vote this certain way or you'll go to hell, even if you have said the 'Father forgive me, I accept Jesus' prayer."
Neither one of the seems to be true. And I've formulated opinions about what I think it means to be a Christian, what it means to be "saved," and what I believe it takes to be "saved." But, I've been formulating these ideas sort of on my own, sort of in the dark -- as a reaction against those things I do not agree with. But not sure if I am on the right track or not.
I've had a general sense of what it means.
In these two classes, I discovered more than a sense but the words that describe these things I've been feeling and thinking. And I am so happy that my "threat" won't have to be carried out! Oh yes, a threat!
One day a few years ago, I discovered that I was so distressed by the legalism and negative nature of so much that is called "Christian" that I prayed to God, "If 'They' are right, I don't want to continue as a 'Christian!' I'd rather go be a Buddhist."
In the intervening time, I was pretty sure that I was not going to go become a Buddhist. For one thing, I saw a Bill Moyers interview with a woman who is a Buddhist nun (I'm sorry, I've forgotten her name); I was surprised at the self-centered nature of Buddhism. But I was also fairly certain that Christianity was not those things that distressed me so much.
Defining what something is not does not always define what it is, though.
I've tried to put it into words. I've come pretty close to getting the thoughts down clearly and concisely and succinctly. And I felt I was finally figuring out what it really is about. But there was still this hesitation.
Why?
Was it just procrastination?
Was it the devil trying to waylay me along the road to keep me from articulating it?
Was there something missing from the puzzle picture?
Why couldn't I seem to get the words right, to be clear? Maybe it was because it still wasn't clear to me.
But now --
WOW!
"It" is so amazing, so astonishing, so astounding, remarkable, wonderful, mind-boggling, mind-blowing, wonderful, marvelous and miraculous -- that even Roget's can't help me gush enough!
It is ALL about the extravagant, radical nature of God. It is all about the all-encompassing love of God. It is all about the fact that "God was meeting us in some profound passion in our greatest need" (from my class notes).
It's ALL about Him. It is not about us.
"It" is trusting and resting in His grace and mercy. That is all that we must do. Trust Him.
Need I say more?
Monday, October 8, 2007
8 Random Things Meme -- I was tagged ...
Patricia, over at Readin' N Writin' With Patricia tagged me for the "8 Random Things" meme. First, I relay the rules of the meme; so, here they are:
** Players offer eight random habits/facts about themselves.
** If you're tagged, write your own blog about your eight things and post these rules.
** At the end of your blog post, choose someone to tag (supposed to be eight but however many you can do is fine, no tag police will come get you) - and list their names.
(and not mentioned in that list, but it might not be a bad idea, let each of them know you've tagged them.)
Now, for the list of random things about me:
Just eight?
1) I'm taking two Laity courses at one of the seminaries within commuting distance; everyone keeps asking me if I'm a regular student there. Years ago I worked as a church secretary and the pastor occasionally teased me and asked when I was going to seminary. Well, I'm "sort of" there but right now, I'm fairly certain that my calling is not into pastoral ministry. What it is, I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it is not that.
2) Keeping with Patricia's food-related items in her list: I had two oatmeal cookies for breakfast, during the cookie break in the early class. **snicker** They was really good. Maybe not as healthy as a bowl of oatmeal by itself but much tastier! LOL.
3) I just spent an awesome weekend at a regional retreat/gathering for the direct sales business I'm in selling rubber stamps and scrapbook supplies. We had 25 totally wonderful projects (except for the ultra-fine glitter which I somehow manage to get into my eyes in the following six months after using it for two minutes -- it just seems to cling to me even after a gazillion showers. Might be a "static" thing, I dunno.) We did trades -- everyone that participated made gorgeous cards except me. I cheated and stamped on Avery address labels, wrapped them around Hershey's chocolate "Nuggets." Got away with it because just about everyone loves chocolate.
4) I'm signed up for sessions of the eMuse Muse It Up Writers' Conference on-line this week. It started today and I'm already way behind.
5) And I'm starting a "Blogger Bootcamp" for people in the rubber stamp direct sales business tomorrow (oops, probably tonight by now) night. Do you think I might need a secretary to schedule my time for me in a more even-keeled manner? LOL.
6) I've won some books recently. WOO HOO!!! And as soon as I receive them, I plan to read them. And then I will probably turn around and pass them on through one of my blogs; "pay it forward" as they say.
7) Have you ever wondered who "they" are? I've decided that "they" are the same little guys that live inside concrete blocks that chew bubble gum and blow bubbles just as you paint over it, creating the irregular surface. (Um, honest, it was my college roommate who "invented" the little people of the concrete blocks -- I've just co-opted them to become the "scapegoats" of all things "they" related.)
8) But, I will admit to telling tall tales and attempting to get people to believe me. Like, did you know it is fattening to just breathe? Yeah, it is. Scientists (from the Committee of They, I'm sure) have discovered that due to particles in the air (say, of dust, dirt, pollen, etc.) that every breath of air adds minuscule micrograms to our weight when those particles become lodged in the lungs. Also, air pollution has been found to be caloric in nature.
Now, I am supposed to tag eight people. Hmmm ...
I think I will come back and edit the post to add them in the next day or two ...
** Players offer eight random habits/facts about themselves.
** If you're tagged, write your own blog about your eight things and post these rules.
** At the end of your blog post, choose someone to tag (supposed to be eight but however many you can do is fine, no tag police will come get you) - and list their names.
(and not mentioned in that list, but it might not be a bad idea, let each of them know you've tagged them.)
Now, for the list of random things about me:
Just eight?
1) I'm taking two Laity courses at one of the seminaries within commuting distance; everyone keeps asking me if I'm a regular student there. Years ago I worked as a church secretary and the pastor occasionally teased me and asked when I was going to seminary. Well, I'm "sort of" there but right now, I'm fairly certain that my calling is not into pastoral ministry. What it is, I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it is not that.
2) Keeping with Patricia's food-related items in her list: I had two oatmeal cookies for breakfast, during the cookie break in the early class. **snicker** They was really good. Maybe not as healthy as a bowl of oatmeal by itself but much tastier! LOL.
3) I just spent an awesome weekend at a regional retreat/gathering for the direct sales business I'm in selling rubber stamps and scrapbook supplies. We had 25 totally wonderful projects (except for the ultra-fine glitter which I somehow manage to get into my eyes in the following six months after using it for two minutes -- it just seems to cling to me even after a gazillion showers. Might be a "static" thing, I dunno.) We did trades -- everyone that participated made gorgeous cards except me. I cheated and stamped on Avery address labels, wrapped them around Hershey's chocolate "Nuggets." Got away with it because just about everyone loves chocolate.
4) I'm signed up for sessions of the eMuse Muse It Up Writers' Conference on-line this week. It started today and I'm already way behind.
5) And I'm starting a "Blogger Bootcamp" for people in the rubber stamp direct sales business tomorrow (oops, probably tonight by now) night. Do you think I might need a secretary to schedule my time for me in a more even-keeled manner? LOL.
6) I've won some books recently. WOO HOO!!! And as soon as I receive them, I plan to read them. And then I will probably turn around and pass them on through one of my blogs; "pay it forward" as they say.
7) Have you ever wondered who "they" are? I've decided that "they" are the same little guys that live inside concrete blocks that chew bubble gum and blow bubbles just as you paint over it, creating the irregular surface. (Um, honest, it was my college roommate who "invented" the little people of the concrete blocks -- I've just co-opted them to become the "scapegoats" of all things "they" related.)
8) But, I will admit to telling tall tales and attempting to get people to believe me. Like, did you know it is fattening to just breathe? Yeah, it is. Scientists (from the Committee of They, I'm sure) have discovered that due to particles in the air (say, of dust, dirt, pollen, etc.) that every breath of air adds minuscule micrograms to our weight when those particles become lodged in the lungs. Also, air pollution has been found to be caloric in nature.
Now, I am supposed to tag eight people. Hmmm ...
I think I will come back and edit the post to add them in the next day or two ...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Dance Like No One Is Looking -- Chances Are No One Is!
It has been a while since I wrote a post for this blog.
