Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Enemies
I read this today and was so moved by it. It's the biggest lesson I've had to learn over the past year. Praying for people who have hurt me, or who have hurt those I love... it's one of the hardest things to do, and yet it's definitely the most heart-changing. God brings me alongside Him and shows me His love for me and for others. He gently and lovingly reminds me that He called me to Him, even when I wanted nothing to do with Him. He rescued me, and tells me to pray for others that need rescuing as well.
"The first thing we are called to do when we think of others as our enemies is to pray for them. This is certainly not easy. It requires discipline to allow those who hate us or those toward whom we have hostile feelings to come into the intimate center of our hearts. People who make our lives difficult and cause us frustration, pain, or even harm are least likely to receive a place in our hearts. Yet every time we overcome this impatience with our opponents and are willing to listen to the cry of those who persecute us, we will recognize them as brothers and sisters too. Praying for our enemies is therefore a real event, the event of reconciliation. ...There is probably no prayer as powerful as the prayer for our enemies. But it is also the most difficult prayer since it is contrary to our impulses." ~ Henri Nouwen
"The first thing we are called to do when we think of others as our enemies is to pray for them. This is certainly not easy. It requires discipline to allow those who hate us or those toward whom we have hostile feelings to come into the intimate center of our hearts. People who make our lives difficult and cause us frustration, pain, or even harm are least likely to receive a place in our hearts. Yet every time we overcome this impatience with our opponents and are willing to listen to the cry of those who persecute us, we will recognize them as brothers and sisters too. Praying for our enemies is therefore a real event, the event of reconciliation. ...There is probably no prayer as powerful as the prayer for our enemies. But it is also the most difficult prayer since it is contrary to our impulses." ~ Henri Nouwen
Monday, March 9, 2009
Spring Cleaning
I've started in on the kitchen today. I'm hoping to go room by room, doing a semi-annual deep clean of the whole house. I haven't really taken the time to do a full on spring clean before, so while the task seems a bit overwhelming, it seems like the weather is just right for it. :D I've told myself that a part of it is starting flower in our little pot by our front door and possibly starting to grow an herb plant or two.
Also, I've been learning to knit and crochet. My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was little, and said that she didn't like knitting because it was too unforgiving. She was right. Knitting is really fun, but you have to be really careful, whereas if you make a mistake crocheting, you can just rip out however many stitches and pick up from there. Everything I've made so far looks like crap. :D
Also, I've been learning to knit and crochet. My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was little, and said that she didn't like knitting because it was too unforgiving. She was right. Knitting is really fun, but you have to be really careful, whereas if you make a mistake crocheting, you can just rip out however many stitches and pick up from there. Everything I've made so far looks like crap. :D
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Very Enlightening...
So, I've read a few things this week by a Christian artist. I don't listen to Christian music much because... well, I'll just be honest and tell you all that I think most of it is crap. Even as I write that I can just see the raised eyebrows and slight frowns that appeared on all of your faces.
Anyways, I'll try not to allow my imagined impending doom to distract me from finishing my thoughts... A couple of posts that this guy wrote got me thinking - A LOT. He was talking about something random, and then he happened to slip in a comment about the Holy Spirit and said "it/she".
............
It bowled me over. I stopped reading right there and stared at those two little words for a moment. Then I hit google and asked "Is the Holy Spirit female?" Can I just tell you how many links popped up??? I'm not wanting to debate this or really get into it, but I'll just tell you that I've always believed that God, in a sense, is not really gender-specific... in that I don't believe that He is strictly male. After all, He created us in His image - male and female, He created us! So... whatever. I was taken aback, and I'm honestly still processing it. The other thing I read was a post about "Our Jesus". He talks about how his Jesus is different from my Jesus or your Jesus. He used his friend's Jesus as an example. His friend's Jesus says that the most important thing is to love God and love people. His Jesus also says that it's ok to execute justice and sometimes hurt others when they've harmed you. On the other hand, while our artist guy's Jesus also says that the most important thing is to love God and people, his Jesus also says that you should bless those that curse you, and always do good to others.
