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Saturday, December 22, 2007
The fountain springs to life
I read the following this morning, and it was a good reminder of all that we have to celebrate in the birth of the preeminent Christ:
"We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. If we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that it is 'of him.' If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, they will be found in his anointing.
"If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. For by his birth he was made like us in all respects that he might learn to feel our pain.
"If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in his entrance into heaven; if protection, if security, if abundant supply of all blessings, in his Kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other." - John Calvin, Reformer extraordinaire (1509-1564)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15-20
To think that this great fountain sprung to life in the form of a human infant, born into the meanest of circumstances is too much for my little mind to grasp. May we drink our fill with constant gratitude and awe.
"We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. If we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that it is 'of him.' If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, they will be found in his anointing.
"If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. For by his birth he was made like us in all respects that he might learn to feel our pain.
"If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in his entrance into heaven; if protection, if security, if abundant supply of all blessings, in his Kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other." - John Calvin, Reformer extraordinaire (1509-1564)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15-20
To think that this great fountain sprung to life in the form of a human infant, born into the meanest of circumstances is too much for my little mind to grasp. May we drink our fill with constant gratitude and awe.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Tell me the story
Gather 'round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
We tell a lot of stories at this time of year: there is the story about a stingy old curmudgeon who has a change of heart after being visited by spirits in the night; the one about a little boy, his BB-gun, and let's not forget the leg lamp; and of course the classic tale of a man in a red suit who delivers presents around the world with the help of flying reindeer. These stories warm our hearts and stir up nostalgic memories. But they aren't the stories that really matter. There is just one that does.
Make sure you take some time in the next few days to get out of the shopping rush, set aside the wrapping paper, turn down the Christmas music, and read or listen to the story once again. Hear it anew this year - not as just another familiar tale no different from the ones mentioned above - but as a magnificent, heart-wrenching, and humbling story written by the author and perfecter of our faith. Let it get your attention and utterly captivate you. Then tell the story to someone else - that is the only gift that truly matters.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
NOTE: The lyrics above are from Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God", one of the best ways I know to hear the old, old story again and anew.
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
We tell a lot of stories at this time of year: there is the story about a stingy old curmudgeon who has a change of heart after being visited by spirits in the night; the one about a little boy, his BB-gun, and let's not forget the leg lamp; and of course the classic tale of a man in a red suit who delivers presents around the world with the help of flying reindeer. These stories warm our hearts and stir up nostalgic memories. But they aren't the stories that really matter. There is just one that does.
Make sure you take some time in the next few days to get out of the shopping rush, set aside the wrapping paper, turn down the Christmas music, and read or listen to the story once again. Hear it anew this year - not as just another familiar tale no different from the ones mentioned above - but as a magnificent, heart-wrenching, and humbling story written by the author and perfecter of our faith. Let it get your attention and utterly captivate you. Then tell the story to someone else - that is the only gift that truly matters.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
NOTE: The lyrics above are from Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God", one of the best ways I know to hear the old, old story again and anew.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
It's IN the computer
Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in the title of this blog.
I wanted to let you all know about a VERY helpful resource that I utilized in my previous post. It is called E-Sword (the catchy and clever tagline is "The Sword of the Lord with an Electronic Edge"). At the E-Sword website, you can download numerous translations of the Bible, as well as commentaries and Bible dictionaries - many of them for free.
I downloaded the English Standard Version of the Bible a couple of months ago, and have found the E-Sword to be incredibly helpful, especially when I'm writing or researching something in the Bible. There are so many things you can do with it - search by word, utilize Gospel parallels, compare translations - and there are also many Bible study tools and other things I have yet to explore. It's free, so go download it now. Start here... it's so simple!
And if you're wondering why I chose the ESV (and why I use it in general), please read John Piper's explanation.
I wanted to let you all know about a VERY helpful resource that I utilized in my previous post. It is called E-Sword (the catchy and clever tagline is "The Sword of the Lord with an Electronic Edge"). At the E-Sword website, you can download numerous translations of the Bible, as well as commentaries and Bible dictionaries - many of them for free.
I downloaded the English Standard Version of the Bible a couple of months ago, and have found the E-Sword to be incredibly helpful, especially when I'm writing or researching something in the Bible. There are so many things you can do with it - search by word, utilize Gospel parallels, compare translations - and there are also many Bible study tools and other things I have yet to explore. It's free, so go download it now. Start here... it's so simple!