Since I posted about "My Blog Lesson" (parts One, Two and Three) -- well, the learning goes on. :-)
I hadn't really "forgotten" but hadn't fully remembered either -- when I ask a question, God tends to send me answers. Or maybe I just hadn't considered this to be one of those questions He would take the time to answer.
Well, DUH!
It's a question about Him, His goodness, His mercy, His trustworthiness. DUH! Of course, He is going to be very interested in the answers I come up with for these questions.
I'm actually chuckling to myself as I type that.
At some point in life we tend to get (well, I did, and I think a number of other people are in the same boat with me -- and it is a Titanic boat, huge, lots and lots of people, and no where near enough lifeboats, life rafts, or life preservers) the idea that God is "out there, higher, distant, not here." He is abstract and not concrete. He is ether not substance. He is as invisible as the wind and seeing Him at work is sometimes harder to see than the effect of the unseen wind.
Well, it was an odd little set of "coincidences" (mostly what I call "Internet click-path") that led me to a website of a semi-local (i.e. within a not too horrible of a commute of a drive) seminary. I was really looking for information on schools and programs of study for my husband who needs to get out of the dead-end, sure-to-be-laid-off-from-soon factory job that he has.
Instead, I found some non-credit laity courses. Ones that are at times I can attend while he is at work. Ones that interested me a lot. Ones that were inexpensive enough that I could afford them.
So, with 8 days until the classes started, I signed up right then and there.
Now, there are those who would tell me I should have:
(1) prayed about it to be sure it was God's will for me to do this; and,
(2) asked my husband for his opinion and followed his advice.
But ...
I did neither.
And I was beginning to feel maybe I had done something wrong by not at least praying about it first. But I had already hit the "enroll" button, included the payment info and had received the return e-mail telling me the request would be processed as soon as possible.
I felt sort of guilty all week that maybe I had been wrong to do this in such a spontaneous way. (Maybe I was feeling guilty about spending the money -- though the classes are inexpensive, I used money to pay for them that I should have set aside to pay upcoming bills ...)
Well, it is week three now of those classes. And the two classes I am taking now are answering the questions. The next set, I am sure, will continue to answer them!
Last Monday, one of the two classes I signed up for had homework -- to read the Gospel of Mark.
To be honest, I didn't get my homework done.
All I had to do was read.
What did I do? I got out a notebook, pen and Bible. Settled in at Caribou Coffee (where I had gone between classes, hoping to be able to use the WiFi and get some other writing done), opened up my Bible and started reading and making notes. After three hours, I had gotten through a sandwich from the bagel place next door and chapter one. And I had five pages of notes.
I had to get back to the campus for the evening class, so I put the notebook, pen and Bible away intending to return to the homework when I got home last Monday night. Intended to but ... (that's "a nuther whole" story in itself!)
One of the things that I noticed as I read that first chapter of Mark was the response of Simon, Andrew, James and John to Jesus' call. "Straightway," the King James translation says, or "immediately" another translation says, they followed Him.
Did Simon go home to his wife and say, "Honey, what would you say if I told you I was asked to become a disciple of a Rabbi?"
Did James ask his father, "Can I go?"
Did Andrew stop to pray about it?
No, they just went.
And the guilt, which had almost completely vanished anyway long before I got home after the first Monday of classes, flitted away completely. These two classes are excellent; and if, while I was growing up, I had heard preaching like the teaching in these two classes -- wow! I wouldn't have the questions and conflicts that I am trying to overcome.
Faith is not belief -- it is trust.
Simple enough statement. But powerful.
One of the two teachers likened it to the "trust" we have in water when we go swimming. We trust it to hold us up. And it does. Just lay back in it and be held up by it.
Our beliefs do not save us; neither do our doubts condemn us. While our works do not save us, we are created to do good works; for we are free of the Law and free to do good things without fear.
Fear is the opposite of faith.
Back to the swimming analogy -- I can float on my back and I love it. Swim? I don't like to do it and say that I can't swim. I can swim but ... (a) I splash a lot when I do and get embarrassed by that (I've told you're not supposed to make big splashes when you swim, if you do, you're not doing it right); (b) I don't like to get water in my ears, it makes them hurt if I don't get it all out again (which somehow doesn't seem to be a problem when I float on my back); (c) and, I tend to hold my nose with my fingers rather than just hold my breath.
Now, they're all things about me and swimming from when I was about 10 years old. More than 25 years have gone by since then, but I've not tried to swim since. When in the water , I float on my back or sit on the bottom and let the water come up to my chin or if I'm in a pool, I cling to the edge so I don't get in over my head.
What can I learn from that?
Well, maybe it is similar to my attitude toward God. I'm not sure, but there might be a similarity.
It can, and does, hold me up. But it can "hurt" me too. So, I'm "careful" -- overly so, according to my husband -- when I am around it. And my awkwardness is embarrassing and so that makes me careful in other ways -- so I don't draw attention to myself.
Thing about "drawing attention to myself" and being embarrassed -- it reminds me of a birthday card I saw and didn't buy (though I wish I had).
It said, "Dance like no one is watching." That was the outside. Inside it said, "Probably no one is anyhow."
No one cares what I say or do enough to watch me like that. And there is One who does watch me that close, but He doesn't laugh at my foibles, He doesn't set me up to fall for His amusement, He doesn't care if I splash when I make my swimming strokes. He loves me -- JUST AS I AM!
WOW!
Well, sorry this post is this long (again) and doesn't have one nice neat salient point to it. Just an update of sorts with a few observations ...
Thanks for stopping by and God bless! Stop back soon!
Since I posted about "My Blog Lesson" (parts One, Two and Three) -- well, the learning goes on. :-)
I hadn't really "forgotten" but hadn't fully remembered either -- when I ask a question, God tends to send me answers. Or maybe I just hadn't considered this to be one of those questions He would take the time to answer.
Well, DUH!
It's a question about Him, His goodness, His mercy, His trustworthiness. DUH! Of course, He is going to be very interested in the answers I come up with for these questions.
I'm actually chuckling to myself as I type that.
At some point in life we tend to get (well, I did, and I think a number of other people are in the same boat with me -- and it is a Titanic boat, huge, lots and lots of people, and no where near enough lifeboats, life rafts, or life preservers) the idea that God is "out there, higher, distant, not here." He is abstract and not concrete. He is ether not substance. He is as invisible as the wind and seeing Him at work is sometimes harder to see than the effect of the unseen wind.
Well, it was an odd little set of "coincidences" (mostly what I call "Internet click-path") that led me to a website of a semi-local (i.e. within a not too horrible of a commute of a drive) seminary. I was really looking for information on schools and programs of study for my husband who needs to get out of the dead-end, sure-to-be-laid-off-from-soon factory job that he has.
Instead, I found some non-credit laity courses. Ones that are at times I can attend while he is at work. Ones that interested me a lot. Ones that were inexpensive enough that I could afford them.
So, with 8 days until the classes started, I signed up right then and there.
Now, there are those who would tell me I should have:
(1) prayed about it to be sure it was God's will for me to do this; and,
(2) asked my husband for his opinion and followed his advice.
But ...
I did neither.
And I was beginning to feel maybe I had done something wrong by not at least praying about it first. But I had already hit the "enroll" button, included the payment info and had received the return e-mail telling me the request would be processed as soon as possible.
I felt sort of guilty all week that maybe I had been wrong to do this in such a spontaneous way. (Maybe I was feeling guilty about spending the money -- though the classes are inexpensive, I used money to pay for them that I should have set aside to pay upcoming bills ...)
Well, it is week three now of those classes. And the two classes I am taking now are answering the questions. The next set, I am sure, will continue to answer them!
Last Monday, one of the two classes I signed up for had homework -- to read the Gospel of Mark.
To be honest, I didn't get my homework done.
All I had to do was read.
What did I do? I got out a notebook, pen and Bible. Settled in at Caribou Coffee (where I had gone between classes, hoping to be able to use the WiFi and get some other writing done), opened up my Bible and started reading and making notes. After three hours, I had gotten through a sandwich from the bagel place next door and chapter one. And I had five pages of notes.
I had to get back to the campus for the evening class, so I put the notebook, pen and Bible away intending to return to the homework when I got home last Monday night. Intended to but ... (that's "a nuther whole" story in itself!)
