...ancient words of new wisdom live, breathe
as i am born to become a living poem...

Monday, January 11, 2010

leave them behind

lace trees


I'm being a total and complete copycat, taking this quote from Redemption Junkie's blog. It's goooood.
"Sometimes we have to "step over" our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in them. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on." ~ Henri Nouwen

Friday, January 8, 2010

the church's mandate

snowneressness
"When Jesus called the twelve disciples he appointed the first Christian congregation. That first congregation was thereafter the standard or norm for all Christian congregations in every era. The mandate our Lord gave to the twelve he therefore gives to any congregation in any era. Needless to say, it's the mandate without which we wouldn't be a congregation at all. We might be a religious group, or a middle class club, or a social circle; but we wouldn't be a congregation called and commissioned by Jesus Christ himself and appointed to the same task and responsibility as our twelve foreparents in faith. In other words, it's the mandate that makes the congregation.

There's a crucial difference, however, between the mandate the government gives a royal commission and the mandate Jesus Christ gives us. The mandate given the royal commission authorizes its members to ask questions and produce reports. They do that. They produce innumerable reports. They make dozens of recommendations. But how much gets done? A great deal is said; very little is ever done. The mandate that Jesus gives a congregation, on the other hand, authorizes us to say relatively little, even as it insists we do a great deal. What's more, what we say and do in obedience to our Lord he then adopts himself, takes it up in his name and uses it to so as to render it his speaking and his doing.

What's the mandate? First the twelve are to announce, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." This is what they are to preach. Thereafter they are to do; specifically they are to do what reflects the fact that the kingdom is at hand. They are to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons." ~ Victor Shepherd
original article

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Christian Codependency

don't walk through that door

"Churches that are closed systems are so insecure that they believe their survival depends on destroying everything that differs from them or does not support them. Such churches lack faith in the gospel’s inherent power." ~ Anne Wilson Schaef

Monday, January 4, 2010

2010

sacred beach

I wrote this yesterday...

The new year is underway and I'm quite excited about it. Life seems fresh and new on many levels. In one particular aspect of our lives, it was as if we had been sailing around in a fog, going 'round and 'round for years on end, but now the sails have gathered up fresh winds and are carrying us into blues skies and open seas. Who knows what swashbuckling adventures await us. Yup, sounds corny, but I can live with that.

The important thing is to not look back at the things that strive to define us or drag us down. In life, we often have to make decisions and changes for the sake of fostering greater emotional and spiritual health. We can't then concern ourselves with other people's reactions or deductions. It's best to stay in the mode of looking forward instead of looking back, and being grateful that by God's grace you had the courage to break free of the things that confined you.

I think too, that the key is to focus on the blessings that come with change. When we take stock of that, what's behind you really pales in comparison. Besides, if there's anything healthy behind you that belongs on your current path, it'll catch up to you when the time is right.

Jon just came home from church. We all had a late night last night after thoroughly enjoying a very stormy yummy night with dear friends, and Faith and I slept in while the boys went to church. Jon said people shared this morning, and one guy who is struggling with drug addiction said Jesus is helping him to get free. Others shared similar stories. If that doesn't put things into perspective, I don't know what does.

Church is about people thriving, healing, the poor being fed, children being nurtured and discipled, people finding Jesus, the gospel being taught, and everyone being transformed by God's love.

I'm going into 2010 feeling rich! :o)