Women should be tough, tender, laugh as much as possible and live long lives. The struggle for equality continues unabaded, and the woman warrior who is armed with wit and courage will be among the first to celebrate victory.
Maya Angelou
Sunday, July 30
Wednesday, July 19
Melancholy
I have not written in a while. I have been emotional busy and whenever I get emotional busy I don't write a lot. It's like a ball game, really. When I am at the ball game I care about all the details - when I'm not I just want to know the final score.
So I am imposing that feeling upon all of you. It has been extra innings in Michelle land and so I am waiting to give you the final score.
In the meantime.... Some thoughts I have been munching on:
- The A's played their first errorless game in six games last night, but just got 2 back-2-back errors in the bottom of the 7th of the game I', listening to right now. Oh well, I guess that could preach. You think that you are on an errorless streak and then you error back-2-back. It's just part of the game; it is inevitable.
- Matt 15. Wow.
- The whole temple/body/body of Christ theme. Romans 9:4; 1 Cor. 3:16/17, 8:10, 9:13; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21. Seems Paul had something he wanted to say about that. Trying to get the big picture and figure out what that means for us.
- Is not being physically healthy a sin? That is bold... and it means that I have got junk to work out. This is really scary because I think part of my calling has to do with teaching Christians the theology/bibliology of physical health. Uh-oh.
- God is amazing and I don't trust God as much as I would like to think I do. I am totally getting all these little tests left and right to put my previous posts' thoughts in action. I love it: Excited to death/scared to death about some things that I will mention later.
In a melancholy mood today; blood sugar has been low for like a week and I can't seem to get it up... strange.
So I am imposing that feeling upon all of you. It has been extra innings in Michelle land and so I am waiting to give you the final score.
In the meantime.... Some thoughts I have been munching on:
- The A's played their first errorless game in six games last night, but just got 2 back-2-back errors in the bottom of the 7th of the game I', listening to right now. Oh well, I guess that could preach. You think that you are on an errorless streak and then you error back-2-back. It's just part of the game; it is inevitable.
- Matt 15. Wow.
- The whole temple/body/body of Christ theme. Romans 9:4; 1 Cor. 3:16/17, 8:10, 9:13; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21. Seems Paul had something he wanted to say about that. Trying to get the big picture and figure out what that means for us.
- Is not being physically healthy a sin? That is bold... and it means that I have got junk to work out. This is really scary because I think part of my calling has to do with teaching Christians the theology/bibliology of physical health. Uh-oh.
- God is amazing and I don't trust God as much as I would like to think I do. I am totally getting all these little tests left and right to put my previous posts' thoughts in action. I love it: Excited to death/scared to death about some things that I will mention later.
In a melancholy mood today; blood sugar has been low for like a week and I can't seem to get it up... strange.
Monday, July 3
Sovereign or not? Make up your mind...
Assumptions I operate under
1. God is really big
2. God knows everything
3. God is in control
I think most X's would agree - even if you are an open theist - you would agree that God is the being who is at least in control of being in control, and just chooses to let Godself be moved by God's love for us.
That being said, I think I have pinpointed a sadness, a grief if you will, that I have been feeling in regards to my family in God.
I am grieved that we say that we think God is in control and then speak/act as though God is not.
You are probably thinking, "thank you captain obvious."
Let me explain, no, let me sum up (didya catch that?):
The general grip/worry/lament of X is that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. We are worried by sex/violence/cussing in film, sad tales from the news, porn in romance novels and the internet, racism, classism, lack of social justice, etc. These are all things that are not necessarily such good things. I see that we have something to be sad about.
BUT what I am thinking is that our regrets and complaints are distracting us from remembering that God is sovereign. (If your theology allows for God to not be sovereign, then I guess you are off the hook on this on, and that is cool too.)
If we believe God to be in control, knowing all things, then why do we as a religion/faith get so bent out of shape about all these crappy things happening as though God needs our help stopping it?
I mean, all the junk that is around is all the same junk that was around through all of history - judgment/sex/violence/abuse/"isms". It only feels worse perhaps because we are in the middle of it. Or maybe TV and the information age allows us to be way more aware of all the stuff that happens - whatever - the point is that there is nothing new under the sun - including sin.
SOOO - if God was able to be a redemptive force all those many years ago, why isn't God able to be a redemptive agent even now?
This idea is tough because it will cause us to rethink how we view our roles in the work of God. If this is so, we are no longer allowed to be nay-sayers but are now required to be light and salt and the physical manifestation of the hand of God's reconciliation wherever we go - even if it gets us killed (hmmmmm.... sound familiar?)