One of the things that I noticed as I read that first chapter of Mark was the response of Simon, Andrew, James and John to Jesus' call. "Straightway," the King James translation says, or "immediately" another translation says, they followed Him.
Did Simon go home to his wife and say, "Honey, what would you say if I told you I was asked to become a disciple of a Rabbi?"
Did James ask his father, "Can I go?"
Did Andrew stop to pray about it?
No, they just went.
And the guilt, which had almost completely vanished anyway long before I got home after the first Monday of classes, flitted away completely. These two classes are excellent; and if, while I was growing up, I had heard preaching like the teaching in these two classes -- wow! I wouldn't have the questions and conflicts that I am trying to overcome.
Faith is not belief -- it is trust.
Simple enough statement. But powerful.
One of the two teachers likened it to the "trust" we have in water when we go swimming. We trust it to hold us up. And it does. Just lay back in it and be held up by it.
Our beliefs do not save us; neither do our doubts condemn us. While our works do not save us, we are created to do good works; for we are free of the Law and free to do good things without fear.
Fear is the opposite of faith.
Back to the swimming analogy -- I can float on my back and I love it. Swim? I don't like to do it and say that I can't swim. I can swim but ... (a) I splash a lot when I do and get embarrassed by that (I've told you're not supposed to make big splashes when you swim, if you do, you're not doing it right); (b) I don't like to get water in my ears, it makes them hurt if I don't get it all out again (which somehow doesn't seem to be a problem when I float on my back); (c) and, I tend to hold my nose with my fingers rather than just hold my breath.
Now, they're all things about me and swimming from when I was about 10 years old. More than 25 years have gone by since then, but I've not tried to swim since. When in the water , I float on my back or sit on the bottom and let the water come up to my chin or if I'm in a pool, I cling to the edge so I don't get in over my head.
What can I learn from that?
Well, maybe it is similar to my attitude toward God. I'm not sure, but there might be a similarity.
It can, and does, hold me up. But it can "hurt" me too. So, I'm "careful" -- overly so, according to my husband -- when I am around it. And my awkwardness is embarrassing and so that makes me careful in other ways -- so I don't draw attention to myself.
Thing about "drawing attention to myself" and being embarrassed -- it reminds me of a birthday card I saw and didn't buy (though I wish I had).
It said, "Dance like no one is watching." That was the outside. Inside it said, "Probably no one is anyhow."
No one cares what I say or do enough to watch me like that. And there is One who does watch me that close, but He doesn't laugh at my foibles, He doesn't set me up to fall for His amusement, He doesn't care if I splash when I make my swimming strokes. He loves me -- JUST AS I AM!
WOW!
Well, sorry this post is this long (again) and doesn't have one nice neat salient point to it. Just an update of sorts with a few observations ...
Thanks for stopping by and God bless! Stop back soon!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
"Sushi For One" Release sparks Awesome CONTEST -- Win an iPOD!
Camy Tang's first book, Sushi for One, just came out. To celebrate (and to generate interest in the book) she is hostessing an awesome contest. The grand prize, first place winner, will receive an 8 GB iPod! Plus a lot of books (I didn't count them all ...)
For more information, and to enter, go here:
http://www.camytang.com/contest.html
You will need two things
- you'll need my email address to put in the contest entry form -- SuseADoodle at gmail.com. Please be sure to use that, okay?
- a Yahoo ID so you can join her Yahoo Group, Camy's Loft. And you will WANT to join her Yahoo group because every week she gives away books!
An author who whole-heartedly believes writers are readers too!
The contest runs till October 31, 2007.
The book sounds like a wonderful read. It is on my list of "GET THIS SOON!" Books and I've scheduled an afternoon to read it cover-to-cover. Want to know a little more about it? Check out:
http://christianfictionblogalliance.blogspot.com/2007/09/sushi-for-one-by-camy-tang.html
or
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310273986
or
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=273981&netp_id=479128&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW
Saturday, September 15, 2007
FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE EVENT
Who doesn't like chocolate? There are very few people who don't. (They were probably given chocolate as a kid but were told it was calves' liver or something like that.)
Did you know that about half of the world's chocolate is produced with slave labor? For more information, visit http://www.stopthetraffik.org/.
If you like to cook and would like to win a goodie bag of Traffik-Free Chocolate, stop over here: http://rkhooks.net/2007/09/03/stop-the-traffik-chocolate-event/
If you participate, stop back here.
In the comments section leave your name and the url to your blog post that you use to enter r k hooks' event, using Traffik-Free Chocolate.
I'll be posting this info about the event at each of my blogs. Feel free to leave your comment and link at each one. (One comment entry per blog please, though.) From all of the comments posted, there will be a random drawing and I'll send out a chocolate-related thank you to three winners.
Did you know that about half of the world's chocolate is produced with slave labor? For more information, visit http://www.stopthetraffik.org/.
If you like to cook and would like to win a goodie bag of Traffik-Free Chocolate, stop over here: http://rkhooks.net/2007/09/03/stop-the-traffik-chocolate-event/
If you participate, stop back here.
In the comments section leave your name and the url to your blog post that you use to enter r k hooks' event, using Traffik-Free Chocolate.
I'll be posting this info about the event at each of my blogs. Feel free to leave your comment and link at each one. (One comment entry per blog please, though.) From all of the comments posted, there will be a random drawing and I'll send out a chocolate-related thank you to three winners.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
TALENTED? You bet!
At all my other blogs, I'm telling everyone to go here to see this video:
http://loopdeloops.blogspot.com/2007/09/dreams-can-come-true.html
Kay has an awesome playlist of songs at that page, as well as this pretty amazing video. So stop by there sometime ...
However, this is where she found the video:
http://allthings2all.blogspot.com/2007/09/when-gift-speaks-for-itself.html
And this blogger has some interesting comments about it. Now go on over there and watch the video and read those comments. Then come on back, okay?
You did go, right?
Okay, I'd heard about this guy on the radio, had heard an excerpt of him singing. But was really unprepared for the effect seeing this guy follow his dream would have on me.
This guy is becoming somewhat of a folk hero. I think that is great.
But, it isn't important to get a lot of applause or to win a contest or to even become a hero. What is important is realizing you have a dream. You have talent(s). You have been given a gift.
Embrace it. Follow it. PLEASE, share it!
http://loopdeloops.blogspot.com/2007/09/dreams-can-come-true.html
Kay has an awesome playlist of songs at that page, as well as this pretty amazing video. So stop by there sometime ...
However, this is where she found the video:
http://allthings2all.blogspot.com/2007/09/when-gift-speaks-for-itself.html
And this blogger has some interesting comments about it. Now go on over there and watch the video and read those comments. Then come on back, okay?
You did go, right?
Okay, I'd heard about this guy on the radio, had heard an excerpt of him singing. But was really unprepared for the effect seeing this guy follow his dream would have on me.
This guy is becoming somewhat of a folk hero. I think that is great.
But, it isn't important to get a lot of applause or to win a contest or to even become a hero. What is important is realizing you have a dream. You have talent(s). You have been given a gift.
Embrace it. Follow it. PLEASE, share it!
Monday, September 3, 2007
"My Blog Lesson For Today" Continues, part two ...
It has been over a week since I asked "What is wrong with me?"
(You can read that post here: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-blog-lesson-for-today.html and then the continuation here: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-blog-lesson-for-today-continues.html )
I intended to post the continuation of my thoughts on the issue a lot sooner than this. But ...
Don't know how I could have forgotten. I know it far better than I know the freckles on the back of my hand. Remember the old ads that said "When E. F. Hutton talks, everyone listens."? Well, I learned quite a while ago that when I ask questions, God listens! And then answers those questions.
Did I really want an answer?
Yes.
