My baby brother turned 21 today. (do you suppose at some point I'll have to realize that he's close to a foot taller than me, and very much a man, and stop calling him my "baby" brother?)
He and I are pretty close, and this week we've had a lot of fun together. He's recently become one half of a couple, and needed my help to pull off a plan for a special date for his girlfriend this week. So we spent a very enjoyable evening together.
Tonight, to celebrate 21 years of his life (and our mom's birthday tomorrow) the five of us gathered for Chinese take-out at my parent's house. Then our middle brother and I took T. out to a pub, where we were joined by a couple friends, and spent the evening laughing and talking.
It was a good evening.
Happy Birthday T!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Giving Up vs. Gaining
Anyone who knows me well will know that I am not a fan of change. Anyone who knows me well will also know that this has made the last few years quite a challenge, since they've been marked with nearly constant change and transition.
I was listening to an interview this morning with a pair of Christian authors. Their names escape me, as does the title of their book, but they were talking about living a life you're truly passionate about, and how fear and especially fear of change affects that. What struck me was this comment, "The first thing most people think about when they think about change is what they're going to have to give up, not what they're going to gain."
That line hit home. It's definitely my tendency. Even in the changes I know God is in. Even in the short term ones. My tendency is to think about how much I miss the way things "used to be" rather than to celebrate the new and beautiful things forming in my life.
It'll be a challenge to switch my thinking, but perhaps it's worth the attempt? I think it might fit nicely into the "choose life" theme that I've been working to live, and talking about often with a dear friend.
What have I gained? A question that will require some pondering today.
I was listening to an interview this morning with a pair of Christian authors. Their names escape me, as does the title of their book, but they were talking about living a life you're truly passionate about, and how fear and especially fear of change affects that. What struck me was this comment, "The first thing most people think about when they think about change is what they're going to have to give up, not what they're going to gain."
That line hit home. It's definitely my tendency. Even in the changes I know God is in. Even in the short term ones. My tendency is to think about how much I miss the way things "used to be" rather than to celebrate the new and beautiful things forming in my life.
It'll be a challenge to switch my thinking, but perhaps it's worth the attempt? I think it might fit nicely into the "choose life" theme that I've been working to live, and talking about often with a dear friend.
What have I gained? A question that will require some pondering today.
From Henri
It's been a while since I posted any tidbits from Henri Nouwen, but here are a few that have arrived in my inbox recently:
The Fullness of time
Jesus came in the fullness of time. He will come again in the fullness of time. Wherever Jesus, the Christ, is the time is brought to its fullness.
We often experience our time as empty. We hope that tomorrow, next week, next month or next year the real things will happen. But sometimes we experience the fullness of time. That is when it seems that time stands still, that past, present, and future become one; that everything is present where we are; and that God, we, and all that is have come together in total unity. This is the experience of God's time. "When the completion of the time came [that is: in the fullness of time], God sent his Son, born of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), and in the fullness of time God will "bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth" (Ephesians 1:10). It is in the fullness of time that we meet God.
The Mountaintop Experience
At some moments we experience complete unity within us and around us. This may happen when we stand on a mountaintop and are captivated by the view. It may happen when we witness the birth of a child or the death of a friend. It may happen when we have an intimate conversation or a family meal. It may happen in church during a service or in a quiet room during prayer. But whenever and however it happens we say to ourselves: "This is it ... everything fits ... all I ever hoped for is here."
This is the experience that Peter, James, and John had on the top of Mount Tabor when they saw the aspect of Jesus' face change and his clothing become sparkling white. They wanted that moment to last forever (see Luke 9:28-36). This is the experience of the fullness of time. These moments are given to us so that we can remember them when God seems far away and everything appears empty and useless. These experiences are true moments of grace.
The Fullness of time
Jesus came in the fullness of time. He will come again in the fullness of time. Wherever Jesus, the Christ, is the time is brought to its fullness.
We often experience our time as empty. We hope that tomorrow, next week, next month or next year the real things will happen. But sometimes we experience the fullness of time. That is when it seems that time stands still, that past, present, and future become one; that everything is present where we are; and that God, we, and all that is have come together in total unity. This is the experience of God's time. "When the completion of the time came [that is: in the fullness of time], God sent his Son, born of a woman" (Galatians 4:4), and in the fullness of time God will "bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth" (Ephesians 1:10). It is in the fullness of time that we meet God.
The Mountaintop Experience
At some moments we experience complete unity within us and around us. This may happen when we stand on a mountaintop and are captivated by the view. It may happen when we witness the birth of a child or the death of a friend. It may happen when we have an intimate conversation or a family meal. It may happen in church during a service or in a quiet room during prayer. But whenever and however it happens we say to ourselves: "This is it ... everything fits ... all I ever hoped for is here."
This is the experience that Peter, James, and John had on the top of Mount Tabor when they saw the aspect of Jesus' face change and his clothing become sparkling white. They wanted that moment to last forever (see Luke 9:28-36). This is the experience of the fullness of time. These moments are given to us so that we can remember them when God seems far away and everything appears empty and useless. These experiences are true moments of grace.
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