And if you're wondering why I chose the ESV (and why I use it in general), please read John Piper's explanation.
Pondering Facebook (and many other things)
The following is drawn from the pages of my journal a couple of weeks ago, so it's rough and a bit rambling. More thoughts on the subject may be forthcoming, and I would especially appreciate hearing yours.
We had a lengthy conversation yesterday about Facebook [...] It left me with a lot to think about, and since certain people are expecting that I will think about it, so on this flight from Memphis to Milwaukee, that is what I intend to do.
We are creating this virtual universe, feeling like we are more connected than ever, enjoying the many wonders of technology and globalization... but have instant messaging and text messaging and now Facebook made our relationships any deeper, or have they simply enabled us to maintain countless shallow relationships that falsely satiate our hunger for deep connections and true intimacy?
Is virtual community true community? I can keep people at arm's length, choose to let a message sit in my inbox indefinitely, tailor my profile so that the world only knows what I want to tell.
Our mobile society has made leaving home a rite of passage - and there is something noble and adventurous about moving far away - something that so many of us have found attractive and inviting. We look at those who stay close to home as provincial, and we are constantly asking ourselves, "Where to next?" We are afraid to make a commitment to a job or a school or a community or a church - something better might come along, or we might just get tired of it.
There is a sense of pride in having a diverse group of friends in diverse places - though when it comes down to it I think most of us long to just spend our time with the likes of Monica, Joey, Ross and the gang at Central Perk. Having so many friends and family members scattered abroad creates relationships that are maintained on a convenience-basis, and decreases the number of truly loving influences we encounter in our everyday lives.
What good is Facebook? It serves some practical purposes - reminding me of people's birthdays, allowing me to get their contact information or find websites where they're blogging. I can see pictures of events I've been a part of or catch up on things I missed. I can generally keep tabs on what people are doing (which certainly borders on stalking, provides fuel for sinful gossip and opens the door for what easily becomes a hugely unprofitable waste of time). I can also get in touch with people quickly and easily - but doesn't that more often than not simply happen through some pretty empty interactions? Sure, the witty comment posted on a good friend's Facebook wall is fun, but does the quick "how's it going?" or worse yet "We should talk soon!" to someone you haven't talked to in years or someone whom you really should call actually accomplish anything? And why on earth is it so important for me to know what's going on in [random long-lost elementary school classmate]'s life?
But it's not just about Facebook [...] Truly living in community with people means that we must bear with one another in love - there must be patience with flaws and forgiveness of faults, there must be a dying to self for the sake of others. When many of our relationships consist of seeing each other a time or two a month, or just talking on the phone every several weeks, our love for one another cannot necessarily be tried, tested, have the chance to grow [...]
Scripture certainly doesn't suggest that we ought to aspire to independence. On the contrary, we are called to love sacrificially and to depend on one another:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:4-16
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:42-45
And of course - I Corinthians 13
Here end my thoughts for the day - now it is your turn. What are your thoughts on Facebook, friendship, community, love, and how it all relates to the the virtual reality where we find ourselves? Please post a comment here (this doubles as a shameless ploy to find out who is actually reading this blog).
We had a lengthy conversation yesterday about Facebook [...] It left me with a lot to think about, and since certain people are expecting that I will think about it, so on this flight from Memphis to Milwaukee, that is what I intend to do.
We are creating this virtual universe, feeling like we are more connected than ever, enjoying the many wonders of technology and globalization... but have instant messaging and text messaging and now Facebook made our relationships any deeper, or have they simply enabled us to maintain countless shallow relationships that falsely satiate our hunger for deep connections and true intimacy?
Is virtual community true community? I can keep people at arm's length, choose to let a message sit in my inbox indefinitely, tailor my profile so that the world only knows what I want to tell.
Our mobile society has made leaving home a rite of passage - and there is something noble and adventurous about moving far away - something that so many of us have found attractive and inviting. We look at those who stay close to home as provincial, and we are constantly asking ourselves, "Where to next?" We are afraid to make a commitment to a job or a school or a community or a church - something better might come along, or we might just get tired of it.
There is a sense of pride in having a diverse group of friends in diverse places - though when it comes down to it I think most of us long to just spend our time with the likes of Monica, Joey, Ross and the gang at Central Perk. Having so many friends and family members scattered abroad creates relationships that are maintained on a convenience-basis, and decreases the number of truly loving influences we encounter in our everyday lives.