And God has been sending answers to me. :-)
He is showing (not just telling) me that He really is my Best Friend. He has been sending me to new blogs and posts that somehow deal with the issue of trusting Him. He has been finding books for me to read: novels by godly authors (if you're really bored enough to read any more by me, here's my blogged lament on what I find on the shelves of the bookstores: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/i-love-to-read-but.html) that deal with issues of trust and / or friendship in ways that illustrate God's faithfulness and why we can trust Him. E-mailed newsletters showed up with reports or stories that fit the question quite well. He sent music my way to listen to that really lifted me. (Okay, you'll find that here: http://www.shoutlife.com/shennethcanegata -- and the song "Stand and Live." This was a "gift" I found from reading Marilynn Griffith's blog at: http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/rhythmsofgrace/ It was in the archives -- keep reading back and back and back ... it's worth every click LOL) And three of the WIP vying for my attention have all taken on the issue, this week, in ways that reach out to me like fingers massaging a headache or brushing hair out of my eyes.
Okay, I had made a comment that the concept of prayer as a "conversation" is a little difficult to imagine (and I have a very vivid imagination) because I like to have the audible response at the other end -- like the phone conversations mom and I used to have. Well, while His voice isn't audible in this "conversation," He sure is sending His message to me.
Discovered some of what I am afraid of. And now He decides to answer the next question even before it's asked -- why it happens and why I shouldn't be afraid of it. He's kept me "busy" this week. But it was one of the best weeks I've have in a long time. Best friends have a way of having that effect in our lives.
:-)
(You can read that post here: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-blog-lesson-for-today.html and then the continuation here: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/my-blog-lesson-for-today-continues.html )
I intended to post the continuation of my thoughts on the issue a lot sooner than this. But ...
Don't know how I could have forgotten. I know it far better than I know the freckles on the back of my hand. Remember the old ads that said "When E. F. Hutton talks, everyone listens."? Well, I learned quite a while ago that when I ask questions, God listens! And then answers those questions.
Did I really want an answer?
Yes.
And God has been sending answers to me. :-)
He is showing (not just telling) me that He really is my Best Friend. He has been sending me to new blogs and posts that somehow deal with the issue of trusting Him. He has been finding books for me to read: novels by godly authors (if you're really bored enough to read any more by me, here's my blogged lament on what I find on the shelves of the bookstores: http://suseadoodle-pms.blogspot.com/2007/08/i-love-to-read-but.html) that deal with issues of trust and / or friendship in ways that illustrate God's faithfulness and why we can trust Him. E-mailed newsletters showed up with reports or stories that fit the question quite well. He sent music my way to listen to that really lifted me. (Okay, you'll find that here: http://www.shoutlife.com/shennethcanegata -- and the song "Stand and Live." This was a "gift" I found from reading Marilynn Griffith's blog at: http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/rhythmsofgrace/ It was in the archives -- keep reading back and back and back ... it's worth every click LOL) And three of the WIP vying for my attention have all taken on the issue, this week, in ways that reach out to me like fingers massaging a headache or brushing hair out of my eyes.
Okay, I had made a comment that the concept of prayer as a "conversation" is a little difficult to imagine (and I have a very vivid imagination) because I like to have the audible response at the other end -- like the phone conversations mom and I used to have. Well, while His voice isn't audible in this "conversation," He sure is sending His message to me.
Discovered some of what I am afraid of. And now He decides to answer the next question even before it's asked -- why it happens and why I shouldn't be afraid of it. He's kept me "busy" this week. But it was one of the best weeks I've have in a long time. Best friends have a way of having that effect in our lives.
:-)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
"My Blog Lesson For Today" Continues
I received a very wonderful comment/reply to the last post "My Blog Lesson For Today." In fact, I posted that entry at two of my blogs and got wonderful, thoughtful replies at both of them. "Ain't God grand?"
I found that replying to the commenters was getting to be very long, and I hadn't even gotten into what either one had said yet. So, I decided to continue blogging the topic for a few more entries. Here's "Part One: The Continuing Blog Lesson:"
Hi, Heather.
First off, Yes, you could (note, I did not say "should," though) very easily have your own blog. You write very well; get your point across well and clearly.
Blogging is a matter of "bravery" -- though, at first, when I knew no one was reading them, it was easy. Then I began to think about when someone might start to read it and almost stopped. And scarier still, since I have at least one of my blogs in the signature line of the e-mail account I use most often, sooner or later FAMILY might stumble on to it.
It makes me self-edit a little more, that's all. :-)
Thank you for the wonderful reply comment to my post on "My Blog Lesson For Today." As I wrote it, I was just trying to get the things I had been thinking about lately into some kind of orderly presentation. Mostly for my own good -- to have it "on paper" and in front of me.
When I needed to understand something, even when it came to school work, I often explained them to my mom. She would listen, ask questions that showed she had really paid attention. Even when it was a subject I know she had absolutely no interest in. Mom was wonderful that way. I thought I was unique in telling mom these kinds of things, but at her funeral last year, my brother made the same comment about how mom listened to anything he told her as if it was the most fascinating subject in the world to her, too, not just him. Since mom died, of leukemia, a little over a year ago, I haven't had my wonderful audience that listened and gave appropriate, and usually affirming, feedback.
It's the stupid, little comments that come out once in a while that are sometimes the most profound.
And while mom was sick, I tried to give her a card everyday. One day I wrote in it, "God loves you as much as we do." She had smiled so sweetly at that. I then verbally added, "He loves you even more than we do." Her smile got bigger. But it hit me hard. He DOES love us even more than we love one another. DUH! It's so obvious, once I saw it, but somehow "God is Love" just didn't seem so big, huge and awesome before that. "God is Love" means "God Loves!"
I write out a lot of what I would have been talking about with mom in our daily phone conversations. Some of it may be a little more self-revealing than perhaps I would usually make public, but if it seems to have a truth in it that someone else could benefit from, I'll throw into a blog. This one, "My Blog Lesson ...", actually went into two of them.
God loves me in a BIG way. And He wants me to be His friend and He wants to be my friend. WOW! And, He is showing me, that prayer is not the formula I learned in Sunday School (confession followed by praise followed by supplication followed by thanksgiving followed by more praise) - it is talking to Him as if I was on the phone with mom or one of my friends. He'll listen. He'll even help me clarify my thinking about an issue, a project, a subject I don't understand. The help may not be as audible as mom's voice at the other end of the phone line. But it is just as real and even better.
Mom and I used to chit chat as well as talk about things that were happening or what plans we had for the coming week. My friends and I talk about just about any subject that pops into our heads -- kind of a stream of consciousness thing, letting one subject blend into another because some word one of us said reminds of something we read or heard recently which in turn reminds one of us of a book we read way back in high school and on and on it goes.
Having a "conversation" with God -- well, I guess I got sort of hung up in the fact He generally does not audibly talk back right away. Prayer was work and not fun in the past. I'm learning I can sit down and say, "You know that story idea that seemed to pop into my head from no where the other day, what do You think? Should I run with it or run from it?" Or I can just say, "Did You see that lightening last night? WOW! What a sight; I got some awesome photos of it all. I'm glad it wasn't here, but I sure feel bad for the people that storm stalled over, though -- five hours of rain and thunder. Must have been hard to sleep through all that." Sure, I know He saw the lightening. And I know some of the people in the church where I grew up would be very aghast that anyone would talk to God in such a casual way. But, if He really is my FRIEND, then ceremony and pomp are not necessary.
Paul writes that because we have so great a High Priest, who is our mediator, that we should "come BOLDLY then to the throne of grace." Perhaps, not as casually as I do -- but I know one thing:
The story of Queen Esther teaches me about God's love for me. When Esther went to the king, it was not easy to do. It meant travelling by chariot or slave-carried litter from her Queen's palace, miles away (but within the same palace grounds), walking up a long corridor of relief sculptures all designed to prove how great and powerful the king was and how insignificant the guest was, then enter the throne room through big, huge, heavy double doors twenty or thirty feet tall (I don't remember the exact details from the Art History course I had). On top of that, it was illegal to enter the throne room unless sent for. To enter was a death sentence.
It is a symbol of the Holy of Holies of the Jewish Tabernacle, or later the Temple. And it was punishable by death to enter there if you were not the one who was allowed to enter, and only after certain preparations were made.
However, the King loved his wife so much that he immediately held out his scepter to her to indicate his approval of her presence there.
God loves us more than any person can love another person. He extends His scepter to us every time. He welcomes us, hears us and smiles on us for coming.