To reframe how we see God's presence and ability in the world, we are suddenly much more responsible to, well, respond.
I almost feel like my complaining is a moot point. Shit happens. How you deal with it is more important than trying to prevent it. (Although I can't pull myself away from the call to try my best to not be the cause of that shit, mind you. There is still something to be said about living a life of holiness. Does saying shit make me unholy? It's not like the word "crap" or "stuff" wouldn't have meant the same thing in my heart.... ok, ok, I'll stop on that for now)
Anyway, trying to prevent sin can only go so far... we take the action that we can with all the grace that we can. BUT, when the sin happens, or is happening, that is when I need to chill and deal with the situation in the most "I believe God is in control" way possible.
For example: Hollywood makes rated R movies. Deal. It is not going to stop anytime soon. If the option of complaining about it/rejecting it is taken out of the picture, what next?
Perhaps seeing that Hollywood is doing us a favor?
Hollywood is actually exposing a lot of the things that are the realities of everyday life for many people. We as X's now have an opportunity to engage the people of the world that are pre-believing with an understanding of the questions, concerns, fears, angers, emotions, etc. that they are experiencing.
Awesome! God, once again, in God's sovereignty, is using what was intended (perhaps?) as evil for good! God is being God's glorious, wonderful, graceful, redemptive, reconciling self - and working everything for good for those who love God and are called according to God's purpose.... God is using Hollywood to be the prophet so we can be the healers and ministers and join people in the response to the sin that is exposed.
I really want to reexamine how I view God. I say God is sovereign, now I want to start living like that more intentionally. Who wants to join me?
Here are some verses that are helping me refocus. If it feels like to you that I am proof texting, I am sorry. All I can say is that these verses/passages are working on me right now as little mantras of hope....
Romans 8: 9-12:
You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 86: 7-11
In the day of my trouble I call on you, for you will answer me.
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
All of Job 38-41 (perhaps take a gander at Job's response)
Jeremiah 23:23-24
"Am I a God near by," says the Lord, "and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" says the Lord. "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord.
Ok, I guess that is enough for now.... there are so many other stories and such that I wish to share! (I love the Word of God!)
Seriously though, who wants to take this challenge with me?
1. God is really big
2. God knows everything
3. God is in control
I think most X's would agree - even if you are an open theist - you would agree that God is the being who is at least in control of being in control, and just chooses to let Godself be moved by God's love for us.
That being said, I think I have pinpointed a sadness, a grief if you will, that I have been feeling in regards to my family in God.
I am grieved that we say that we think God is in control and then speak/act as though God is not.
You are probably thinking, "thank you captain obvious."
Let me explain, no, let me sum up (didya catch that?):
The general grip/worry/lament of X is that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. We are worried by sex/violence/cussing in film, sad tales from the news, porn in romance novels and the internet, racism, classism, lack of social justice, etc. These are all things that are not necessarily such good things. I see that we have something to be sad about.
BUT what I am thinking is that our regrets and complaints are distracting us from remembering that God is sovereign. (If your theology allows for God to not be sovereign, then I guess you are off the hook on this on, and that is cool too.)
If we believe God to be in control, knowing all things, then why do we as a religion/faith get so bent out of shape about all these crappy things happening as though God needs our help stopping it?
I mean, all the junk that is around is all the same junk that was around through all of history - judgment/sex/violence/abuse/"isms". It only feels worse perhaps because we are in the middle of it. Or maybe TV and the information age allows us to be way more aware of all the stuff that happens - whatever - the point is that there is nothing new under the sun - including sin.
SOOO - if God was able to be a redemptive force all those many years ago, why isn't God able to be a redemptive agent even now?
This idea is tough because it will cause us to rethink how we view our roles in the work of God. If this is so, we are no longer allowed to be nay-sayers but are now required to be light and salt and the physical manifestation of the hand of God's reconciliation wherever we go - even if it gets us killed (hmmmmm.... sound familiar?)
To reframe how we see God's presence and ability in the world, we are suddenly much more responsible to, well, respond.
I almost feel like my complaining is a moot point. Shit happens. How you deal with it is more important than trying to prevent it. (Although I can't pull myself away from the call to try my best to not be the cause of that shit, mind you. There is still something to be said about living a life of holiness. Does saying shit make me unholy? It's not like the word "crap" or "stuff" wouldn't have meant the same thing in my heart.... ok, ok, I'll stop on that for now)
Anyway, trying to prevent sin can only go so far... we take the action that we can with all the grace that we can. BUT, when the sin happens, or is happening, that is when I need to chill and deal with the situation in the most "I believe God is in control" way possible.