What good is Facebook? It serves some practical purposes - reminding me of people's birthdays, allowing me to get their contact information or find websites where they're blogging. I can see pictures of events I've been a part of or catch up on things I missed. I can generally keep tabs on what people are doing (which certainly borders on stalking, provides fuel for sinful gossip and opens the door for what easily becomes a hugely unprofitable waste of time). I can also get in touch with people quickly and easily - but doesn't that more often than not simply happen through some pretty empty interactions? Sure, the witty comment posted on a good friend's Facebook wall is fun, but does the quick "how's it going?" or worse yet "We should talk soon!" to someone you haven't talked to in years or someone whom you really should call actually accomplish anything? And why on earth is it so important for me to know what's going on in [random long-lost elementary school classmate]'s life?
But it's not just about Facebook [...] Truly living in community with people means that we must bear with one another in love - there must be patience with flaws and forgiveness of faults, there must be a dying to self for the sake of others. When many of our relationships consist of seeing each other a time or two a month, or just talking on the phone every several weeks, our love for one another cannot necessarily be tried, tested, have the chance to grow [...]
Scripture certainly doesn't suggest that we ought to aspire to independence. On the contrary, we are called to love sacrificially and to depend on one another:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:4-16
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:42-45
And of course - I Corinthians 13
Here end my thoughts for the day - now it is your turn. What are your thoughts on Facebook, friendship, community, love, and how it all relates to the the virtual reality where we find ourselves? Please post a comment here (this doubles as a shameless ploy to find out who is actually reading this blog).
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Giving thanks
Thank you, Lord, for what has been given.
Thank you for what has wisely been withheld.
Thank you for what you've asked of me, and how you've equipped me to do it.
Thank you for my inadequacies and weaknesses.
Thank you for the times you've helped me see my sin.
Thank you for expanding my knowledge of your greatness and deepening my understanding of my need for you.
Thank you for what has wisely been withheld.
Thank you for what you've asked of me, and how you've equipped me to do it.
Thank you for my inadequacies and weaknesses.
Thank you for the times you've helped me see my sin.
Thank you for expanding my knowledge of your greatness and deepening my understanding of my need for you.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A refrain for today
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus
- Fernando Ortega
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-11
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
But give me Jesus
- Fernando Ortega
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-11
Monday, November 12, 2007
The blessing is in the doing
I believe that one of the ways God has demonstrated his love to us is by giving us his word. Not only has he given us a collection of his attributes, his expectations of us, evidence of his faithfulness, and a priceless description of the life of his most beloved Son - he has given us all of this in a document that is living and active. As a result, even the most familiar passages can speak to us in new and different ways as we look more closely and strive to walk more closely with Him. This happened for me a couple of weeks ago.
The New Testament reading in the Episcopal lectionary for Sunday, November 4 was the Beatitudes. This is a passage that was familiar from childhood, thus I thought my pastor might focus on one of the other Scriptures for his sermon that day. Instead, he pressed into Jesus's words, using them to admonish and encourage all of us. The message I walked away with that day was simple, but it has continued to resonate.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:3-12
Jesus promises that those who hurt, who suffer, who work to bring his kingdom here, who give all they have will be blessed and rewarded. These words have often brought comfort, hope, and a sense of purpose in difficult times, but they can also easily bring a sense of entitlement, or a skewed sense of what we should expect from God.
"Alright, God. I was kind to that guy who was a jerk to me. Where's my blessing?"
"My best friend died. I've mourned and kept on mourning. Aren't you going to bless me with a new friendship?"
"I've spent so much time serving the poor. Why aren't you taking away some of my financial burdens?"
But this type of blessing - that promised by the Prosperity Gospel and hoped for by our comfort-seeking instant gratification society - is not necessarily what Jesus was talking about. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when..."
The blessing doesn't come after the pain and sacrifice (though I do believe a greater reward will come in Heaven) - the blessing is in the pain and sacrifice. As my pastor said, "Doing good is the blessing."
When we do good, or when we are poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, making peace, or when we are persecuted, we are blessed.
Blessed because we are becoming more like Jesus.
Blessed because we are helping someone else to catch a glimpse of him.
Blessed because we are able to taste the Lord's goodness, and increase our reliance on him.
Blessed because we have an opportunity to trust and stand on his word, believing that because he said it, it is true, whether we feel it or not: blessed are you.