I found that replying to the commenters was getting to be very long, and I hadn't even gotten into what either one had said yet. So, I decided to continue blogging the topic for a few more entries. Here's "Part One: The Continuing Blog Lesson:"
Hi, Heather.
First off, Yes, you could (note, I did not say "should," though) very easily have your own blog. You write very well; get your point across well and clearly.
Blogging is a matter of "bravery" -- though, at first, when I knew no one was reading them, it was easy. Then I began to think about when someone might start to read it and almost stopped. And scarier still, since I have at least one of my blogs in the signature line of the e-mail account I use most often, sooner or later FAMILY might stumble on to it.
It makes me self-edit a little more, that's all. :-)
Thank you for the wonderful reply comment to my post on "My Blog Lesson For Today." As I wrote it, I was just trying to get the things I had been thinking about lately into some kind of orderly presentation. Mostly for my own good -- to have it "on paper" and in front of me.
When I needed to understand something, even when it came to school work, I often explained them to my mom. She would listen, ask questions that showed she had really paid attention. Even when it was a subject I know she had absolutely no interest in. Mom was wonderful that way. I thought I was unique in telling mom these kinds of things, but at her funeral last year, my brother made the same comment about how mom listened to anything he told her as if it was the most fascinating subject in the world to her, too, not just him. Since mom died, of leukemia, a little over a year ago, I haven't had my wonderful audience that listened and gave appropriate, and usually affirming, feedback.
It's the stupid, little comments that come out once in a while that are sometimes the most profound.
And while mom was sick, I tried to give her a card everyday. One day I wrote in it, "God loves you as much as we do." She had smiled so sweetly at that. I then verbally added, "He loves you even more than we do." Her smile got bigger. But it hit me hard. He DOES love us even more than we love one another. DUH! It's so obvious, once I saw it, but somehow "God is Love" just didn't seem so big, huge and awesome before that. "God is Love" means "God Loves!"
I write out a lot of what I would have been talking about with mom in our daily phone conversations. Some of it may be a little more self-revealing than perhaps I would usually make public, but if it seems to have a truth in it that someone else could benefit from, I'll throw into a blog. This one, "My Blog Lesson ...", actually went into two of them.
God loves me in a BIG way. And He wants me to be His friend and He wants to be my friend. WOW! And, He is showing me, that prayer is not the formula I learned in Sunday School (confession followed by praise followed by supplication followed by thanksgiving followed by more praise) - it is talking to Him as if I was on the phone with mom or one of my friends. He'll listen. He'll even help me clarify my thinking about an issue, a project, a subject I don't understand. The help may not be as audible as mom's voice at the other end of the phone line. But it is just as real and even better.
Mom and I used to chit chat as well as talk about things that were happening or what plans we had for the coming week. My friends and I talk about just about any subject that pops into our heads -- kind of a stream of consciousness thing, letting one subject blend into another because some word one of us said reminds of something we read or heard recently which in turn reminds one of us of a book we read way back in high school and on and on it goes.
Having a "conversation" with God -- well, I guess I got sort of hung up in the fact He generally does not audibly talk back right away. Prayer was work and not fun in the past. I'm learning I can sit down and say, "You know that story idea that seemed to pop into my head from no where the other day, what do You think? Should I run with it or run from it?" Or I can just say, "Did You see that lightening last night? WOW! What a sight; I got some awesome photos of it all. I'm glad it wasn't here, but I sure feel bad for the people that storm stalled over, though -- five hours of rain and thunder. Must have been hard to sleep through all that." Sure, I know He saw the lightening. And I know some of the people in the church where I grew up would be very aghast that anyone would talk to God in such a casual way. But, if He really is my FRIEND, then ceremony and pomp are not necessary.
Paul writes that because we have so great a High Priest, who is our mediator, that we should "come BOLDLY then to the throne of grace." Perhaps, not as casually as I do -- but I know one thing:
The story of Queen Esther teaches me about God's love for me. When Esther went to the king, it was not easy to do. It meant travelling by chariot or slave-carried litter from her Queen's palace, miles away (but within the same palace grounds), walking up a long corridor of relief sculptures all designed to prove how great and powerful the king was and how insignificant the guest was, then enter the throne room through big, huge, heavy double doors twenty or thirty feet tall (I don't remember the exact details from the Art History course I had). On top of that, it was illegal to enter the throne room unless sent for. To enter was a death sentence.
It is a symbol of the Holy of Holies of the Jewish Tabernacle, or later the Temple. And it was punishable by death to enter there if you were not the one who was allowed to enter, and only after certain preparations were made.
However, the King loved his wife so much that he immediately held out his scepter to her to indicate his approval of her presence there.
God loves us more than any person can love another person. He extends His scepter to us every time. He welcomes us, hears us and smiles on us for coming.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Blogdom Lesson for Today
**sigh**
Ever since I discovered a certain three blogs, I log on to the Net just about every day just so I can check in with those ladies, hoping they have posted something new.
Sadly, I regret to admit -- I am not that regular, or eager, to check in daily with the one friend I have who is the best friend I'll ever have. This friend will never, ever blab my secrets to anyone else. This friend will never, ever abandon me when I am depressed, grouchy, whiny, have a stuffy runny nose, feel bloated and feeling ugly and maybe even acting a bit ugly. This friend will never, ever leave me to fend for myself, even when I've gotten myself into the mess by my own stupid actions or decisions. This friend is rich -- far richer than even Bill Gates. This friend is powerful -- far more powerful than OPEC or NATO (combined). This friend is important -- far more important than any head of state, even the Queen of England or the King of Sweden.
Amazingly, this wonderful friend WANTS to be my friend. And even more amazing, to me, wants me to be a friend in return.
I mean, me? I'm not rich, beautiful, important, powerful. I cannot add anything to my friend's treasures or jewels or accomplishments. I'm not someone that anyone important or rich or powerful even takes notice of. I'm just one of the millions of minions that hope to be noticed and maybe get a handshake or a wave from the rich and powerful.
Yet, I have a friend who is rich and powerful.
And, I am not as eager to check in with this friend every day like I am with these interesting bloggers?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?
No, seriously, what IS wrong with me?
If you had a friend, a best friend, like that, wouldn't you want to spend all of your time with that friend? Wouldn't you want to check in everyday at the very least to have a chat? Wouldn't you be eager to meet up with your friend as often as possible?
If you had a friend who was so much more than you were yet wanted to be your friend, wanted to have you as a friend, AND who never let you feel like you were something less than or inferior to him or her, and never made you feel like a tag-along in their shadow, wouldn't you just be head-over-heels in love with your friend?
So, why am I afraid of my friend?
It can't be that my friend knows all about me. I mean, that's one of the definitions of "friend" -- someone who knows all about you but loves you anyhow.
It can't be that my friend will scold me for staying away so long. Instead, I'll hear "Come on in. I've been hoping you would show up today! Oh, friend, I've missed you! Glad you're here now."
Could it be that it's because I didn't do what I said I wanted to do, but then later changed my mind? I doubt that. I'm pretty sure my friend would say, "Why didn't you come to me for help?" And I would say, "I wasn't sure it was what I really wanted to do after all." "You know, you can always talk these things over with me. I'll gladly listen anytime. I'll even try to point you in the right direction if you'll let me." (My friend isn't pushy.)
Is it because I think I have to change or do certain things so that my friend will keep liking me and keep on wanting to be my friend? Is it because someone else told me I'm not good enough to be friends with my friend?
I honestly don't know what keeps me away.
By now, you've probably figured out who my friend is. The God of the Universe, Jehovah Himself.
He wants to be my friend. He wants me to be His friend.
And, here I am, someone who knows an awful lot about Him but knows Him very little.
I've been working on a novel, based on a scenario of "what might have been if ..." I had made different decisions years ago. And then suddenly I began avoiding working on that story. Not because the actual decisions or consequences or subject matter I chose to be the "hot issue" of the story were troubling or difficult to write about. On the contrary. It was all hitting the computer screen almost too easily.
At first, I said I was not working on the story because I did not like the ending I had concocted and wanted a better one before I went any further. A better ending came a long and still I didn't want to write it down. Back and forth it went. For each excuse, a solution was found; and a new excuse was invented.
Finally, I knew the reason.
