I was reading through a few blog archives tonight, searching for a particular post I'd written, and I came across one that I wrote within two weeks of my healing from depression. I wrote a paragraph in that post, back in November 2005 that still holds true today, and I thought I'd bring it forward for you to share with me... The time related phrases could be changed from two weeks to "six months" to more accurately reflect this current season, but other than that...
The last two weeks and a bit have been insane, but so good. I have known God's presence in ways I would never have expected, or even wanted, but I am tired. I don't want to go back - I'm loving this new place in my journey - loving that breakthroughs are finally happening, but boy is it tiring. I think I know why the ancient monks spent so many hours alone!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Iraq and a dream about Jesus
I don't know exactly how I feel about the war in Iraq, and I'm not planning to try and resolve that question anytime soon. However, I was completely caught by this blog post Shane Claiborne wrote for the Sojourner's blog.
Somehow, I think I've met the Jesus who would let his body be torn to shreds while shielding children like a mother hen.
This touched on some of the ideas I've been thinking about through this Lenten season... the number of things speaking to those themes grows daily, and I am amazed at the way God is reinforcing points. And at some point, I'll probably let those points begin to surface here...
Somehow, I think I've met the Jesus who would let his body be torn to shreds while shielding children like a mother hen.
This touched on some of the ideas I've been thinking about through this Lenten season... the number of things speaking to those themes grows daily, and I am amazed at the way God is reinforcing points. And at some point, I'll probably let those points begin to surface here...
Our Unique Call - Henri Nouwen
Another helpful thought from Henri Nouwen...
Our Unique Call
So many terrible things happen every day that we start wondering whether the few things we do ourselves make any sense. When people are starving only a few thousand miles away, when wars are raging close to our borders, when countless people in our own cities have no homes to live in, our own activities look futile. Such considerations, however, can paralyse us and depress us.
Here the word call becomes important. We are not called to save the world, solve all problems, and help all people. But we each have our own unique call, in our families, in our work, in our world. We have to keep asking God to help us see clearly what our call is and to give us the strength to live out that call with trust. Then we will discover that our faithfulness to a small task is the most healing response to the illnesses of our time.
Our Unique Call
So many terrible things happen every day that we start wondering whether the few things we do ourselves make any sense. When people are starving only a few thousand miles away, when wars are raging close to our borders, when countless people in our own cities have no homes to live in, our own activities look futile. Such considerations, however, can paralyse us and depress us.
Here the word call becomes important. We are not called to save the world, solve all problems, and help all people. But we each have our own unique call, in our families, in our work, in our world. We have to keep asking God to help us see clearly what our call is and to give us the strength to live out that call with trust. Then we will discover that our faithfulness to a small task is the most healing response to the illnesses of our time.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Back into the Week
I've been writing a whole lot more in my journal these days than on my blog. Lent does that to me. Makes me far more introspective and uncertain, and unwilling to share the introspection and uncertainty with a wider audience until it's reached some sort of resolution.
I'm heading back into the week first thing tomorrow morning. A week full of meetings and busyness at work. A week with some apprehension as I wonder how things will work out. A week that is mercifully (thus far!) quiet on the social engagement front.
I milk every last moment out of my weekends these days, saving my biggest spurts of writing and introspection for late on Sunday night, in the rush to get it all out before I encounter the fuller schedule of my weekdays.
The fuller schedule isn't necessarily bad. As one friend reminded me this week, work = money, and money = food, rent, long distance phone conversations. In terms of motivators, I suppose all three of those are high on my list.
But I'd rather pass my days with a good book, talking with friends (and even some strangers), writing, sipping tea, and dreaming.
Ah well. For now, I'm heading back into the week.
I'm heading back into the week first thing tomorrow morning. A week full of meetings and busyness at work. A week with some apprehension as I wonder how things will work out. A week that is mercifully (thus far!) quiet on the social engagement front.
I milk every last moment out of my weekends these days, saving my biggest spurts of writing and introspection for late on Sunday night, in the rush to get it all out before I encounter the fuller schedule of my weekdays.
The fuller schedule isn't necessarily bad. As one friend reminded me this week, work = money, and money = food, rent, long distance phone conversations. In terms of motivators, I suppose all three of those are high on my list.
But I'd rather pass my days with a good book, talking with friends (and even some strangers), writing, sipping tea, and dreaming.
Ah well. For now, I'm heading back into the week.
Thoughts on Pain
I've been thinking and talking with friends a lot about pain over the course of this Lenten season. I'm not ready to share any of my own conclusions here yet. (Mostly because I'm not certain I have reached any conclusions.) But I did read this blog post this morning, which I thought made some rather good points, so I thought I'd link to it for your edification.
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