The New Testament reading in the Episcopal lectionary for Sunday, November 4 was the Beatitudes. This is a passage that was familiar from childhood, thus I thought my pastor might focus on one of the other Scriptures for his sermon that day. Instead, he pressed into Jesus's words, using them to admonish and encourage all of us. The message I walked away with that day was simple, but it has continued to resonate.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:3-12
Jesus promises that those who hurt, who suffer, who work to bring his kingdom here, who give all they have will be blessed and rewarded. These words have often brought comfort, hope, and a sense of purpose in difficult times, but they can also easily bring a sense of entitlement, or a skewed sense of what we should expect from God.
"Alright, God. I was kind to that guy who was a jerk to me. Where's my blessing?"
"My best friend died. I've mourned and kept on mourning. Aren't you going to bless me with a new friendship?"
"I've spent so much time serving the poor. Why aren't you taking away some of my financial burdens?"
But this type of blessing - that promised by the Prosperity Gospel and hoped for by our comfort-seeking instant gratification society - is not necessarily what Jesus was talking about. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when..."
The blessing doesn't come after the pain and sacrifice (though I do believe a greater reward will come in Heaven) - the blessing is in the pain and sacrifice. As my pastor said, "Doing good is the blessing."
When we do good, or when we are poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, making peace, or when we are persecuted, we are blessed.
Blessed because we are becoming more like Jesus.
Blessed because we are helping someone else to catch a glimpse of him.
Blessed because we are able to taste the Lord's goodness, and increase our reliance on him.
Blessed because we have an opportunity to trust and stand on his word, believing that because he said it, it is true, whether we feel it or not: blessed are you.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
A lesson on wheels
Confession: I can't skate.
This will not come as a surprise to many of you, as you are already aware of my complete and utter lack of any sort of athletic ability.
This did, however, come as something of a surprise - and a great source of amusement - when a few of us took the girls from the youth group at church (better known as "The Monday Girls" since we meet on Monday evenings) rollerskating at the rink near church. I hadn't been on skates in years, so I knew we were in for an interesting time.
We had the rink mostly to ourselves since we were there early, so Marquis, Ellen, Lisa, and the seven girls who were with us grabbed skates and were quickly flying around the rink, the girls showing off their abilities in spinning and backwards skating. I put my skates on and ever-so-gingerly made my way on to the rink, clinging to the wall for dear life. Lisa and Ellen grabbed my hands, pulling me around the rink a few times as I hesitantly shuffled my feet. Doesn't anyone else think that if God had meant for us to have wheels attached to our bodies, he would have made that happen naturally?
Around and around we went, me at about one quarter of the speed of everyone else, which didn't matter too much to me. Since there weren't many folks on the floor, we could all see each other and laugh and talk across the rink. Gradually, I started to get a bit more comfortable and my legs started to loosen up a little. I laughed (apparently a little too hard) when one of the girls hit the floor while trying to do a fancy stunt.
I shouldn't have laughed at her.
Before she could even start to get up, I went down, HARD. I was shocked. I was in pain. I was thankful that God, in his wisdom, had given us padding on our backsides. Almost immediately, I was surrounded. The girls were worried for a moment, but as soon as they realized that nothing was broken they went back to tooling around the circle. Ellen and Lisa hovered over me as I got my bearings and fought off the tears that threatened to come (it hurt!). Marquis and the rink guard helped pull me up off the floor and get me back to the carpet.
The rink guard, a good friend of Marquis's, had been combining good-natured teasing with genuinely kind offers of instruction all evening. Now he saw his chance. After the initial pain wore off, I let him take me out onto the rink to try to help me skate. Rather than skating alongside me, he pushed from behind, ready to catch me the next time I fell (which I did promptly), but making me feel completely unsteady and out of control. After a couple trips around the circle, I convinced him I could handle this on my own - though handling it on my own, at that point, meant cozying up to the wall and moving as little as possible.
Fortunately, the girls wouldn't let me off the hook so easily. Mikaya sailed by, grabbed my hand, and pulled me on to the rink. "Come on, you can do it. Loosen up! Bend your knees! Come on! Bend 'em! Now you've gotta pick up your feet... ok... ok... a little more... PICK UP YOUR FEET!... there.... ok... push... push... bend your knees, it's ok!... pick up your feet... pick up your other foot... you're gettin' it..." And I was getting it, but what was happening at that moment was much more significant than me getting comfortable on skates.