And it is not a happy thought.
Even though I made one decision and the character makes the opposite one, the consequences are horrifically different for us -- for her far worse than I ever faced (and I'm happy that "facing" it is just in the form of imagination and fiction for me), in the end, twenty years later, we are not that different. And, here I thought we were different. I thought I had a pretty good life and had grown in my faith. In truth, we both must face similar persistent fears and doubts, face the heartaches that have shaped us and embrace them as important aspects of who we are, and acknowledge the need for a deeper (much deeper) faith.
There is a mad sort of comfort in clinging to a rope that is studded with nails and broken glass that dangles above a black pit of unknown. The nails and glass cut and stab my palms and fingers as I cling to the rope, but the rope is strong and is known; the pain is unbearable but it is far less frightening than the pit below that is unknown, untried, unmapped, uncertain.
Both the character and I have to let go of the rope and fall into the pit. At the bottom, through the darkness, waiting for us is my Friend, who WILL catch me, who WILL hold me, who WILL protect me and love me and yes, I noticed I moved from "us" to "me" -- in the end, that's what the story is about. Her journey is the journey I must take.
Okay, that's why I am avoiding the novel. Is that why I am avoiding meeting with my friend?
It's because I have to let go of the rope and fall ...
Ever since I discovered a certain three blogs, I log on to the Net just about every day just so I can check in with those ladies, hoping they have posted something new.
Sadly, I regret to admit -- I am not that regular, or eager, to check in daily with the one friend I have who is the best friend I'll ever have. This friend will never, ever blab my secrets to anyone else. This friend will never, ever abandon me when I am depressed, grouchy, whiny, have a stuffy runny nose, feel bloated and feeling ugly and maybe even acting a bit ugly. This friend will never, ever leave me to fend for myself, even when I've gotten myself into the mess by my own stupid actions or decisions. This friend is rich -- far richer than even Bill Gates. This friend is powerful -- far more powerful than OPEC or NATO (combined). This friend is important -- far more important than any head of state, even the Queen of England or the King of Sweden.
Amazingly, this wonderful friend WANTS to be my friend. And even more amazing, to me, wants me to be a friend in return.
I mean, me? I'm not rich, beautiful, important, powerful. I cannot add anything to my friend's treasures or jewels or accomplishments. I'm not someone that anyone important or rich or powerful even takes notice of. I'm just one of the millions of minions that hope to be noticed and maybe get a handshake or a wave from the rich and powerful.
Yet, I have a friend who is rich and powerful.
And, I am not as eager to check in with this friend every day like I am with these interesting bloggers?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?
No, seriously, what IS wrong with me?
If you had a friend, a best friend, like that, wouldn't you want to spend all of your time with that friend? Wouldn't you want to check in everyday at the very least to have a chat? Wouldn't you be eager to meet up with your friend as often as possible?
If you had a friend who was so much more than you were yet wanted to be your friend, wanted to have you as a friend, AND who never let you feel like you were something less than or inferior to him or her, and never made you feel like a tag-along in their shadow, wouldn't you just be head-over-heels in love with your friend?
So, why am I afraid of my friend?
It can't be that my friend knows all about me. I mean, that's one of the definitions of "friend" -- someone who knows all about you but loves you anyhow.
It can't be that my friend will scold me for staying away so long. Instead, I'll hear "Come on in. I've been hoping you would show up today! Oh, friend, I've missed you! Glad you're here now."
Could it be that it's because I didn't do what I said I wanted to do, but then later changed my mind? I doubt that. I'm pretty sure my friend would say, "Why didn't you come to me for help?" And I would say, "I wasn't sure it was what I really wanted to do after all." "You know, you can always talk these things over with me. I'll gladly listen anytime. I'll even try to point you in the right direction if you'll let me." (My friend isn't pushy.)
Is it because I think I have to change or do certain things so that my friend will keep liking me and keep on wanting to be my friend? Is it because someone else told me I'm not good enough to be friends with my friend?
I honestly don't know what keeps me away.
By now, you've probably figured out who my friend is. The God of the Universe, Jehovah Himself.
He wants to be my friend. He wants me to be His friend.
And, here I am, someone who knows an awful lot about Him but knows Him very little.
I've been working on a novel, based on a scenario of "what might have been if ..." I had made different decisions years ago. And then suddenly I began avoiding working on that story. Not because the actual decisions or consequences or subject matter I chose to be the "hot issue" of the story were troubling or difficult to write about. On the contrary. It was all hitting the computer screen almost too easily.
At first, I said I was not working on the story because I did not like the ending I had concocted and wanted a better one before I went any further. A better ending came a long and still I didn't want to write it down. Back and forth it went. For each excuse, a solution was found; and a new excuse was invented.
Finally, I knew the reason.
And it is not a happy thought.
Even though I made one decision and the character makes the opposite one, the consequences are horrifically different for us -- for her far worse than I ever faced (and I'm happy that "facing" it is just in the form of imagination and fiction for me), in the end, twenty years later, we are not that different. And, here I thought we were different. I thought I had a pretty good life and had grown in my faith. In truth, we both must face similar persistent fears and doubts, face the heartaches that have shaped us and embrace them as important aspects of who we are, and acknowledge the need for a deeper (much deeper) faith.
There is a mad sort of comfort in clinging to a rope that is studded with nails and broken glass that dangles above a black pit of unknown. The nails and glass cut and stab my palms and fingers as I cling to the rope, but the rope is strong and is known; the pain is unbearable but it is far less frightening than the pit below that is unknown, untried, unmapped, uncertain.
Both the character and I have to let go of the rope and fall into the pit. At the bottom, through the darkness, waiting for us is my Friend, who WILL catch me, who WILL hold me, who WILL protect me and love me and yes, I noticed I moved from "us" to "me" -- in the end, that's what the story is about. Her journey is the journey I must take.
Okay, that's why I am avoiding the novel. Is that why I am avoiding meeting with my friend?
It's because I have to let go of the rope and fall ...
Thursday, August 16, 2007
How Little Things Work Out Sometimes
It was one of those days.
It started yesterday. I was just plain tired all day. [I don't know if it was that I was really tired or that I was trying to avoid working on the story that is perculating through my brain these last three weeks. I know I am avoiding writing it down because it will be emotionally draining to work with it, as the heroine has to face some rather unpleasant facts about herself -- nothing "nasty" but just very deep-seated fears and a long-standing inability to trust anyone.] Slept more of the day than I was awake. Finally went to bed, for the final time of the day around 3 AM. (My hubby works second shift and our usual bedtime, after dinner and all once he gets home around 12:30-1:00 AM, is 3 to 4 AM.)
Our little kitty woke me around 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30; not intentionally, but she just loves to cuddle or climb on top of me and lay her chin on my cheek, or drape herself over my arm, or stick her cold nose on my chin as she snuggles in on my shoulder. Finally, I got up at 10. Much earlier for me than usual. Well, about an hour and a half "early." I know, for most of the world, the day is almost done by the time I am waking up.
I was headed to a friend's house today and was ready to leave by 10:30 AM. WOW! For once, I might have been early. No, I better not, I thought. She probably wouldn't be home until the "appointed" time. So, I opened up the laptop and clicked into one of the blogs I check out from time to time.
Nothing new there, and I honestly don't know whether I followed links from that blog or from another one ... but eventually I ended up at the blog kept by Lisa Samson, a published author, not just a writer wannabee. Reading through her recent posts was fun.
I found one from August 6th that is, I think, profound. And I want to share it with you. Copy and paste the link below into your browser and go visit Lisa's blog. Post a comment there and then maybe come back here and let me know you visited Lisa's blog. Okay?
http://lisasamson.typepad.com/blog/2007/08/whats-at-the-ce.html
After reading the entry to her blog, I clicked on one of the books at the top of the page to find out what her fiction writing is like. While I was doing that, one of my sisters called and we chatted for a while. Then I finally was able to head to my friends's house. Late, as usual!
However, if I had left early, I would not have encountered that blog or that entry; I would have missed talking with my sister; and would not have been touched by the profound nature of the insight in that entry.
My own writing, very recently, has dealt with this topic to a large degree. A bumper sticker I saw recently says, "Writers drive and plot. Scared yet?" Well, it is true. I plot as I drive. I finagle plot twists. I dream up new plot twists.
