January 18, 2008 at 2:24 pm (Random Posts, Sex, christopher west)
Here’s what I’m thinking about this morning…
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SEX:
Bet that got your attention! Now let me clarify…
After finally securing childcare (thanks Mom and Dad!), I’m headed off to a Christopher West seminar sponsored by my church. If you’re not familiar with Christopher West and his work then you should be. How’s that for telling you what you should do? J. Ok, so what does that have to do with sex?
West is known for his explanations and insights on Pope John Paul II’s teachings on the Theology of the Body; among other things he talks about sex, love, our bodies and the Sacrament of Marriage.
It’s teaching that is desperately needed in a culture (Christian culture included) that distorts God’s purposes for our bodies and sex. I hear West is a dynamic speaker with a gift for presenting and explaining the truth. I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
West’s books include Good News about Sex and Marriage, The Theology of the Body Explained and The Theology of the Body for Beginners.
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SUNSHINE:
The weather here in Florida is pretty “blah” (yes, that’s my official meteorological term for it). It’s cloudy, constantly drizzling rain and the sun hasn’t appeared for days.
I wouldn’t mind it if it were cold and we could sit next to the fire with hot chocolate and a bunch of books but that’s not the case. It’s just “blah” and very humid outside. Instead of bouncing on the trampoline, my girls are bouncing off the walls. Not a good state in which to send them off to their grandparents for babysitting. Sorry Mom and Dad!
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SIN and SELFISHNESS:
Our foes are really our own distorted thoughts and selfish habits, which wreak more damage than we often imagine.(Magnificat, January 2008, p. 257)
Boy, ain’t that the truth!
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January 7, 2008 at 2:02 pm (Surrendering)
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In his book Release of the Spirit, Watchman Nee writes about that thing in hand. It’s the thing (or things) we hold onto so tightly that it hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it keeps us from living and loving like Jesus.
This thing in hand can be anything: A relationship, a possession, a job or position, a habit, a dream or desire, an unmet need or even an emotion. Often the thing takes up an imbalanced amount of our time, talent, treasures and thoughts. It can even become an idol we put before God himself. Sometimes, in order for the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, God allows us to be broken so that we will release this thing in hand or learn to hold on loosely.
Henri Nouwen writes of holding loosely onto life (especially people).The following is taken from his book Turn My Mourning into Dancing:
Perhaps our need to hold life loosely is no more evident than in our daily relationships. Loving someone means allowing the other person to respond in ways you have no control. Every time you engage yourself in an intimate, loving way with someone else you become at least partly subject to the exhilaration of hearing another person’s yes or the disappointment in his or her no. The more people you love, the more pain you may experience. For the great mystery of love is that while it can be received, it can also be rejected. Every time you love you enter into the risk of love…
Look at the story of Jesus in the last chapters of his life… Our pain and the suffering of the Lord are intimately connected. When we mourn, we die to something that gives us a sense of who we are. In this sense suffering always has much to do with the spiritual life. We surrender our striving denial of our limitations. We release our hold on a piece of our identity as a spouse, a parent, as a member of church, as a resident of a community…And so we admit, not without many tears, that we sometimes must let go of what we hold very dear.
I’m not good at holding on loosely to this life. I’m quick to stake my claim on what I want and what I think God ought to do in my life and in the lives of those I love. More often than not it seems like God has to pry things out of my hands. I have so far to go in my faith journey. There are many things in hand that I need to hold loosely or just plain let go.
How about you…what’s the thing in your hand?
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January 1, 2008 at 10:24 pm (Random Posts)
Here are some lessons learned and observations I’ve made in 2007.
(Listed in no particular order)
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The grass is always greener until you jump over the fence.
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You can put a house on the market but that doesn’t mean it will sell. J
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Exercise is a necessary “evil” in my life.
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I really don’t know what it means to suffer — except maybe when I’m exercising 
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Every family has its own level of dysfunction…It’s called the flesh!
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People who look like they have it all together more than likely don’t. Because…(see #5)
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People who try hard to make it look like they have it all together definitely don’t.
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If I’m not willing to examine WHY “I do the things I don’t want to do” then it’s likely I won’t stop doing ”the things I don’t want to do.”
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The Lord gives and the Lord takes away and it won’t always make sense.
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You can miss someone you’ve never even met.
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The Golden Rule doesn’t always work because not everyone wants to be “done unto” as “you would have them do unto you.”
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Prayer works.
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When you pray “Lord, do whatever it takes to…” be prepared because there’s a good chance He will.
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Everybody has a story to tell (or two or three…)
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Loving people is sometimes (ok, almost always) a bit ”messy” and never easy but love them anyway cause Jesus loves you.
Here’s to a new year with new opportunities to live and love like Jesus.
Take time to listen to and get involved in someone’s story in 2008.
Happy New Year!
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