I've spent the last three years getting to know Mikaya and her family. Her mom is raising five kids on her own while the father of her three sons, Mikaya's baby brothers, is in prison. Most of the time, I am the one with something to give to this family: a ride for Mikaya and her sister Tiara, some time spent cuddling with little Levi or holding baby Trey, encouragement and prayers for their mom, and most of all lessons on God and life for the girls. But now, rolling around this smooth oval, Mikaya had an ability that I lacked; she had something I needed, and I would not succeed without her patient teaching and willingness to skate along beside me.
Going to my church and spending time with these kids, it is easy to forget that I don't have it all figured out, that I am not without my own areas of weakness and need for other people. But here, in my time of need and weakness, Mikaya had the opportunity to grab my hand and know the joy of sharing what she has to help someone else who does not have.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. I Corinthians 13:21-25
My feet needed Mikaya's hand that day - the one whom I usually view as weaker was indispensable. Here, as the body of Christ glided around a skating rink, we were reminded that caring goes both ways.
Maybe God did intend for us to be on skates after all.
This will not come as a surprise to many of you, as you are already aware of my complete and utter lack of any sort of athletic ability.
This did, however, come as something of a surprise - and a great source of amusement - when a few of us took the girls from the youth group at church (better known as "The Monday Girls" since we meet on Monday evenings) rollerskating at the rink near church. I hadn't been on skates in years, so I knew we were in for an interesting time.
We had the rink mostly to ourselves since we were there early, so Marquis, Ellen, Lisa, and the seven girls who were with us grabbed skates and were quickly flying around the rink, the girls showing off their abilities in spinning and backwards skating. I put my skates on and ever-so-gingerly made my way on to the rink, clinging to the wall for dear life. Lisa and Ellen grabbed my hands, pulling me around the rink a few times as I hesitantly shuffled my feet. Doesn't anyone else think that if God had meant for us to have wheels attached to our bodies, he would have made that happen naturally?
Around and around we went, me at about one quarter of the speed of everyone else, which didn't matter too much to me. Since there weren't many folks on the floor, we could all see each other and laugh and talk across the rink. Gradually, I started to get a bit more comfortable and my legs started to loosen up a little. I laughed (apparently a little too hard) when one of the girls hit the floor while trying to do a fancy stunt.
I shouldn't have laughed at her.
Before she could even start to get up, I went down, HARD. I was shocked. I was in pain. I was thankful that God, in his wisdom, had given us padding on our backsides. Almost immediately, I was surrounded. The girls were worried for a moment, but as soon as they realized that nothing was broken they went back to tooling around the circle. Ellen and Lisa hovered over me as I got my bearings and fought off the tears that threatened to come (it hurt!). Marquis and the rink guard helped pull me up off the floor and get me back to the carpet.
The rink guard, a good friend of Marquis's, had been combining good-natured teasing with genuinely kind offers of instruction all evening. Now he saw his chance. After the initial pain wore off, I let him take me out onto the rink to try to help me skate. Rather than skating alongside me, he pushed from behind, ready to catch me the next time I fell (which I did promptly), but making me feel completely unsteady and out of control. After a couple trips around the circle, I convinced him I could handle this on my own - though handling it on my own, at that point, meant cozying up to the wall and moving as little as possible.
Fortunately, the girls wouldn't let me off the hook so easily. Mikaya sailed by, grabbed my hand, and pulled me on to the rink. "Come on, you can do it. Loosen up! Bend your knees! Come on! Bend 'em! Now you've gotta pick up your feet... ok... ok... a little more... PICK UP YOUR FEET!... there.... ok... push... push... bend your knees, it's ok!... pick up your feet... pick up your other foot... you're gettin' it..." And I was getting it, but what was happening at that moment was much more significant than me getting comfortable on skates.
I've spent the last three years getting to know Mikaya and her family. Her mom is raising five kids on her own while the father of her three sons, Mikaya's baby brothers, is in prison. Most of the time, I am the one with something to give to this family: a ride for Mikaya and her sister Tiara, some time spent cuddling with little Levi or holding baby Trey, encouragement and prayers for their mom, and most of all lessons on God and life for the girls. But now, rolling around this smooth oval, Mikaya had an ability that I lacked; she had something I needed, and I would not succeed without her patient teaching and willingness to skate along beside me.