And today, for the hour drive to my friend's house, and for the hour back home, I ran the plot through that insight like drawing thread through wax for quilting -- the wax strengthens the thread, makes it easier to continually pull through all the layers of fabric, and helps keep it from fraying from all that stress put on it as it passes through the layers.
When I go to my friend's house, we talk writing, the stories we are each working on, and we make greeting cards using rubber stamps and whatever other art supplies we have on hand that day. Since I got there later today than anticiapted, we didn't bother with the ink and the cardstock. We trimmed sets of stamps that have been just lanquishing in the boxes they arrived in (up to two years ago!). And the next time we get together, the stamps will be all ready to be used. :-)
It was a very productive day, actually! WOO HOO!
It started yesterday. I was just plain tired all day. [I don't know if it was that I was really tired or that I was trying to avoid working on the story that is perculating through my brain these last three weeks. I know I am avoiding writing it down because it will be emotionally draining to work with it, as the heroine has to face some rather unpleasant facts about herself -- nothing "nasty" but just very deep-seated fears and a long-standing inability to trust anyone.] Slept more of the day than I was awake. Finally went to bed, for the final time of the day around 3 AM. (My hubby works second shift and our usual bedtime, after dinner and all once he gets home around 12:30-1:00 AM, is 3 to 4 AM.)
Our little kitty woke me around 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30; not intentionally, but she just loves to cuddle or climb on top of me and lay her chin on my cheek, or drape herself over my arm, or stick her cold nose on my chin as she snuggles in on my shoulder. Finally, I got up at 10. Much earlier for me than usual. Well, about an hour and a half "early." I know, for most of the world, the day is almost done by the time I am waking up.
I was headed to a friend's house today and was ready to leave by 10:30 AM. WOW! For once, I might have been early. No, I better not, I thought. She probably wouldn't be home until the "appointed" time. So, I opened up the laptop and clicked into one of the blogs I check out from time to time.
Nothing new there, and I honestly don't know whether I followed links from that blog or from another one ... but eventually I ended up at the blog kept by Lisa Samson, a published author, not just a writer wannabee. Reading through her recent posts was fun.
I found one from August 6th that is, I think, profound. And I want to share it with you. Copy and paste the link below into your browser and go visit Lisa's blog. Post a comment there and then maybe come back here and let me know you visited Lisa's blog. Okay?
http://lisasamson.typepad.com/blog/2007/08/whats-at-the-ce.html
After reading the entry to her blog, I clicked on one of the books at the top of the page to find out what her fiction writing is like. While I was doing that, one of my sisters called and we chatted for a while. Then I finally was able to head to my friends's house. Late, as usual!
However, if I had left early, I would not have encountered that blog or that entry; I would have missed talking with my sister; and would not have been touched by the profound nature of the insight in that entry.
My own writing, very recently, has dealt with this topic to a large degree. A bumper sticker I saw recently says, "Writers drive and plot. Scared yet?" Well, it is true. I plot as I drive. I finagle plot twists. I dream up new plot twists.
And today, for the hour drive to my friend's house, and for the hour back home, I ran the plot through that insight like drawing thread through wax for quilting -- the wax strengthens the thread, makes it easier to continually pull through all the layers of fabric, and helps keep it from fraying from all that stress put on it as it passes through the layers.
When I go to my friend's house, we talk writing, the stories we are each working on, and we make greeting cards using rubber stamps and whatever other art supplies we have on hand that day. Since I got there later today than anticiapted, we didn't bother with the ink and the cardstock. We trimmed sets of stamps that have been just lanquishing in the boxes they arrived in (up to two years ago!). And the next time we get together, the stamps will be all ready to be used. :-)
It was a very productive day, actually! WOO HOO!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
We Are ALL Sinners
It was a news headline last night at AOL.com -- about the church that cancelled the memorial service. I didn't take the time when I first saw it to click on the link to find out what it was about. My husband, Peter, found it on MSN.com this morning and is now in his office in the basement making posts to the "let us know what you think" link. If you haven't seen the story, here it is:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20221295/
And if you would like to know more about the pastor or the church that did this, here is the link to their website that I found through dogpile.com:
www.churchunusual.com
I could write tons and tons about this. In fact, I am writing tons and tons about it. It touches close to me. Not because it involves the issue of homosexuality but because it touches the whole foundation of Christianity: God's Grace.
One day I will get all my thoughts on paper and get them into some semblance of reasonable order, then send it off and hopefully find a publisher. In the meantime, I'll post a little bit of it here.
I looked around the church's website and found a number of flags that would keep me from attending there if I lived in the Arlington area. And found a couple things that disturb me about this place.
1. They claim they have an "accepting atmosphere."
2. They want the congregation to tithe.
3. They focus on the "life-changing" message of the gospel.
4. And only through obedience do miracles occur.
But, that is not the topic of discussion here. I may return to some of those in future posts, though.
You see, the claim that the reason the memorial service was cancelled was that to do it would mean they condoned the deceased lifestyle, is saying "Uh, he was a sinner. We can't condone that."
Last time I checked, the unforgivable sin was not homosexuality, abortion, gambling, Internet pornography, divorce, or teen sex.
It is exchanging the free gift of grace for the burden of Law; exchanging the garments of grace for the rags of being a "good Christian."
This Sunday morning, how many pastors are in their pulpits supporting this pastor's decision to cancel the memorial service? How many are ignoring it? And how many are deploring it? Last, how many are just acknowledging the fact that we are all sinners?
Oh, homosexuality is so dangerous because there is this "homosexual agenda." Okay. What about the "gossip's agenda," the "envy agenda," the "greed agenda," etc.? Our culture and economy revolve around Greed and Envy. Madison Avenue relies on our sense of envy. Wall Street is fueled by greed. And TV news is more about celebrity gossip than real hard news facts.
Everyone is a sinner. No one is perfect.
I remember hearing that there are 365 "thou shalt not" laws in the Old Testament. I don't remember how many "thou shalt" ones there are. So, there is no way we could keep every Law and be "perfect" under that system! I mean, right now, I am guilty of at least one of the "thou shalt not" laws: you will not wear cloth that is woven of more than one type of fiber. I happen to be wearing a tank top that is a cotton-polyester blend. Oh no! And by doing so, I am now a "sinner" because I have broken a Law.
Therefore, the church that would deny a memorial service to someone who was a homosexual, better also deny it to anyone who is buried in clothing of mixed fibers; should deny such a service to anyone who ever envied his neighbor or coveted his neighbor's car or greener grass; should deny a service for anyone who worked on a Sunday or Saturday (depending on your definition of "Sabbath"); should deny a service to anyone who ever ate pork or shellfish or pizza with both cheese and a meat on it.
Get real!
I have broken one Law, so far today, and I am now guilty of the entire Law. I now face the penalty of breaking the Law: eternal separation from God. However, I am forgiven. I am under grace. And while grace is not a license to sin, it also does not require complete obedience to the Law. In fact, if I choose to "keep a Law," I am choosing to live under Law (Galations 3) -- and am cursed by the Law. If I choose to live in grace, then I am free of the curse of the Law.
We are all sinners. All. Even Pastor Gary Simons of High Point Church in Arlington, TX. Even April Simons, his wife. All.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Let he who is without sin deny ministry to those who do sin. Otherwise, get over yourself.
Get your focus off your self and your righteousness and put your focus back where it belongs, on the God who loves you, the God who became a Man for you, the God who died for your sins, the God who forgives you and loves you even though you are flawed and sinful. Focus on Him so intently that you see yourself and others in His eyes alone, not through some filter of what you think a worthy person is or what a "good Christian" is or what you think anyone is or should be. See them the way God sees them.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20221295/
And if you would like to know more about the pastor or the church that did this, here is the link to their website that I found through dogpile.com:
www.churchunusual.com
I could write tons and tons about this. In fact, I am writing tons and tons about it. It touches close to me. Not because it involves the issue of homosexuality but because it touches the whole foundation of Christianity: God's Grace.
One day I will get all my thoughts on paper and get them into some semblance of reasonable order, then send it off and hopefully find a publisher. In the meantime, I'll post a little bit of it here.