For example: Hollywood makes rated R movies. Deal. It is not going to stop anytime soon. If the option of complaining about it/rejecting it is taken out of the picture, what next?
Perhaps seeing that Hollywood is doing us a favor?
Hollywood is actually exposing a lot of the things that are the realities of everyday life for many people. We as X's now have an opportunity to engage the people of the world that are pre-believing with an understanding of the questions, concerns, fears, angers, emotions, etc. that they are experiencing.
Awesome! God, once again, in God's sovereignty, is using what was intended (perhaps?) as evil for good! God is being God's glorious, wonderful, graceful, redemptive, reconciling self - and working everything for good for those who love God and are called according to God's purpose.... God is using Hollywood to be the prophet so we can be the healers and ministers and join people in the response to the sin that is exposed.
I really want to reexamine how I view God. I say God is sovereign, now I want to start living like that more intentionally. Who wants to join me?
Here are some verses that are helping me refocus. If it feels like to you that I am proof texting, I am sorry. All I can say is that these verses/passages are working on me right now as little mantras of hope....
Romans 8: 9-12:
You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Psalm 86: 7-11
In the day of my trouble I call on you, for you will answer me.
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
All the nations you have made shall come and bow down before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
All of Job 38-41 (perhaps take a gander at Job's response)
Jeremiah 23:23-24
"Am I a God near by," says the Lord, "and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" says the Lord. "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord.
Ok, I guess that is enough for now.... there are so many other stories and such that I wish to share! (I love the Word of God!)
Seriously though, who wants to take this challenge with me?
attempting to actually work this thing.
I am freaking trying to get this pic as my profile pic and it won't let me and that BUGS!!!!!
I think I want a real live web site so that I can put on there whatever I want! I am tired of this blogger thing not letting me do what I want!
Fie!
On a side note, it's pretty funny-odd that the expression on my face in this pic shows the exact opposite than what I am feeling right now. Again, Fie!
I think I want a real live web site so that I can put on there whatever I want! I am tired of this blogger thing not letting me do what I want!
Fie!
On a side note, it's pretty funny-odd that the expression on my face in this pic shows the exact opposite than what I am feeling right now. Again, Fie!
Sunday, July 2
God is moving!
This week has been tiring and amazing. God has been moving! What I really like is that God showed me God's hand of omnipresence this week. God was at Camp in FL and Wild Oats in CA. God was in a sermon in South Branden and a coffee date in Pasadena.
I really like that God is everywhere doing wonderful things all the time. What I don't like is how I miss it so often because I am busy being self-focused on what is going on in my little life in my little city in my little mind!
I was so blessed yesterday by the Mister telling me his stories from camp.... God touched kids, reconciled relationships and brought the realization the we just plain need community. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even respond.... and you know me... I can ALWAYS respond!
God is also doing a bunch of stuff at WO - two new managers, hearts that are breaking, questions galore, real-life ministry.
I know that I am doing ministry right here, right now. All my seminary education is right here, right now. Wow. It really is paying off. Well, kinda. Paying off in the spiritual sense, not so much in the financial sense.
I am so excited to see more of the movement; highly anticipating more of the Holy Spirit. I want to be a part of this movement for sure - I miss it, I miss the HS, I miss the reality of the impossible.
I love God. More Lord, More Lord, More Lord. Amen.
I really like that God is everywhere doing wonderful things all the time. What I don't like is how I miss it so often because I am busy being self-focused on what is going on in my little life in my little city in my little mind!
I was so blessed yesterday by the Mister telling me his stories from camp.... God touched kids, reconciled relationships and brought the realization the we just plain need community. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even respond.... and you know me... I can ALWAYS respond!
God is also doing a bunch of stuff at WO - two new managers, hearts that are breaking, questions galore, real-life ministry.
I know that I am doing ministry right here, right now. All my seminary education is right here, right now. Wow. It really is paying off. Well, kinda. Paying off in the spiritual sense, not so much in the financial sense.
I am so excited to see more of the movement; highly anticipating more of the Holy Spirit. I want to be a part of this movement for sure - I miss it, I miss the HS, I miss the reality of the impossible.
I love God. More Lord, More Lord, More Lord. Amen.
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