So... lots of Jesus's?? Jesus is one man. One man. He is a person with a specific personality and experiences and ideas. His post did make sense though, on a certain level. For those of you who have gone through "Fundamentals of the Faith" you might remember a little exercise that asked you to describe how you see God. Do you see Him as more loving (Big Teddybear) or do you see Him on His throne, executing justice? We, with our finite understanding, can't comprehend all of who God is, and He isn't a Big Teddybear, nor is He an aloof Dictator, careless of His subjects. I remember learning that I really related to God as a distant, righteous King, but not my loving Father. That really effected my relationship with Him. I was afraid to approach Him, and lived in denial. I lived a life that didn't reflect Him, and yet I was too paralysed in fear and self-loathing to ever approach Him with confidence. God used His gift of grace to show me that He loves me. He loved me when I didn't even care about Him, let alone me living in fear, wanting to love Him... wanting to believe that He was good. I always wanted to know God as a gracious, merciful Father, but I didn't see Him that way for a long time. I suppose that's what this guy was talking about. Maybe he was referring more to His teachings and different parts of Jesus's personality that we connect with.
These thoughts aren't nearly finished, and if you'd like to contribute by adding your own, please do! This is just the first thread of many to shape my thinking as time goes on, and I'd be happy to hear from anyone that may have this more figured out than I do, or those of you that may have a different perspective.
Anyways, I'll try not to allow my imagined impending doom to distract me from finishing my thoughts... A couple of posts that this guy wrote got me thinking - A LOT. He was talking about something random, and then he happened to slip in a comment about the Holy Spirit and said "it/she".
............
It bowled me over. I stopped reading right there and stared at those two little words for a moment. Then I hit google and asked "Is the Holy Spirit female?" Can I just tell you how many links popped up??? I'm not wanting to debate this or really get into it, but I'll just tell you that I've always believed that God, in a sense, is not really gender-specific... in that I don't believe that He is strictly male. After all, He created us in His image - male and female, He created us! So... whatever. I was taken aback, and I'm honestly still processing it. The other thing I read was a post about "Our Jesus". He talks about how his Jesus is different from my Jesus or your Jesus. He used his friend's Jesus as an example. His friend's Jesus says that the most important thing is to love God and love people. His Jesus also says that it's ok to execute justice and sometimes hurt others when they've harmed you. On the other hand, while our artist guy's Jesus also says that the most important thing is to love God and people, his Jesus also says that you should bless those that curse you, and always do good to others.
So... lots of Jesus's?? Jesus is one man. One man. He is a person with a specific personality and experiences and ideas. His post did make sense though, on a certain level. For those of you who have gone through "Fundamentals of the Faith" you might remember a little exercise that asked you to describe how you see God. Do you see Him as more loving (Big Teddybear) or do you see Him on His throne, executing justice? We, with our finite understanding, can't comprehend all of who God is, and He isn't a Big Teddybear, nor is He an aloof Dictator, careless of His subjects. I remember learning that I really related to God as a distant, righteous King, but not my loving Father. That really effected my relationship with Him. I was afraid to approach Him, and lived in denial. I lived a life that didn't reflect Him, and yet I was too paralysed in fear and self-loathing to ever approach Him with confidence. God used His gift of grace to show me that He loves me. He loved me when I didn't even care about Him, let alone me living in fear, wanting to love Him... wanting to believe that He was good. I always wanted to know God as a gracious, merciful Father, but I didn't see Him that way for a long time. I suppose that's what this guy was talking about. Maybe he was referring more to His teachings and different parts of Jesus's personality that we connect with.
These thoughts aren't nearly finished, and if you'd like to contribute by adding your own, please do! This is just the first thread of many to shape my thinking as time goes on, and I'd be happy to hear from anyone that may have this more figured out than I do, or those of you that may have a different perspective.
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