I looked around the church's website and found a number of flags that would keep me from attending there if I lived in the Arlington area. And found a couple things that disturb me about this place.
1. They claim they have an "accepting atmosphere."
2. They want the congregation to tithe.
3. They focus on the "life-changing" message of the gospel.
4. And only through obedience do miracles occur.
But, that is not the topic of discussion here. I may return to some of those in future posts, though.
You see, the claim that the reason the memorial service was cancelled was that to do it would mean they condoned the deceased lifestyle, is saying "Uh, he was a sinner. We can't condone that."
Last time I checked, the unforgivable sin was not homosexuality, abortion, gambling, Internet pornography, divorce, or teen sex.
It is exchanging the free gift of grace for the burden of Law; exchanging the garments of grace for the rags of being a "good Christian."
This Sunday morning, how many pastors are in their pulpits supporting this pastor's decision to cancel the memorial service? How many are ignoring it? And how many are deploring it? Last, how many are just acknowledging the fact that we are all sinners?
Oh, homosexuality is so dangerous because there is this "homosexual agenda." Okay. What about the "gossip's agenda," the "envy agenda," the "greed agenda," etc.? Our culture and economy revolve around Greed and Envy. Madison Avenue relies on our sense of envy. Wall Street is fueled by greed. And TV news is more about celebrity gossip than real hard news facts.
Everyone is a sinner. No one is perfect.
I remember hearing that there are 365 "thou shalt not" laws in the Old Testament. I don't remember how many "thou shalt" ones there are. So, there is no way we could keep every Law and be "perfect" under that system! I mean, right now, I am guilty of at least one of the "thou shalt not" laws: you will not wear cloth that is woven of more than one type of fiber. I happen to be wearing a tank top that is a cotton-polyester blend. Oh no! And by doing so, I am now a "sinner" because I have broken a Law.
Therefore, the church that would deny a memorial service to someone who was a homosexual, better also deny it to anyone who is buried in clothing of mixed fibers; should deny such a service to anyone who ever envied his neighbor or coveted his neighbor's car or greener grass; should deny a service for anyone who worked on a Sunday or Saturday (depending on your definition of "Sabbath"); should deny a service to anyone who ever ate pork or shellfish or pizza with both cheese and a meat on it.
Get real!
I have broken one Law, so far today, and I am now guilty of the entire Law. I now face the penalty of breaking the Law: eternal separation from God. However, I am forgiven. I am under grace. And while grace is not a license to sin, it also does not require complete obedience to the Law. In fact, if I choose to "keep a Law," I am choosing to live under Law (Galations 3) -- and am cursed by the Law. If I choose to live in grace, then I am free of the curse of the Law.
We are all sinners. All. Even Pastor Gary Simons of High Point Church in Arlington, TX. Even April Simons, his wife. All.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Let he who is without sin deny ministry to those who do sin. Otherwise, get over yourself.
Get your focus off your self and your righteousness and put your focus back where it belongs, on the God who loves you, the God who became a Man for you, the God who died for your sins, the God who forgives you and loves you even though you are flawed and sinful. Focus on Him so intently that you see yourself and others in His eyes alone, not through some filter of what you think a worthy person is or what a "good Christian" is or what you think anyone is or should be. See them the way God sees them.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
"Mountain -- Outta My Way!"
At the church Peter and I used to attend, the Teaching Pastor, Dave, before he would start preaching, would have us hold up our Bibles and repeat after him:
"This is my Bible.
I can have what it says I can have.
I can do what it says I can do.
So, there then."
(Being of Scandinavian extraction in the Upper Midwest almost requires that "so there then" added to most statements.)
About two years ago, I started asking some questions about faith:
- When people are going through hard times, the spiritual leaders and others explain that these times are given to us to "strengthen our faith." Why? What's ahead that we need to have a stronger faith? What does a stronger faith accomplish for us? Isn't faith, faith? How much faith is enough faith? How do I get more? etc. etc.
- How much faith does it take to get an answer to prayer? (back the the questions above -- how much faith is enough faith?) Is it possible to have too little faith?
- And when does faith become "tempting God?" (Remember when Lucifer took Jesus to the top of the Temple and told Him to jump off because 10,000 angels were there, ready to protect Him to keep Him from even stubbing a toe on a stone in the path? Jesus' reply, in the King James translation, is "Thou shalt not tempt God.") What is the line between faith, foolishness and testing God? Is it a matter of intent or is there really a line between possible/impossible/probable/improbable/sure why not/no way?
Well, then my mom was diagnosed with AML -- a form of Leukemia -- in November 2005. And it became, I thought, a test of my faith and whether I had enough of it ...I didn't think my faith was big enough to get the answer I wanted from God -- her to get better and be cured.
So, I made up prayer cards for all the people in the church she attended. I figured if enough people were asking for the same thing, collectively our faith would add up to enough to get the desired answer.
Mom had asked if I thought she would still be with us for Easter and I told her that I was praying for that. She didn't say anything but her smile indicated she liked the idea. So, on those prayer cards, I asked everyone to pray for her to be strong and with us until Easter and beyond.
At that point, according to the medical prognosis, Easter was unlikely. Mom got stronger and for a while we thought she was going into remission. Easter passed and mom quickly slipped away from us. She died May 30th. By that point, while I was not ready to let her go, she was ready to go "Home."
So, what happened?First, I read a book on prayer. I was maybe hoping to find some "formula" to assure getting the answer I wanted. I think that may have been what I was trying to do. I know there are no "formulas" and karmic if-I-do-this-then-this-will-be-the-result thinking and acting that work when dealing with Jehovah God. "Magical thinking," something I'd been discussing with friends for a couple of years, just does not apply in the life of a Christian.
This book, though, sort of confused me. It was not really a book on prayer, but a compilation of an author's various writings about prayer: Oswald Chambers' Prayer: A Holy Occupation.
My experiences with mom's illness were that I needed to pray rather specifically about what I wanted to see happen. General open-ended prayers didn't seem to "work."
The stuff I was reading, though, seemed to indicate that this coming with a "shopping list" of requests was not the object of prayer. I needed to be less specific and be much more patient.Frustration ran through me as I wanted to see continued improvement in mom and not the sudden declines I was seeing constantly. Should I continue to pray specific prayers, or now that I "knew better" just sit back and "wait and see"?
For months, I had been the one with faith in the impossible and anticipated miracles while everyone else around me expected the worst every minute of every day. I was frustrated that my Believer sister and her husband were among those who had kept telling me to face reality and be realistic and stop being in denial about mom's disease. There was a callousness, it seemed to me, once mom was in home hospice care -- "she's going to die and there's NOTHING you or I can (or should) do to slow it down or stop it." I felt alone as mom slipped away mentally and had hallucinations and reverted to a little girl, of about or 7, in some ways. Mom was so precious and it hurt so much to see her in pain and slipping away.
And I was confused and alone. I did not want to turn to the "face the facts" crowd at that point for comfort. I wanted someone to come along and be gentle and just say, "This world is not your mother's home. Her Father is calling her home for the dinner feast. You have to let her go. You can't be selfish and keep her here. She needs her Father now." Just like when the neighbors' father would call them home on a summer's night when we would be out chasing fireflies and playing hide-n-seek; when he called, they had to go.
In the thirteen months since mom died, I've thought about this, prayed about it.
God is very gentle. He has shown me that is was not the content of my prayers -- whether I had a specific request or not; it was not the number of people praying in agreement to build up a "Faith Withdrawal Fund;" it was, however, where my faith was placed.
Back to what Dave used to have us say: "This is my Bible. I can have what it says I can have. I can do what it says I can do. So there then."
Not because I believe I can. But because I believe the One who said I can.
There is a difference. When I believe I can because Jesus said, "If you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains," and I am trying to quantify my faith ("Do I have as much faith as a mustard seed or not?") -- I can't move that mountain!
Why not?My faith is in my faith and not in the One who said it. When my faith is purely focused on God and the promises He has made, not looking at me to see if I have enough faith or if I have said the right words, followed the right prayer formula, or asked fervently enough, then -- and only then -- can I move mountains.
I'll try to explain better in the next post ...
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