Going to my church and spending time with these kids, it is easy to forget that I don't have it all figured out, that I am not without my own areas of weakness and need for other people. But here, in my time of need and weakness, Mikaya had the opportunity to grab my hand and know the joy of sharing what she has to help someone else who does not have.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. I Corinthians 13:21-25
My feet needed Mikaya's hand that day - the one whom I usually view as weaker was indispensable. Here, as the body of Christ glided around a skating rink, we were reminded that caring goes both ways.
Maybe God did intend for us to be on skates after all.
A little inspiration from Henri
Writing... is often the source of great pain and anxiety. It is remarkable how hard it is for students to sit down quietly and trust their own creativity. There seems to be a deep-seated resistance to writing. I have experienced this resistance myself over and over again. Even after many years of writing, I experience real fear when I face an empty page. Why am I so afraid? Sometimes I have an imaginary reader in mind who is looking over my shoulder and rejecting every word I write down. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the countless books and articles that already have been written and I cannot imagine that I have anything else to say that hasn't already been said better by someone else. Sometimes it seems that every sentence fails to express what I really want to say and that written words simply cannot hold what goes on in my mind and heart. So there are many fears and not seldom they paralyze me and make me delay or even abandon my writing plans.
And still, every time I overcome these fears and trust not only my own unique way of being in the world, but also my ability to give words to it, I experience a deep spiritual satisfaction. I have been trying to understand the nature of this satisfaction. What I am gradually discovering is that in writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God within me and experience how I am led to new places...
Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust...
Henri Nouwen, "Reflections on Theological Education" (Quoted in Seeds of Hope: A Henri Nouwen Reader, edited by Robert Durback)
And still, every time I overcome these fears and trust not only my own unique way of being in the world, but also my ability to give words to it, I experience a deep spiritual satisfaction. I have been trying to understand the nature of this satisfaction. What I am gradually discovering is that in writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God within me and experience how I am led to new places...
Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust...
Henri Nouwen, "Reflections on Theological Education" (Quoted in Seeds of Hope: A Henri Nouwen Reader, edited by Robert Durback)
Catching up
To the few, the proud, the faithful readers of this blog:
I knew the fall had gone by quickly, but I logged onto my blog thinking it had only been a month or so since I had posted. Much to my dismay, the last post was entered on September 9 (and truth be told, I actually just officially posted it today).
I apologize for letting you down - I suppose a couple of you have missed knowing what's going on in my life and my head; more of you have probably missed having one more Internet-based means of procrastination. The good news is, I'm back. Let the party begin.
There have been many factors contributing to my lack of writing - the usual laziness when it comes down to actually formulating my thoughts enough to type them out, time spent on other ventures like writing next summer's YouthWorks devotional book and helping a friend find (and refine) the words that might compel others to a more sacrificial life, and a head so full of thoughts that I barely know where to begin. I'll give you a glimpse of some of the words that are floating around in my head right now:
Traveling
Returning
Giving
Visiting
Jail
Justice
Rollerskating
Sharing
Cooking
Cleaning
Roofing
Rain
Community
Communion
Grieving
Celebrating
Thinking
Learning
Teaching
Vulnerability
Safety
Trust
Goals
Direction
Wondering
Cheering
Loving
And there you have it - a brief summary of the last two months of my life. Now that I've got you up to speed, let's move on to more important things.
I knew the fall had gone by quickly, but I logged onto my blog thinking it had only been a month or so since I had posted. Much to my dismay, the last post was entered on September 9 (and truth be told, I actually just officially posted it today).
I apologize for letting you down - I suppose a couple of you have missed knowing what's going on in my life and my head; more of you have probably missed having one more Internet-based means of procrastination. The good news is, I'm back. Let the party begin.
There have been many factors contributing to my lack of writing - the usual laziness when it comes down to actually formulating my thoughts enough to type them out, time spent on other ventures like writing next summer's YouthWorks devotional book and helping a friend find (and refine) the words that might compel others to a more sacrificial life, and a head so full of thoughts that I barely know where to begin. I'll give you a glimpse of some of the words that are floating around in my head right now:
Traveling
Returning
Giving
Visiting
Jail
Justice
Rollerskating
Sharing
Cooking
Cleaning
Roofing
Rain
Community
Communion
Grieving
Celebrating
Thinking
Learning
Teaching
Vulnerability
Safety
Trust
Goals
Direction
Wondering
Cheering
Loving
And there you have it - a brief summary of the last two months of my life. Now that I've got you up to speed, let's move on to more important things.
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